31/08/2026
“We can be brave and scared at the same time”, read Franchesca Isla, a parent at our Appletree House Child Care and Education Centre, who visited the service during Book Week to treat the children to a special reading of her book, ‘And Still’.
The book, illustrated by Franchesca’s own children, is about overcoming adversity. Designed for children experiencing physical health, mental health, poverty, distress, or abuse, the book provides an opportunity for safe, age-appropriate conversations with a trusted caregiver in a neutral, safe space.
Franchesca, a social worker, drew from her own personal and work experiences when writing the book. She is deeply grateful to the educators at Appletree for their trauma-informed practice.
We are grateful to Franchesca for sharing her story with the Appletree House community. Her visit was a meaningful example of how partnerships with families can enrich children’s learning and wellbeing.
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