Between Chapters report looking at life story work for care leavers

Between Chapters

Findings from a three-year project focused on life story work for young people aged 16-25 who are leaving care.

About Between Chapters

Young people leaving care are navigating one of the most important transitions of their lives, yet often without the structured support to explore their identity, make sense of their past, and imagine their future.

Life story work is a tool that can support care experienced young people on this journey. While there are various models and approaches to life story work, there remains a significant lack of life story resources designed specifically for care leavers.

Blue Cabin, in partnership with Mary-anne Hodd, a care-experienced independent consultant and Therapeutic Life Story Work Practitioner, is leading a three-year project focused on life story work for young people aged 16-25 who are leaving care.

Funded by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, the project will begin by exploring what currently exists, identifying gaps and opportunities, and deepening our understanding of how life story work can meaningfully support care-experienced young people. It will then move into developing new resources and shining a light on life story work approaches designed specifically to support care leavers through this important stage of life.

Year One findings

In the first year of Between Chapters we have undertaken an exploratory process – researching what currently exists in the sector in relation to life story work for care leavers, how practitioners feel about this topic, and unearthing further lines of enquiry to pursue in years two and three.

As part of our research we have:

  • mapped current resources relating to life story work for care leavers
  • completed a review of Ofsted inspections for every local authority in England
  • facilitated conversations with local authority staff members, creative and cultural organisations, digital life story work providers, care-experienced young people, and voluntary and charity organisations.

Through this work we have uncovered nine key themes to consider in relation to life story work for care leavers. A brief summary is provided in our Year One Summary report which you can read and download below.