The booklets are personalised in two ways: content and illustration.

They include a character named after your child.  This character has EB, and we follow them as they tell us more about what that means. The character will be beautifully illustrated from a photograph of your child, making it look just like them.

Depending on your child’s type of EB, the narratives follow a template created by the Debra support team. This addresses challenges commonly faced by children starting school, such as explaining EB and dealing with people’s perceptions.

To make the stories even more special, we include some fun facts about your child such as their family life, their pet’s name and their hobbies. This information is collected from you during the application process.

On the cover, you’ll see your child’s character, and their name will be in the title.

The illustrator will need 2 or 3 clear photos of your child which you can send to us during the application process. At least one photo should be a close-up photo and have your child is facing the camera.

We will also need some information on your child’s preferences, likes and hobbies.

Yes, of course. We have a generic booklet with a fictionalised character. You can order this version of the book for your child’s class instead.

The booklets are written for a young reader (age 4 to 7) and designed for a child starting junior or senior infants. If your child is in an older class, please contact the support team and we can see where we can help.

We will send the booklets to you by post at least a month before your child’s school start date. This will have a booklet for each child in the class and some extra copies for teachers and you.

If you have any questions regarding the booklets or starting school, please contact the support team on:

Email: familysupport@debra.ie

Phone: 086 068 4722 or 01 412 6924