Therapeutic Life Story Work for Children and Young People in Care
Helping children understand their story, identity and sense of belonging.
Life Story Nest provides thoughtful, child-centred Therapeutic Life Story Work to help children and young people in care make sense of their history, relationships and experiences.
Qualified Practitioner — Rose Model of Therapeutic Life Story Work (TLSWI)
Specialist • Child-Centred • Individualised
Therapeutic Life Story Work can help children and young people understand their history, significant relationships, identity and journey through care.
Understanding The Practice
What is Therapeutic Life Story Work?
A specialist, sensitive approach supporting children and young people navigating care and family transitions.
Children in care can have unanswered questions about their early life, family, relationships and the reasons they came into care.
Therapeutic Life Story Work gives children space to explore those experiences in an age-appropriate and sensitive way. It brings together information about their past with their own memories, feelings, questions and understanding.
An ongoing process, not just a book
The aim is to help a child develop a clearer sense of who they are, where they have come from and how their story connects with their present and future. Therapeutic Life Story Work is an ongoing, child-centred process rather than simply producing a book.
By working at the child's pace and in partnership with their carers and social workers, the work helps reduce anxiety, clear up misconceptions, and build a cohesive narrative of their life journey.
Evidence-Based Practice
The Rose Model of Therapeutic Life Story Work
An internationally established, academically validated framework delivering exceptional outcomes for traumatised children, young people, and adults.
Therapeutic Life Story Work has been an established intervention for over 30 years, with the Rose Model developed for worldwide practice by Richard Rose since 1997.
With over 1,350 practitioners trained globally, three core textbooks, and extensive published research, the Rose Model of Therapeutic Life Story Work is the first model subjected to independent academic research and validated as an evidence-based narrative model delivering excellent outcomes for traumatised children, young people, and adults.
Core Focus Areas
How Therapeutic Life Story Work Helps
Supporting children across four key dimensions of their development and well-being.
Understanding the past
Helping children make sense of important events, transitions and experiences in their early lives with sensitivity and clarity.
Identity and belonging
Exploring family background, culture, identity and the personal qualities that make each child unique.
Making sense of relationships
Supporting children to explore important people, past and present, and their significant relationships in a thoughtful way.
Looking towards the future
Helping children connect their history with who they are becoming and where they want to go in their lives.
Meet Your Practitioner
Meet Emma
A thoughtful, child-centred approach to Therapeutic Life Story Work.
I am Emma Bowers, a specialist Therapeutic Life Story Worker based in Leicestershire and supporting children, young people, and local authorities across the East Midlands.
My work is grounded in a deep commitment to children in care. I believe every child deserves a safe, calm, and approachable professional to help them piece together their narrative without pressure or confusion.
Working collaboratively with social workers, foster carers, and residential teams, I ensure the pace and content of the work always respect the child's emotional readiness and developmental stage.
Professional Qualifications & Practice
Qualified Practitioner — Rose Model of Therapeutic Life Story Work (TLSWI)
Diploma in Therapeutic Life Story Work
Specialist experience supporting children in care & child centred practice
Worked within social care since 2013
Creative practitioner
Qualified Practitioner — Rose Model of Therapeutic Life Story Work (TLSWI)
Clear & Collaborative Process
How Therapeutic Life Story Work Works
A structured, four-step journey designed around the needs of the child and referring professionals.
01
Referral and initial discussion
A conversation with the referring professional and/or family to understand the child's circumstances and what support is needed.
02
Understanding the story
Relevant information, relationships, memories and experiences are explored carefully and sensitively.
03
Child-centred sessions
Work is adapted to the child's age, development, communication style and readiness.
04
Building understanding
The work helps the child develop a clearer and more coherent understanding of their story, identity and relationships.
Free Downloadable Resource
A Child-Friendly Welcome Guide
Designed specifically for children and young people, this colorful booklet explains what Therapeutic Life Story Work is, introduces Emma, and helps children feel comfortable and curious about their upcoming journey.
Life Story Nest works with children and young people in care and alongside the professionals and carers supporting them.
Referrals typically involve:
Local authority social workers
Foster carers
Connected carers
Residential care professionals
Other professionals involved in a child's care planning
Get in Touch
Let's talk about a referral
If you are considering Therapeutic Life Story Work for a child or young person, get in touch to discuss their circumstances and whether the service would be appropriate.
At Life Story Nest, operated by Emma Bowers, we are committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. This policy explains how personal information is collected, used, and safeguarded when using our website (lifestorynest.co.uk) or enquiring about our specialist Therapeutic Life Story Work services.
1. Information We Collect
When you contact us via email, telephone, or referral enquiry, we may collect:
Contact details: Name, professional job title, organisation/local authority, email address, and phone number.
Referral & Case Information: Details regarding a child or young person's background, care status, and circumstances provided during initial consultations or commissioned work.
2. Lawful Basis for Processing
We process personal data under the following UK GDPR legal grounds:
Legitimate Interests: To respond to professional enquiries and assess referral suitability.
Contractual Obligation: To deliver commissioned Therapeutic Life Story Work sessions, reports, and books for local authorities or social care agencies.
Legal & Safeguarding Obligations: To comply with statutory child protection and social care record-keeping duties.
3. Special Category Data & Confidentiality
Due to the therapeutic nature of Therapeutic Life Story Work, information regarding children in care and their family histories is classed as Special Category Data. All case notes, historical information, and life story books are treated with strict professional confidentiality, adhering to the UK GDPR, Data Protection Act 2018, and local safeguarding frameworks.
4. Data Storage & Third-Party Processors
We store all digital records using secure, password-protected, and encrypted systems. We do not sell or trade personal data. Data is processed through secure service providers necessary to operate our business (such as Google Firebase for website hosting and Zoho Mail for business communications).
5. Data Retention
We retain referral enquiries that do not proceed for up to 12 months. Commissioned case files and Life Story Work records are retained in accordance with local authority contractual agreements and professional social care record retention standards.
6. Your Rights
Under UK GDPR, you have rights regarding your personal data, including the right to request access, correction, or erasure. To exercise any of these rights, please contact Emma Bowers at [email protected].
If you have concerns about how your data is handled, you also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk.
Accessibility Statement
Last updated: October 2026
Life Story Nest is committed to ensuring digital accessibility for social workers, foster carers, local authorities, and professionals of all abilities. We are continually improving the user experience for everyone and applying relevant accessibility standards, striving to align with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA standards.
1. Measures to Support Accessibility
To ensure accessibility across lifestorynest.co.uk, we implement the following practices:
High contrast typography for effortless readability across desktop and mobile devices.
Clear semantic HTML structure and keyboard-navigable elements.
Fully responsive layout designed to adapt smoothly across all screen sizes.
Descriptive alternative text (alt text) for photos and non-text visual content.
Clean text scaling without broken page layouts.
2. Feedback & Alternative Formats
We welcome feedback on the accessibility of the Life Story Nest website. If you encounter any barriers, have trouble accessing content, or require referral information in an alternative format, please contact us:
