Children's histories, relationships, and important memories can easily get lost as they move through the foster care system. You can help preserve these connections by capturing key milestones and relationships in a life book. Create and maintain life books that follow children and youth wherever they go.

How to do this

Establish life book requirements. Print a life book template that captures important milestones, relationships, and memories, then make completing the life book a formal caregiver responsibility. Check on its contents during regular visits, such as monthly check-ins with families. You can also create a digital-only version by creating a free photo sharing website to share with birth families to exchange photos that can also be printed.

Maintain and share life books throughout a child or youth's journey. Make copies of the life book for birth family members on a regular schedule, ideally at least quarterly. Make sure a child or youth's life book follows them by including it in any move checklists and in closing permanency checklists for reunification, guardianship, adoption, or a young adult transitioning from foster care.

This strategy in action

Frederick County, MD prints life book templates and puts them in a 3-ring binder.

Other jurisdictions have used free online photo sharing websites like Moment Garden.

Resources