Children separated from their birth family, or who have experienced multiple placements in foster care, often don’t have ready access to information about their personal history making it more difficult for them to develop a strong and secure sense of self-identity. Adoptive and foster children are entitled to know and understand their own history. One technique for doing so is creating a Lifebook. It provides a child with a chronology of his life and preserves his past by documenting and connecting important people and events in his life.
Books
- Lifebooks: Creating a Treasure for the Adopted Child by Beth O’Malley. The bible for assisting parents in creating their child’s lifebook.
- Iowa Foster Parent Association Lifebook Pages – order a printed copy or download free pages from their website
- Tapestry Adoption Books
- American Foster Care Resources, Inc. Life Book Series
Online Resources:
- Adoptive Families Magazine scrapbooking tips
- adoptionlifebooks.com (Beth O’Malley’s website)
- adoptshoppe.com
- www.adoptionshop.com
- www.scrapandtell.com
- www.adoptionlearningpartners.org – online course on creating lifebooks
Creative Help:
- Local Adoptive Parent Support Groups
- Personal assistance through independent venders (i.e. Creative Memories Consultants)
- Craft Stores (i.e. Michaels, AC Moore)
- Scrapbooking Clubs/Workshops at Libraries or your local adult education program
Source: Adapted from 2006 Coalition Conference workshop, “Lifebooks: Preserving Your Child’s Story” presented by Diane DiGiorgio, SUNY Albany