A Life Book is an organized collection of pictures, narratives, documents, records, and memories for a child. Life Books span the life of the child, before and during their foster care experience, and can be referenced or added to after foster care. Life Books remind the child from where they come, their connections and relationships, their heritage and culture, and their experiences.
A. The Child Welfare Case Management Provider (CWCMP) is responsible for:
1. Preparing and providing a Life Book to each child in out of home placement. The Life Book shall be initiated upon referral of a child into out of home care.
2. Updating the Life Book upon major changes in the child’s life or no less than every 180 days at minimum. (e.g., placement change, end of school year, major court decision, etc.) during the entire episode of out of home placement. Important documents shall also be copied and placed in the child’s file.
3.Including the child in the development and maintenance of their own Life Book. The Life Book belongs to the child, and they shall be consulted before it is shared with anyone except the current placement and CWCMP case team.
B. DCF does not have a set Life Book format. CWCMP’s may use their own format. Each Life Book shall include a copy of Appendix 3M Family Mobile Crisis Helpline. Each Life Book may also include the following:
1. Pictures of the child, from birth forward
2. Pictures of birth family to include parents, grandparents, siblings, and extended family as available.
3. Genogram/family tree of birth family
4. Letters from birth family members
5. Pictures of pets, special toys or security items
6. Interviews with the child for “About Me” pages – likes/dislikes, hobbies & interests, feelings and important memories, wishes & dreams, fears, etc.
7. Narrative of the child’s birth history (date, height, weight, hospital, city, etc.) and any known medical information for child and child’s parents & grandparents
8. Reason for removal and placement into foster care
9. Case Manager/Family Support Worker history: complete list of assigned case worker names and agencies, with pictures – may include names of important placement staff members and other supportive adults in the child’s life
10. Placement history, with dates, reasons for moving, and pictures of placement care providers – home, persons, pets, friends, extracurricular teams and activities, etc. – may include letters from caregivers
11. Medical History: complete records of immunization records, height/weight tracking charts, known allergies, childhood diseases, injuries, surgeries/procedures, developmental milestone dates, doctors, dentists and optometrists seen for healthcare, etc.
12. Educational history: complete records of names and address of schools attended for each grade, class photos, photos of teachers and other important adults at the schools, copies of school grade reports and transcripts, homework samples, art projects, ribbons, awards, certificates earned, pictures from important school activities (sports games, performances, dances, ceremonies, graduation, etc.)
13. Independent Living information: mementos and photos from teen groups, classes, camps, copies of certificates and achievements earned, letters from mentors, social workers, care providers, IL leaders, driver’s education information, dates of accomplishments for IL related goals
14. Adoption information: date of finalization, adoption day pictures and mementos, copy of the adoption decree and new birth certificate