If you are interested in better understanding your history, stories, photos, and medical information by putting together a Lifebook with Power of Story, complete the application below to work with us for FREE.
Fund-A-Story Application – **Scholarships available to current and former Minnesota foster youth aged 18-28 years old.
To help foster youth, adoptees, and their families gather, compile, and process their stories, Power of Story offers training, consulting, and the resources below.
DNA and Search Services
When information is missing or is just not enough, check out these free DNA tests for adoptees, foster youth search services and DNA based search organizations.
Advice to Fosters Who Want to Request Their File
Advice, cautionary tales, real encouragement and things to consider for care experienced young people, from a 2022 survey for current and former foster youth.
Lifebooks A Powerful Tool
The ultimate resource for FREE downloadable, lifebook templates, recommended versions to purchase and guides for parents and workers on creating lifestory books.
Tough Stuff Plan for Sharing The Hard Stories
Each birth, foster or adoptive family has challenging items in their child’s history. Use this resource to make a thoughtful plan for impactful conversations.
Ways for First Parents Share History with Their Child
The best options for first parents to share their story with the child, by writing a letter, completing a Medical History, guided journal, video or memory book.
State By State: Foster Care File Retention
Having access to your personal information is a basic human right, however, foster care records are not forever. See the laws that govern retention and destruction.
Is Getting Your Foster Care File a Want or a Need?
Is foster youth having access to their “file,” medical history, birth parent info, placement history and sibling details NECESSARY, a need or just nice to have?
Fosters Speak About Getting Their “File”
Over redaction, lost and sealed records, incomplete, hurtful, and false information. Foster youth share about requesting their foster care file and give advice to other youth.
State By State: Fosters Information
Each state varies in the documentation of foster youth’s medical info, social history and life stories. To work together, we must understand these differences.
Check out this guidance on lifestory work, for everyone involved in child welfare, through templates, lifebook tips, workshops, and book recommendations.
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