Newcastle software company develops system to protect memories for kids in care

Nebula Labs have been working with South Tyneside council on the Virtual Memory Box project

Author: Ellie KumarPublished 22nd May 2023

A Newcastle based tech firm is working with social care teams in South Tyneside, to give young people in foster care a reliable, secure way of saving their precious memories

Nebula Labs have developed new software - after the release of research by South Tyneside council, which showed how situations where kids find themselves in multiple placements, can lead to possessions - often irreplaceable things like photos and mementos - being lost.

Co-founder of Nebula Labs, Dylan McKee, tells us why they wanted to get involved in the project;

"Some of the stories were really heart-wrenching, about how people had lost memories and parts of their life effectively,

"It was a real tech-for-good endeavour, for us to get involved in and it's been focused and built around the young person as the end user - and how it can benefit their life.

"We looked at how we could apply technology, and use technology and digital solutions to deliver a digital product that could basically solve that, and store everything safely and securely in the cloud - in a way where it's accessible and private but is always there for them and it's not going to disappear."

Screenshot of the Virtual Memory Box software

During Foster Fortnight, 15-28 May 2023, an annual event to raise awareness of the importance and impact of fostering, Nebula Labs and South Tyneside Council are holding a free online workshop for anyone involved or interested in fostering to learn more about how this tool can help them and the young people in their care.

Sandra Garner, a specialist in life story work and advisor to UK Fostering says, “A child’s lack of knowledge and understanding of their life journey and history can lead to emotional and social difficulties. Ultimately it can impact on a child’s ability to fully enjoy their present life and future potential.”

Councillor Adam Ellison, Lead Member for Children, Young People and Families, South Tyneside Council, said: “This is a really exciting additional way for children and young people to store and then access key moments from their childhood in a safe and secure way.

“Too often children can lose special photos and mementos and by storing them digitally this enables protection of things that are important and help young people understand and recall what happens to them. We are committed to ensuring children understand their life story and have access to memories and the virtual memory box is another fantastic way of doing this.”

Dylan McKee, added, “Our Virtual Memory Box enables young people to navigate a ‘living timeline’ of visual, audio and text memories displayed in a scrapbook style, with a chronological timeline to scroll through, or users can search through thematic tags. Foster carers and social work staff can help build the memory box, uploading content, providing narrative and responding to comments from the young person – either within the platform or in discussion.”

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