Daisy's Yarn

“I knew I had to keep making these animals and I knew I had to get other women to understand the real meaning of The Story Animals. They aren’t just stuffed toys, they are a safety net, a friend for these little people who are feeling lost and [I think] the meaning of giving and making [them] was the best part because it come from the heart.”

“Using The Story Animals characters and books with 3 of the families on my team has had a profound impact: encouraging them talking real stuff with each other – being honest – enjoying each other and laughing together. They’ve been finding their own solutions to issues in creative ways that work for them and is agreed by them. Empowering families and children to have a voice and share their voice and opinions and ideas is at the heart of this work. The carers for the children have developed insight, empathy and the ability to reflect and respond differently. The children have a voice and have also developed some ownership in how issues are resolved within the family.”

“The Story Animal work has given Departmental staff a way to communicate with children and families at a depth that no other tool has reached before. I’ve witnessed both children and adults react with delight as they meet The Story Animals and hear the messages conveyed through this important work. I’ve personally observed this work bring together a family fragmented by grief, loss and the removal of children.”
Kerri, Aboriginal Practice Leader: “These yarn books and characters help all of us work together to build relationships with people in hard times, when emotions are high, so that we can bring stories to life beyond tick boxes and forms for Aboriginal children in care.”

“At the Make a Fish workshop, I felt myself get out of my head and into my heart. I am delighted to have access to this resource that aligns so closely with the specific needs of children in care and their trauma histories.”

"At first I was like, ‘I don’t know how to sew’ but that changed very quick with Verity’s positive encouragement of never say you can't do anything. Because you can do anything you want, you just have to believe in yourself, so away I went. Verity was right, I picked sewing up on the machine like a pro, it was so easy – not to mention fun but we didn’t just sew, we talked about life in general and our problems – it was a place we felt like we weren’t in prison for that moment.”

“Thank you so much for introducing us to the animal stories. I’ve been looking for similar books for kids to help them understand addiction and drug use, as it’s such a big issue for kids and there doesn’t seem to be much around that doesn’t cost the earth. The story of Demetrius is a good starting point for those topics. I’ve used similar stories for kids but often the stories are too long and need redacting. These are much shorter, open up great topics to discuss and ways to introduce topics to kids. I love the questions and reflections at the end of each book too. They are so spot on for kids in care. These are so good. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you."

“But I can say, without doubt, my most frank and honest discussions with ladies occurred whilst  at the yarning sessions. This forum was where the ladies opened up far more than they ever had while sitting in my office. Having the Elders present, and chatting while learning to sew, and talking about the Animals, seemed to break down the ladies barriers and in doing so built up their trust of me. I would like to think that this in turn led to many better outcomes for these ladies, when advocating on their behalf, to the Child Protection Workers, about different issues. I found these sessions culturally enriching, as a migrant to Australia, and I learned so much by attending. I am grateful I had this opportunity to participate.”