What is it

The Lifebook tells your child about the adoption story.

It is made of the Adoption tree, and of all the information that can help the child to build a truthful and age-appropriate story of their life as an adopted child.

When is it used

It is used in all stages, and is usually started in Session 5 – Talking about adoption – telling the adoption story ; Advocating for your child.

It will be part of your adoption package, the things you bring with you in the country of adoption.

Tips and tricks

Design it as a book that you can read at each age stages, with information that can be added as the child grows older.

It should foster self-esteem, and thus be based on the truth. It should not support a lie, a secret or some fantasy.

Resource

• Do’s and Do’nt’s: http://www.emkpress.com/pdffiles/O’Malley.doc.pdf
• Ideas of layout: http://www.scrapandtell.com/Layouts.asp
• http://www.comeunity.com/adoption/adopt/life-books.html
• http://www.adoptionlifebooks.com/lifebookqa.htm