Hiya In There Wee Bairn
Celebrating Burns Night with a new Dundonian Scots edition of Hello In There Wee One
We're delighted to share that a new edition of Hello In There Wee One, a book designed to support Dundee parents-to-be to bond with their baby before birth, has been launched in Dundonian Scots.
Hello In There Wee One, a partnership project between DCA, Dundee City Council, NHS Tayside Infant Mental Health Team and University of Dundee, was first launched in September 2024. The book was created to support parents to communicate and bond with their baby before they are born and is currently being given out to all expecting families across Dundee at their 16-week scan.
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Illustrated by Dundee-based artist Louise Kirby in a collaborative process with local families, the book encourages parents-to-be to prepare for their new arrival through illustrations, questions, stories, songs and prompts. It has already been made available online in a selection of different languages, including Arabic, Bulgarian, Chinese, Polish, Punjabi, Romanian, Russian, and Ukrainian.
Now, to celebrate Burns Night, the book has been launched in Dundonian Scots. Translated by Taylor Dyson, co-founder of Elfie Picket Theatre, and Alistair Heather, Scottish tour guide, writer and presenter, with help from families from Douglas Tots Group, this new version is available to view online.
A film of Taylor reading the story aloud can also be found on the NHS website and below. We think it sounds great in Dundonian!
This new edition provides another way for local families to connect with the book and its contents, making it easier for them to read in their own voice. Taylor Dyson, Scots language advocate and one of the translators for the book, said:
Parenthood caun be scunnering, I think this book wis ariddy sic a bra idea for new mums and parents tae be able tae connect wi their bairns. It's even mair important tae dae that in yir ain voice, and tae celebrate Dundee and whaur we're fae, and the wiy we speak.
Since the launch of Hello In There Wee One in September 2024, the book has been given out to all parents-to-be in Dundee at their 16 week scan. Feedback from midwifery staff and parents has been great, with a big focus on what useful tool it is for starting conversations.
Talking about the impact Hello In There Wee One has had and what this Dundonain Scots translation brings, Lesley Sharkey, Director of Midwifery / Nurse Director Acute Services, NHS Tayside, said:
Hello in there wee one has been welcomed by women and families across Dundee, and has helped in the conversations that midwives have with expectant parents about the importance of bonding and chatting with their bumps - Hiya in there wee bairn is a fantastic way to help spread this message even further in the Dundonian dialect all across Dundee.
This project was funded by the Scottish Government's United Nations Children’s Rights Commission fund, through CORRA. It brought together a collaboration of partners from NHS Tayside, Dundee City Council, Dundee Contemporary Arts and University of Dundee.
