There are over 2.5 million children in this country who are unable to live with their birth families. There are many reasons for this, including death, incarceration, rehab, abuse by their birth parents. These children are typically left behind to be cared for by custodial parents, grandparents, other relatives, and many end up in the foster care system. They are the forgotten victims-the children left behind-at no fault of their own.
Many of these children are shifted from one foster home to another leaving unrecorded all of their childhood memories, as well as memories of their caregivers. In the US today, there are over 400,000 children in foster care.
All children in a “looked after’ system need help in making sense of their identity and the opportunity to grieve separation, and loss. Every “looked after child should have a memory book a means to record important events and happening in their life while they are unable to live with their birth family whs Our mission.. to create a program called “My Memory Book”. The program will consist of a caregiver’s guide and three books. The books will be age- appropriate, with fun, creative ways for the child and their caregiver to record their experiences at different ages of a child separated from their birth family.
The caregiver’s guide will show what change is needed and how it can be performed. It will show practitioners and caregivers how to use the accompanying memory books so they can meet the needs of all children separated from their birth family by:
*preserving the memories.
*giving them information and explanations.
*helping to promote their genetic identity.
*preparing them for life changes
Building their self-esteem through positive image of their families at birth.
The program will combine a journal and photo album to capture the child’s experiences. There will be hints to jog memories at every stage, and each section will contain blank pages for larger recollections.
The program will be excellent for busy professionals and caregivers, and a must for anyone involved in promoting “looked-after children’s well-being.