Social work is closely linked to exploring service users' life stories. The aim of this thesis was to investigate how older people reflect on the circumstances and events they experienced in childhood, and how their perceptions of childhood changes throughout the life course. The focus was not on uncovering trauma, but rather on older people's perspectives on their own lived experiences and on identifying how they transformed difficult circumstances into sources of strength. The theoretical framework established the highlights of the narrative approach, life course concepts, positive ageing, and the impact of childhood experiences on the later life. The study employed a qualitative research design based on the narratives of older people, who reflected on their past experiences through their own life stories. Semi-structured narrative interviews were used for data collection. The findings show that older people make sense of their childhood through relationships, family circumstances, and the socio-economic and historical contexts that shaped their upbringing. The study reveals that adverse childhood experiences were present and influenced their development in different ways. A key protective factor was the support of at least one significant person during childhood. Changes in participants perceptions of childhood did not occur as a single event, but rather as a process unfolding throughout the life course. Throughout their lives, the participants demonstrated perseverance and resilience, which contributed to their accepteance of the past and their satisfaction with life in older age. From a strenghts-based perspective, the narrative approach in social work enables service users to co-create their stories, identify sources of strength, and process past experiences.
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