Parents raise concerns over quality of adoption storybook support

Research by voluntary adoption agency Coram, conducted alongside Bristol University, found that life story work is not being prioritised by adoption professionals and that there is a vast variance in the quality of life story books, which local authorities have a statutory duty to create for all adopted children.
 
Of 40 parents questioned, 16 said their child’s story book was either “good” or “excellent”, but 13 parents rated the quality as “terrible”.
 
The study found that where experiences were positive, children had books that were well written, and presented with care and consideration of the material included.
 
Parents described the books as invaluable in their discussions with their children about their birth and care histories, and felt they facilitated a valued connection to their birth family.
 
However, many parents felt the books were of poor quality, with some choosing to “redo” them themselves.
 
These parents reported that the story was often not child-centred and lacked narrative and explanation.?

Many also said that the level of detail in the books was inappropriate, with either too much emphasis on one part of the story, too little detail or too much unnecessary detail.
 
Concerns were also raised about the age-appropriateness of the material and the fact that books cannot be updated as children grow up.
 
Renuka Jeyarajah-Dent, director of operations at Coram, said: “The clear message from our research is that crucial information about children’s lives is often incorrect or inappropriate and that parents need more help in explaining their children’s pasts to them.