Writing to the Child

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Writing to the Child by Rebecca Linton

A practical guide to child-centred, trauma-informed communication.

Transform how professionals write to and about children.

Written for education, social care, and health teams, Writing to the Child provides clear, practical tools to improve recording, strengthen professional communication, and support child-centred, trauma-informed practice.

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A new standard in professional writing.

WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

Children read their files, sometimes years later.
But too often, the language we use is cold, clinical or confusing. Writing to the Child shows professionals how to complete child-centred recording that protects, informs and emotionally supports the children we serve.

This book bridges the gap between child-centred practice and child-centred writing — giving teams a simple way to align their communication with trauma-informed values.

Whats Inside

WHAT’S INSIDE

Clear, practical guidance you can use immediately:

✔ The STREAM™ Framework

Strengths, Trauma, Rights, Emotion, Anti-oppression, Memory, a structured approach to child-centred writing.

✔ The ARC Sentence

A simple formula that makes complex information clear, safe and emotionally containing.

✔ The Cupful Rule

How to be honest without overwhelming a child.

✔ Before-and-after examples

Real examples showing how to transform cold, adult-centred reports into warm, understandable, child-focused communication.

✔ Trauma-informed writing principles

Aligned with best practice, Ofsted expectations and psychologically safe communication.

About the Author

Rebecca Linton

I’m Rebecca Linton; social worker, educational consultant, and the creator of Writing to the Child™, STREAM™ and the ARC Sentence.

My frontline assessments were described by Ofsted as “amazing and trauma-informed.” I didn’t keep that standard to myself. I built it into frameworks that whole teams can use.

I work with local authorities, NHS services and schools to transform how professionals write about children. The results are measurable: clearer assessments, stronger defensible decision-making, and communication that children and families can actually read and understand.

If your team’s recording practice needs to be sharper, safer and more inspection-ready, this is where to start.

Writing to the Child™ A Global Movement for Better Words and Better Outcomes

Writing to the Child™ began as a simple idea:

children deserve to understand the words written about their lives.

What started as a book has grown into a movement reaching professionals across education, social care, health and beyond. Through the STREAM™, ARC and CARES™ frameworks, practitioners are learning how to write in ways that are clearer, safer and more emotionally attuned to the children who will one day read their files.

This work is now part of a growing global initiative, a collective commitment to improving the way we communicate with and about children, everywhere.

Because when our words change, outcomes change.

If your organisation is ready to join this movement and strengthen its child-centred practice, I’d love to support you.

Ready to Transform How Your Team Writes?

Book training, request consultancy or explore how Writing to the Child™ can support your organisation.