19-05-2025
Vision Ireland converts 3 children's books into Braille and audio
Vision Ireland has converted three children's books, aimed at helping grieving children, into Braille and audio for European Mental Health Week as part of their Book Bridge Project.
Launched in 2024 in partnership with the Irish Childhood Bereavement Network, the Book Bridge Project aims to convert existing bibliotherapy resources - books used for therapeutic purposes – to accessible formats so they can be read by children and parents with a visual impairment.
Eleven books are now available as part of the project, primarily focusing on children who are dealing with the loss of a loved one. Additional resources are also available for parents and carers.
Eleven-year-old Bonnie O'Meara has a vision impairment and has been learning Braille since the age of five.
Following the death of her grandfather earlier this year, Bonnie began using the Book Bridge Project herself.
Speaking to RTE news, Ms. O'Meara said the collection was "really, really relatable" to her own experience.
"Recently my Grandad died and it's been tough, but these books have been really good to make me feel a little bit better," she told RTÉ's News2day programme.
"The note in one is to just not think about the fact that he's gone and that it's really sad, it's to think about all the good times you've had, all the good things you've done and how he was so good to you, and what a good person he was.
"Just to focus on the positives and not the negatives. That's a really good message. And it's really nice that they're in Braille so other people like me can read these books and get that message," she added.
Bibliotherapy primarily helps individuals understand issues they are experiencing by normalising those experiences through literature and offering potential opportunities for positive change through those stories.
For Peter O'Toole, Head of the Counselling, Wellbeing and Emotional Support Service at Vision Ireland, the project is essential in making "valuable resources" inclusive and accessible for a "regularly neglected cohort of Irish society".
"Reading is such an important part of their upbringings and development, and it's a shared activity between parents and young people," he said.
"Children have difficulties, whether that's losing a grandparent, going to school or things like peer pressure, so it's important that they have a resource to understand these issues, regardless of how they consume it.
"We want to be able to say there's this great book if your grandad has passed away or if you're worried about school, we just think everything that's available for children across the country is available for every child across the country," he said.
Lina Kouzi, Head of the Library Access Service at Vision Ireland, said the project has already had a "wonderful" impact since launching last year.
"It's so important to make books available for children who are struggling with whatever issue it might be," Ms Kouzi said.
"There's so many everyday issues that children might go through and they need help with and the bibliotherapy books that we have are a wonderful collection of titles in accessible formats that can help."
The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse, Big Panda and Tiny Dragon and The Journey are now available as part of Vision Ireland's Book Bridge Project.
