Stories from Foster Care
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In this two-part interview, Niamh is speaking with Katie Wrench. Katie is a social worker, art psychotherapist and author. She and her family have also been respite foster carers. Katie was IFCA’s keynote speaker at its 2022 conference, Wrapped in Relationships.
Katie Wrench is a deeply experienced, empathetic and engaging communicator. She has so much to share that we decided to release her episode in two parts.
In part one, she talks about her pathway into social work and, with some brilliant stories and examples, she shares some of the valuable learning she received along the way.
In part two we delve into Life Story Work, a practice that Katie has written two books about. She is now involved in training practitioners in the BUSS model (Building Underdeveloped Sensorimotor Systems). She shares her thoughts on what is really needed in the field of foster care in this moment.
Resources – books:
· Life Story Work with Children Who are Fostered or Adopted: Creative Ideas and Activities (2013)
Co-authored with Lesley Naylor. A practical, creativity-infused guide for life story work with fostered or adopted children. Jessica Kingsley Publishers – UKGoodreadsHachette UK
· Helping Vulnerable Children and Adolescents to Stay Safe: Creative Ideas and Activities for Building Protective Behaviours (2016)
A compendium of creative techniques to support vulnerable young people in developing protective behaviours. Jessica Kingsley Publishers – UKamazon.comHachette UK
· Creative Ideas for Assessing Vulnerable Children and Families (2018)
A hands-on, inventive toolkit designed to assist practitioners in engaging with vulnerable children and families effectively. Jessica Kingsley Publishers – UKHachette UKThriftBooks
· Skills and Knowledge for Life Story Work with Children and Adolescents (2024)
An updated, comprehensive manual that builds on a long-standing 6-step life-story work model, enriched with contemporary theory and case examples.
Websites: https://www.blossomsocialcaretraining.co.uk/about-the-trainers/
About the podcast – Stories from Foster Care is brought to you by the Irish Foster Care Association in association with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. Join host Niamh Barrett as she meets people from all walks of life who have different experiences of foster care in Ireland. Listen to Stories from Foster Care on Spotify, Apple, Nearcast or wherever you get your podcasts. Be sure to subscribe for all the latest episodes.
The music on this podcast is a track called Pastures by Ketsa, the music appears here under a Creative Commons Licence. Stories from Foster Care is made with the Near FM podcast network. For more information and how to get involved visit https://nearcast.ie/get-involved/
