Research Conversations: What is Life Story Work?
Research Conversations: What is Life Story Work?
How defining approaches to practice could provide clarity for practitioners and researchers.
Tuesday 8 July 2025, 10am – 11.30am (Teams)
Life Story Work (LSW) is widely recognised in health and social care settings as a powerful approach for supporting care-experienced children and young people.
By using biographical and narrative techniques, LSW creates opportunities for individuals to explore, reflect on, and make sense of their lived experiences. It is frequently referenced in policy, practice guidance, and research as a way to strengthen identity, promote placement stability, improve understanding of personal histories, and support emotional well-being.
Despite this, recent studies suggest that the effectiveness of LSW in practice remains under-researched, with limited qualitative evidence and a wide variation in how LSW is delivered. Scoping reviews reveal diverse models ranging in intensity, length, and approach raising important questions about what LSW should actually include.
In this webinar, we’ll explore how clearly defining approaches to Life Story Work can help provide clarity for practitioners and researchers, support better outcomes for children and young people, and move us closer to consistent, evidence-based practice.
About the presenters:
Laura Neal is a Social Worker, Board Certified Behaviour Analyst and founder of The Behaviour Clinic - a specialist therapeutic organisation that provides trauma informed care and therapy to children.
Kim Matthews is a Social Worker and therapist at The Behaviour Clinic. Kim actively supports parents, carers, teachers and service providers such as residential care homes and Social Workers to learn and implement evidence-based practices to positively support children with complex emotional and behavioural needs.
Both Laura and Kim are passionate about working with children and young people to help them make sense of the trauma they have experienced.