Image | Crown House Publishing Limited
The Uplift CHARITY
Charity launches new bedtime story to support children of first responders It’s no surprise that being a parent and first responder comes with its challenges. Naturally, children may find it difficult to understand the day-to-day aspects of their parent’s job, which can lead to concerns regarding their whereabouts and safety. In a bid to help children navigate their emotions, and enable parents to feel better equipped to address their concerns, charity Police Care UK teamed up with bestselling author Avril McDonald to launch the bedtime story The Wolf was Not Sleeping: Police Care UK edition. 8 | Issue 63 | happiful.com
The beautifully illustrated book explores the narrative of a wolf pup, worried about his dad, who works as a helper to protect the forest creatures. Reflecting on the challenges of her job, a serving police officer told Police Care UK about how she had sustained injuries while on duty, and discussed the effect it had on her children when they were younger. She said: “I really wish that this book was available back then... Even now they are affected by what happened, and worry about me going to work.”
According to Police Care UK, 83% of serving police officers said their children expressed worry or concern about them going to work. Similarly, 41% of parents shared doubt as to whether they were fully prepared to respond to their children’s worries or concerns. Keeping families connected is a tale as old as time, and the good news is that now there is a resource to support first responders in doing just that. Every sale supports Police Care UK. Visit shop.policecare.org.uk Writing | Lauren Bromley-Bird