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belonging

prsthelrd May 31 2005, 08:42 AM Post #1

First of all let me say I know that at some facilities the guidelines make this very difficult but do the best you can.

I have found that helping some of my kids feel a little more stable is with pictures and memories. A while back I got into scrapbooking and found that several of my kids also enjoy it. I happen to work with girls so they really get involved, however I did work with boys and although they did not want to make the book they did like to look at it from time to time. I will take little snap shots of things we do even just doing chores and put them in the book writing down sometimes what and who was going on. If there were times we couldn't take pictures we have kept movie stubs, program, or newspaper articles. the kids look back at the ones that were there before them and know that when they leave thay won't be forgotten

momof10 May 31 2005, 08:47 AM Post #2

This is such a great idea and when you are in the throw's of houseparenting, sometimes the simple gets forgotten. During the summer, the kids are able to take a scrapbooking class which is a favorite of the staff and the girls. One of my boys took it last summer to get "closer" to his girl intrest!

Doing the individual books is a great idea and pretty low in cost too. Some of these kids have no pictures at all of themselves so it is good to preserve these memories.

Kristina

prsthelrd May 31 2005, 11:11 AM Post #3

I forgot to add that a very cheap way i started with our girls was just a regular 3 ring binder and clear page covers

CaringCouple Jul 22 2005, 11:16 AM Post #4

This has actually become a Required Item in the State of California for all programs that take placements from the State in any manner.

They call them "Life Books" and they have been written into Licensing Regulations in the last couple of years.

A Basic Lifebook provided to start the kids at our Agency consisted of a 3 ring binder, an assortment of about 6-8 sheets of different colors/patterns of paper and a head shot of the child that the Agency paid for.

It was a required activitiy for Staff to hold at least 1 group per month and allow for at least 1 hour in a week for the residents to spend time working on their Life Books.

Pictures, collections, writings etc were common.

So were some writings and drawings that, although "creative in nature", were not allowed in any other manner.
 

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