The South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust's SureStart Team held World Book Day events at Portavogie Community Centre in County Down. Parents and children participated in group reading activities.

Charlotte McGuckin attended the Portavogie event with her son Ollie. She described the activities as engaging for young children and highlighted reading's benefits for brain development and parent-child bonding.

Speech and Language Therapist Alison Parke with the South Eastern Trust said the sessions support early speech and language skills plus family bonding. She noted that various books like bath books and lift-the-flap books help children learn about their surroundings.

SureStart Early Years Co-ordinator Andrea Kirk stated that reading assists children in understanding emotions, accessing information, and building speech, language, development, and vocabulary.

Staff and families at Ulster Hospital's Neonatal Unit in County Down marked World Book Day by giving children's books donated by former patients' families. Titles distributed included 'Snail and the Whale' by Julia Donaldson, 'The Hungry Caterpillar' by Eric Carle, and 'Lost and Found' by Oliver Jeffers.

Lynsey and Ross McConnell received 'How To Catch A Star' by Oliver Jeffers as they prepared to take their baby Rory home from the unit. Neonatal Infant Feeding Lead Cathy Flinn said the books promote brain development, bonding, and comfort for pre-term and ill babies via parents' voices.