At ARC Adoption North East, we believe that every child deserves to have, high quality, up to date information about them and their life which is stored safely in one easily accessible place. This belief has driven the creation of ARCBOX.

Created in 2017 by experienced social work professionals and expert software developers, ARCBOX began as a child-centered digital life story platform, giving children access to view, and along with significant people in their lives, contribute to their own life story, retrospectively and in real time, resulting in a truly living chronology.

Safe Communication

ARCBOX has evolved, integrating digital life story with safe online two way communication that provides a solution to the constraints of traditional contact and letterbox systems. 

Children and young people within social care are often contacted by or make unofficial contact with their birth relatives via social media. Accessible on most devices, ARCBOX facilitates a safe way for children, birth relatives and organisations to communicate digitally without the need to share personal details such as locations or contact numbers

Digital Life Story

ARCBOX provides a safe alternative to social media enabling children to communicate, personalise, capture and document moments without external judgment.

Significant people within a child’s life, including siblings, can also contribute to a child’s life story. Posts and messages are approved by an editor before they can be viewed by the child.

If it is decided that a piece of communication is not suitable for the child at that time, it will be held in the system until it a more appropriate time.

Child Centred

Only the child can view the contents of their ARCBOX. They can choose to view their digital life story along with a narrative in a timeline or simply as a picture gallery.

Therapeutic Tool

ARCBOX is a supportive therapeutic tool to help children engage with and understand their life history and identity, they can also access valuable resources, games, a diary to plan, and log their feelings , their family tree and their own avatar.

Communications Plan

The Communications Plan, traditionally known as a contact plan, is flexible and sets parameters around the varying communication scenarios agreed between birth families and care settings. It determines when and how children receive approved communication from people in their lives.

For example; via a direct message, a digitally scanned letter or card, or a monthly contribution that will appear in a child’s life story time line. Any changes or updates to the communication plan are logged and can be audited.

Direct Messaging 

ARCBOX can be used alongside letterbox contact, providing easy access and the ability to track and securely store data in one place as it grows exponentially year on year.

ARCBOX also allows direct messaging, a simple way to write a note or letter and attach a photo or card all in accordance with the communications plan. Links can be created via the letterbox team between significant others in a child’s life, such as adult birth relatives and siblings. The child’s editor will approve messages before releasing them to the child’s ARCBOX.

Management Dashboard

The ARCBOX management dashboard displays in depth statistical information regarding the usage of ARCBOX such as how many posts have been made, how many times a child or user has logged in.

Connections and Permissions

Management users can also access information including; who is connected to a child and whether or not that person has permission to communicate with them.

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If you are interested in finding out more about ARCBOX please contact us via email or 0191 516 6466 and we'll be happy to tell you more or provide you with an online demonstration.