About the Project
About Little Tasmanian
In our interviews with Tasmanians, we hear stories of Tasmanians overcoming great odds to do extraordinary things. They often say that they didn’t do it alone – that a community or even just one person believed in them so they could believe in themselves. At the same time, Tasmanians spoke about wanting to improve early childhood literacy, and a historic lack of pride in growing up Tasmanian. At Brand Tasmania we thought: let’s meet these challenges together by bringing stories of learning and connection into the homes of families with new babies. We wanted to be sure every Tasmanian understands the ‘you can do it too’ aspect of this place and its culture.
The result is Little Tasmanian: a program that aims to bring the Tasmanian story into the lives of new Tasmanians in their early years, connect parents and carers with Tasmania-relevant information, and inspire pride, aspiration, a sense of belonging, and confidence in growing up Tasmanian.
At their first appointment with a child health nurse, every Tasmanian baby receives a Tasmanian library bag containing items that highlight the importance of the first 1,000 days. The message is simple – someone just like you did it, and you can do it too.
About the illustrator
Shiloh Longbottom is a Tasmanian illustrator and designer. She works using Procreate, design software created by a clever team of Hobart-based people.
When Shiloh began working on Little Tasmanian, it was just a children’s book. She has since created a whole world around it.
It Takes a Tasmanian Village: Child and Youth Wellbeing Strategy
Little Tasmanian is a key component of the Tasmanian Government’s Child and Youth Wellbeing Strategy, It Takes a Tasmanian Village, which has a key focus on the first 1,000 days. Wellbeing is crucial for a young person, and it takes a whole community to build the six domains of child and youth wellbeing: being loved and safe, being healthy, participating, having material basics, learning, and having a positive sense of culture and identity.
It Takes a Tasmanian Village: Child and Youth Wellbeing Strategy.
Key ingredients of wellbeing
Being loved, safe and valued
Things I need
Being healthy
Learning
Participating
Culture and Identity
Child Health and Parenting Service
The Child Health and Parenting Service (CHaPS) provides free child health and development assessments for all children aged 0-5 years. CHaPS is a service unique to Tasmania, providing personalised support and connection with health and wellbeing services from the very beginning.
Assessments are recommended every two weeks from 2 week to 8 week, and then again at 6 months, 12 months, 2 years and 4 years.
Child health nurses can provide advice, support, and referrals on a range of important topics, such as breast feeding and nutrition, sleep and settling, play and safety, oral health, parent wellbeing, and immunisation.
-
Am I eligible to receive a bag?
The Little Tasmanian library bag is provided to parents and carers of new babies born in Tasmania from 1 January 2023. The bag is given to families at their first visit with a Child and Family Health Nurse, through the Child Health and Parenting Service (CHaPS), or the Aboriginal Health Service. The bag is typically the 2-week development check and often a home visit.
-
What Little Tasmanian items will I receive?
Babies born between 1 January 2023 and 30 June 2024 received the first iteration of Little Tasmanian: a library bag containing the first Little Tasmanian board book, a Tasmanian onesie, a library card voucher, and a magnet sheet containing information about the first 1,000 days of life.
Babies born between 1 July 2024 - May 2026 received the second iteration of Little Tasmanian: a library bag containing the second Little Tasmanian board book, Katy's Garden, a Little Tasmanian playmat, a library card voucher, and a magnet sheet containing information about the first 1,000 days of life.
Babies born from May 2026 receive the third iteration of Little Tasmanian: a library bag containing the third Little Tasmanian board book, Katy's Kitchen, a Tasmanian onesie, a silicone bowl, cup and spoon set, a library card voucher, and a magnet sheet containing information about the first 1,000 days of life.
-
Are the Little Tasmanian items available anywhere else?
The Little Tasmanian onesie, the library bag, and the board books are available for purchase in the Tasmanian store. The board books are also available to borrow from Libraries Tasmania, and at booksellers and retailers across Tasmania.
-
Where are the Little Tasmanian items produced?
When sourcing and producing Little Tasmanian merchandise, we did our best to balance several important criteria, including quality, durability, cost, environmental impact, supply chain ethics, and production location. All items are sourced through a Tasmanian-owned business and illustrated by Shiloh Longbottom, a Tasmanian illustrator using Tasmanian software Procreate. The magnet, voucher, and onesie are all printed in Tasmania. The playmat is hand-sewn by Tasmanian manufacturers Island Seamstress.
-
I am eligible, but I haven't received a bag.
If your baby was born in Tasmania from 1 January 2023 and you see a CHaPS nurse, but have not received a Little Tasmanian bag, please reach out to us at welcome@brandtasmania.com.au with your name, baby's name, and suburb.
-
I have feedback / suggestions
Suggestions, feedback, and ideas are welcome! Please send them to welcome@brandtasmania.com.au.