Bouncing Away – The ups and downs of life and how to deal with them.

Published in In Touch magazine, December 2015

Bouncing Away is the first mental health book in Ireland created by children for children. The book, funded by the Mental Health Services HSE Sligo/Leitrim/W Cavan, gives insight into children’s own perspectives on how they stay happy and how they cope during tough times. Developed by children aged 8 to 12 years old in Sligo from the HSE Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS), the HSE Community Psychology Service (PCCC) and a local primary school, the book provides an essential resource for other children, parents and healthcare practitioners who are interested in understanding and supporting children’s mental health.

Bouncing Away was developed through a collaborative process led by Kids’ Own Publishing Partnership. Artist Vanya Lambrecht Ward and writer Lisa Vandegrift Davala worked alongside the children over a two-month period, during which time they developed artwork and shared their own experiences, which guided the concept of the book. The focus of the project was on building confidence, fostering self-esteem and developing alternative ways for the children to express themselves through art and storytelling. Bouncing Away serves as a resource for all children, encouraging them to talk about their feelings, the ups and downs that life can bring, and how we cope and bounce with them.

The book will have nationwide distribution, to schools, libraries and HSE mental health services, in order to reach and support children, parents and healthcare practitioners everywhere. For more information visit www.kidsown.ie.