1st Edition
Therapeutic Stories for Foster, Adoptive and Kinship Families Addressing the Domino Effect of Issues Facing 10–14-Year-Olds
This accessible resource contains therapeutic stories and guidance for adults who are supporting young people aged 10–14 in foster, adoptive or kinship families. With a solution-focused approach, the stories are designed to address a range of social and emotional problems, covering topics such as bullying, eating disorders, trauma, parents’ health, homophobia and racism.
Each story is accompanied by relevant context and theory, discussion points and creative activities that will stimulate the young person’s problem-solving skills and imagination, empowering them to explore solutions to situations in their own lives.
Key features include:
- 35 therapeutic stories created to help young people make sense of their experiences, illustrating empathetic responses and solutions to social and emotional difficulties.
- Discussion points and related activities based on the author’s extensive practical experience and knowledge.
- Practice guidelines and case studies to illustrate how the story-making approach can be used by therapists, adoptive parents, social workers and teachers.
- Photocopiable and downloadable resources.
This book will enable foster, adoptive and kinship parents, social workers, therapists, teachers and other professionals to support the young people with whom they are working to resolve their dilemmas and enhance their self-esteem.
Acknowledgements Forward by Dr Clive Holmwood, Assistant Professor, University of Derby Introduction Why the book is needed Who can use it? The issues addressed Method Safe Practice How the Book is Laid Out Stories – a tool for problem solving Story plots Creating stories Accessing the senses Enabling new insights Family Relationships Brain Development Decision-making Risk-taking Flexibility Heightened Sensitivity Mental illness Changing Social Trends Social and Emotional Disability Difference and Isolation The Impact of Social Media Assessment Planet Domino Ch.1: Family tensions Family Relationships Family Disruption – 1 – Dora’s dilemma Divided Loyalties – 2 – Dylan’s Dread Conflict with Caregivers – 3 - Darma’s Despair Sibling rivalry and Co-dependence – 4 – Dorrie Loses Davy Contact with Birth Family - 5 - Darcy’s Ordeal Social Isolation – 6 – Disruption for Derry Ch 2: Trauma, abuse, neglect Verbal abuse and neglect – 7 – Dudley, who thought he was Dud Sexual abuse – 8 – Dotty tries to dominate Memory problems – 9 – Dom the Domino Foetal Alcohol Spectrum – 10 – Ditty’s Delight Fear of School - 11 – Della’s Difficulties Hiding – 12 – Dilys blames herself Ch. 3: The legacy of mental illness Parents’ mental illness – 13 – Dodgems Domestic Violence – 14 – Dilly Feels Silly Post Traumatic Stress Disorder - 15 – Dixie’s Devastation Self-Harm – 16 – Daffyd’s Desire Body Dysmorphia & Eating Disorder: 17 – Dodie feels invisible Ch 4: Social, Emotional and Mental Health Needs Anxiety & Mutism – 18 – Deena’s Silence Autism & Dyspraxia – 19 – Dobbie’s Tale Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder – 20 – Drumming for Dibs Dyslexia – 21 – Den Gets Dumped Alcohol Dependency – 22 - Dusty’s distress Low self-esteem – 23 – Daisy learns diplomacy Ch 5: Difference & isolation Difference and Isolation – 24 – Donald’s story Intimidation – 25 – Drew’s Dare Gender issues – 26 – Dami’s Disgust Sexism – the Right to Respect – 27 – Derry & Des Violation – FGM – 28 – Dukha’s Secret Forced Child Marriage – 29 – Drina and Dilip’s Drama Ch.6: Social media pressures Cyber-bullying – 30 – Decision for Dana Gangs and Street crime – 31 – Dean escapes the "No’s" Fear Of Missing Out – 32 – Dan’s Dare On-line Game Addiction – 33 – Dariel’s Obsession Idealisation – 34 – Dancing for Desire Pornography – 35 – Disaster for Dimitri Ch. 7: Practice guidelines and case examples Practice Guidelines Case examples: 1: How a therapist could use these stories 2: How a social worker could use these stories 3: How an adoptive parent could use these stories 4: How a teacher/mentor could use these stories Bibliography Appendices - Worksheets: 1. ‘Organising My Life’ chart 2. Things I could say to bullies 3. Memory jar 4. Map of town template 5. Menu template 6. Invitation cards 7. Problem Pages: problems & answers 8. Poem about friendship – template 9. Allotment Shed 10. Complements 11. Young people – characteristics 12. Cartoons of famous people
Biography
Joan E. Moore is an author, dramatherapist, play therapist and adoption support provider with foster, adoptive and kinship families. She works mainly in the family home, applying her “Theatre of Attachment” model of life-history therapy. Joan has written several books and articles and has completed a doctoral study at Leeds Beckett University, which focused on using story and drama to support these placements and is described in Narrative and Dramatic Approaches to Children’s Life Story with Foster, Adoptive and Kinship Families, published by Routledge. She supervises creative arts therapists and delivers training. Having a background in social work with children and families and Youth Justice, Joan has undertaken Expert Witness Assessments of siblings, children’s care needs, parents, and assessments of prospective adoptive parents and foster and kinship carers.
This book contains a treasure trove of creative ideas and suggestions based on Joan’s extensive experience and knowledge of working firstly as a social worker for many years and then as a dramatherapist and play therapist, supporting adoptive, foster and kinship parents, and placing creative play, drama and storytelling at the centre of her work with children
Clive Holmwood, Associate Professor & Dramatherapist, University of Derby
