The stories we have about ourselves create a strong sense of positive identity that is critical for social and emotional wellbeing. Children who are removed from their birth family and placed in out-of-home care can often lack this sense of identity or history, which may be silenced or even disqualified by the adults in their lives. Professionals working with children who are in care have an important opportunity to bring children’s histories to life in ways that support their sense of identity and confidence. This paper identifies practical ways professionals can provide this support, even when children’s experiences with their birth families were marked by trauma or neglect.
This practice paper is for practitioners who are working with children in out-of-home care. It examines the importance of identity and history on the mental health of children in care. It provides examples of practices that have supported identity and story development for children who are living in out-of-home care.