Children's Laureate Demands Action on Shocking Reading Inequality

Children's Laureate Frank Cottrell-Boyce has called for urgent action to tackle "indefensible" reading inequality among young people.

The author and screenwriter hopes to transform the "unseen advantage" of having stories read to them from an early age into a "fundamental right" for every child.

A report from Cottrell-Boyce along with the children’s reading charity BookTrust advocates for ensuring all children and families can access high-quality books that reflect modern-day Britain.

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The report – set to launch on Wednesday at Edith Kerrison Nursery School The Children’s Centre in London has highlighted that training programmes for early years professionals should incorporate storytelling techniques. This ensures that employees feel equipped to share stories effectively and demonstrate to parents how they can read with their children confidently.

Cottrell-Boyce, renowned for writing 'Framed' and 'Millions,' stated: "Britain remains unequally distributed socially. Approximately 4.3 million children find themselves living below the poverty line."

When I was appointed as the Waterstones Children's Laureate, I decided to use my role to advocate for those children who are being overlooked.

I initiated the Reading Rights campaign to shed light on this unjust disparity, yet simultaneously to assert that we have the capability to address it.

We possess an incredibly potent instrument in our grasp – communal reading.

Following a summit in Liverpool during January, chaired by Cottrell-Boyce, the report has been published. This gathering assembled specialists from various fields including politics, education, literacy, early years development, arts, and healthcare to suggest actionable steps.

In the introduction of the report, Cottrell-Boyce stated: "Children who haven't been granted the significant yet unseen benefit of being read to will likely become parents themselves far sooner than they should. Without assistance, this lack of advantage will be perpetuated through generations."

This task is both pressing and important, yet entirely attainable and filled with delight.

He stated: "I am requesting governmental assistance at both local and national levels to ensure that this basic yet crucial experience remains accessible to everyone."

To assist us in remembering our true identity — the creatures of narrative.

Diana Gerald, chief executive of BookTrust, said: "It is our huge privilege to be working with Frank Cottrell-Boyce on the Reading Rights campaign, and with the extraordinary cross-sector coalition that has been involved in this work so far.

"BookTrust has been working to get children and families reading for many decades, but we know that too many children are missing out on the immediate and lifelong benefits of early shared reading.

This is why, for BookTrust, this report marks the subsequent stage in our mission to ensure that early shared reading and storytelling become a daily norm in every child’s life.

We aim for this report and campaign to bring us together, motivate us, and provide direction to our collective dedication to enhancing children’s lives.

A spokesperson from the Department for Education stated, "The government is dedicated to dismantling the unjust correlation between a child’s origins and their future accomplishments. To this end, we've established a specific target within the Change Strategy to guarantee that tens of thousands more children enter school prepared to learn."

Ensuring each child develops into a self-assured reader is vital for their growth, mental health, and future opportunities. This is why we are expanding early language assistance, establishing numerous new spots in nursery schools based within educational institutions, and offering guidance to parents for at-home education via the Family Hubs and Start for Life initiatives.

The Education Secretary has emphasized that reading and writing form the foundation of education, and we will keep collaborating with specialists from various fields as we develop an initial years framework ensuring each child gets the finest possible beginning in life.