Community & Business
29 June, 2022
Operation Backseat Books grows
AN initiative started by a Mareeba childcare network to help kids feel safe when in police vehicles has taken off within the Far North, with “Backseat Books” giving vulnerable children a sense of security in tough situations.
Yesterday, Mareeba Mayor Angela Toppin joined representatives from Cairns Regional Council and police to officially launch the project which commenced in Mareeba but is now being spread to the wider region.
The idea of having books on hand for children being transported by police vehicle came about when Mareeba Early Childhood Community Network raised the issue of trauma caused in emergency situations.
Police noticed a high number of young people experiencing stress and anxiety when needing to be transported and believe having a book on hand will help officers connect with the child and make them feel safer and calmer.
The project has recently been picked up by Cairns Regional Council, with 400 books from the library now being distributed across police stations in the Far North region.
Senior Sergeant Marty Ots said police officers across the district had already seen the positive effects it has on young vulnerable kids.
“We’ve already seen officers from Cairns, Cooktown, Edmonton, Atherton, Smithfield, Mossman and Yarrabah distribute the books and provide feedback that all children read or looked at the books and most of the children took the books with them,” he said.
“The books will calm the children more quickly, reduce the impact the event has on the child through distraction, build better relations with police, and increase their enjoyment of reading.
“One officer expressed surprise that the the book worked as well as it did, whilst another explained the child was crying hysterically but immediately calmed down when shown the books.
“During another interaction, one of the children said she couldn’t read, however her carer reads to her every night, so it was a good conversation starter around learning to read.”
Backseat Books is now being rolled out throughout Far North Queensland, with packs of books being placed in more police vehicles every day.
