Different families when parents work away

You can scroll down to download the free, research-based storybook and accompanying educational resources.

About ‘Where is Work? Harry’s Story’

This book examines the different types of work parents engage in when they work away (or work very long hours). It includes families where parents work away in the:

  • mining sector
  • natural gas sector
  • transport industry
  • medical field
  • primary industries sector
  • defence forces
  • tourism, and
  • emergency services.

‘Where is work? Harry’s Story shows children that work means different things for different families and that each family finds unique ways to feel comforted and connected during this time apart. It’s an important message for children with a parent working away’.

The illustrations are by Tanya Cooper who is an Armidale based graphic artist.

Some of these have been released early on this page. To access all of these resources, please register to evaluate our suites of resources.

You can download these free resources:

  1. eBook: (***see note below) Where is Work? Harrys Story
  2. Educational Activities (Harry’s) (including puzzles, puppets, matching games, card games, board games, sight words, sequencing and storytelling activities)
  3. audio read-along version

  4. All eBooks, downloadable (printable) versions of the book, and online educational materials are free. You can also order a commercial, professionally printed:

    • A4 tough book (wire coil bound – slightly smaller than an A4),
    • A5 tough book (wire coil bound – half the size of an A4),
    • A3 Big Book paperback for teaching groups of children (wire coil bound – twice the size of A4), and
    • hard card stock Educational Activities pack (looseleaf).

    You are not paying for author royalties, illustrators, graphic designers or technicians. You are paying for a commercial printery (Fuji Xerox Australia) to do on-demand printing, a commercial bookstore (UNE Life Campus Books) to process and pack the online order, Australia Post, a $2 donation to Legacy Australia, and $1-3 for the ECDP project to host their website and continue to provide revisions and updates to the materials, and new resources. The postage and handling is a $14 flat fee for as many books and teaching materials as you like via regular post (so, think about ordering with friends, your organisation, your early childhood service or school). Express Post and International Postage is calculated by weight. Once you click on the link, scroll down to the advanced search, then search by typing ‘Defence’ into the ‘Title’ bar or the name of the particular book you are after.

***This book features many different families that reflect the diverse nature of families in Australia today. e.g. modern nuclear, single parent, multi-racial, blended and same-sex parent families. We realise that having the latter families in the book may mean it would not be used in some settings, such as faith-based educational settings or services. To ensure all children have access to this book, we have an alternate version available here: Where is work? Harry’s story (alternate version)

Constructive feedback welcome

Please contact us with any constructive feedback about these resources because we are still evaluating them.

Other books in this series

Why are these resources free?

We have received funding from generous organisations that recognise the needs of young children who experience a parent working away. They also recognise the need to build community capacity to develop empathy and build capacity to support these families.

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New resources being created:

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The book will be illustrated by Tanya Cooper whose work is fun and fresh.

The book will be available as a downloadable and printable PDF as part of the programs.

Other pages

Explore other resources:

New resources being created:

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      Please click on the icon to see our Tweets @ DefenceEC