26th
Jul
Event
Growing up is never easy – especially for children navigating a world shaped by diverse socio-economic backgrounds, cultures, family dynamics, and expectations. For many young children, finding their place and feeling accepted by their peers can be a challenge. But for children living with disability, this challenge can often feel insurmountable.
Research and lived experiences have shown that children with disabilities are historically less likely to be accepted and included by their peers without disabilities. While early childhood education settings (ages 4–7) often provide an environment where children with disabilities are initially accepted — invited to birthday parties, included in classroom play, and forming friendships — things tend to change as they grow older.
By the age of seven, many parents report a noticeable shift. Their children begin to experience greater difficulty forming and maintaining friendships. Invitations to birthday parties become rare. Classmates stop asking them to join in during recess or lunchtime games. For many children with mild to moderate disabilities — particularly those who need communication support — the social isolation becomes more evident and deeply felt.
Interestingly, this isolation tends to be less pronounced for children with visible or more severe disabilities, where differences are more easily understood and behaviours more readily accepted. But for those whose needs aren’t as visible or easily understood, the social gaps widen.
This is where our Children’s Storybooks: Just a Little Bit Different steps in.
Through thoughtfully created and age-appropriate storybooks, our program helps children make sense of difference — not as something to be feared or avoided, but as something to be embraced with empathy, curiosity, and kindness. Each book is designed to reflect the real experiences of children who live with disability, showcasing their emotions, friendships, challenges, and triumphs in ways that all children can understand and relate to.
At its core, the program encourages children to see that their peers with disabilities are just like them — navigating life, school, friendships, and emotions — simply in different ways. By using stories to humanise and demystify disability, we aim to build a culture of inclusion from the earliest years.
When children understand difference, they are more likely to accept it. When they see their peers through the lens of shared experience, they are more likely to include them. And when they read stories that reflect the diversity of the real world, they become kinder, more compassionate members of their community.
Because every child deserves to feel like they belong — on the playground, in the classroom, and in the pages of every story.
