Helping Hands Care and Consultancy

Ofsted-aligned trauma informed intervention

What is Therapeutic Life Story Work?

Therapeutic Life Story Work (TLSW) is a planned trauma informed intervention that supports children and young people in care to understand their life experiences and how these experiences influence their emotional wellbeing, identity and behaviour.

It is especially effective for children and young people who have experienced trauma, neglect, abuse, loss, or multiple placements.

Through the process of talking therapy, play and creative art activities these fragments are pieced together so the individual develops deeper understanding about themselves, what has happened to them, and the world around them.

Why is Therapeutic Life Story Work so important for children and young people in care?

Children and young people in care often present with emotional and behavioural needs arising from early trauma and disrupted attachments.

Without a clear understanding of their life experiences, children may struggle to feel safe, regulated and settled within the home.

Therapeutic Life Story Work supports children and young people in care tO:

Make sense of their experiences in a developmentally appropriate and emotionally safe way
Build a coherent personal narrative
Reduce confusion, shame and self blame
Support placement stability and emotional regulation
Strengthen relationships with carers and professionals

therapeutic life story work has 3 main stages...

stage 1

Gathering and collating information: care records, reports, photos, and significant life events.

stage 2

stage 1

18, x1 hour sessions of Therapeutic Life Story work with the child or young person. The child is encouraged to externalise their thoughts, feelings and emotions and this is what is explored and recorded on the wallpaper.

stage 3

stage 1

stage 3

Compiling the Therapeutic Life Story book. This is composed towards the end of the child’s therapeutic journey and comprises of the information and work completed by the child over the course of their sessions. The child helps design the book eg fonts, pictures etc, which helps them to take ownership over it and aids their understanding of the journey that they have completed.

Therapeutic Life Story Work Practitioner

about abi

Abi is a qualified Therapeutic Life Story Work Practitioner and qualified in 2022.

Having trained with Richard Rose at the Institute for Arts and Therapy in Education, to achieve a first Diploma in Therapeutic Life Story Work, she is now a full member of the professional body – Therapeutic Life Story Work International (TLSWi).

Abi has worked in the childcare sector for over 15 years, in secure, residential and education settings, and has a vast amount of knowledge of therapeutic approaches particularly working directly with children in care who have experienced trauma. Abi is empathetic, patient and an active listener with a passion for supporting children and young people to understand their life experiences.

Abi has experience working with and supporting children and their caregivers and working with professionals to achieve better outcomes.

Abi holds an Enhanced DBS and is fully insured.

Frequently Asked Questions

Please reach us at info@helpinghandsconsultancy.co.uk if you cannot find an answer to your question.

Which young people in residential care might benefit?

TLSW is particularly beneficial for young people who:

Have experienced trauma, neglect or neglect
Have had multiple placement moves
Struggle with identity, belonging or self-worth
Present with heightened emotional or behavioural responses
Ask difficult questions or repeated questions about their past

How does TLSW support placement stability in children's homes?

By helping young people understand their experiences, TLSW can:

Reduce feelings of anger, shame or blame
Improve emotional regulation
Strengthen trust in adults
Reduce incidents linked to trauma triggers
Support safer, more reflective care plannin

This often leads to improved relationships between young people and residential staff.

How long does the process take?

The length of the intervention varies depending on the child or young persons needs. Typically, TLSW includes an assessment phase, 18 direct sessions with the child or young person (more sessions can added if required), and collaborative work with carers and professionals. The process often takes several months.

Who is involved in the process?

TLSW is a collaborative approach. It involves:

The child or young person

Carers (residential staff)
Social workers
Other relevant professional

Carer support is essential to ensure ongoing support outside of sessions.

How is the information gathered?

Information is gathered through:

Care records
Chronologies
Professional reports
Discussions with social workers and carers (residential staff)
Where appropriate, family contributions

All information is handled sensitively and in line with safeguarding and data protection requirements.

How is confidentially managed?

Information is handled sensitively and in line with safeguarding and data protection requirements. Information sharing is agreed in advance with the relevant professionals and those with parental responsibility. Helping Hands Care and Consultancy is ICO registered.

How can a children's home access this service?

If your home is based in Northamptonshire, you can contact us directly to discuss suitability and referrals.

If you home is located outside of Northamptonshire, please still get in touch and we will see what we can do to support.