Children’s Laureate Frank Cottrell-Boyce has called for urgent action to tackle “indefensible” reading inequality among young people.
The author and screenwriter wants the “invisible privilege” of being read to from a young age to be turned into a “universal right” for all children.
A report from Cottrell-Boyce and children’s reading charity BookTrust has called for all children and families to have access to high-quality books that are “representative of the contemporary UK”.
The report – which will be launched on Wednesday at Edith Kerrison Nursery School and Children’s Centre in London – added that training for early years practitioners should include skills for storytelling to ensure staff feel confident in sharing stories and showing parents how to read with their children.
Cottrell-Boyce, known for the novels Framed and Millions, said: “Britain is not an equal society. 4.3 million children are growing up in poverty.
“When I was named Waterstones Children’s Laureate, I knew I wanted to use my position to campaign for these children, the ones that are being left behind.
“I started the Reading Rights campaign to highlight this indefensible inequality, but also to say that we can do something about it.
“We have an astonishingly powerful tool in our hands – shared reading.”
The report comes after Cottrell-Boyce led a summit in Liverpool in January which brought together experts from the political, education, literacy, early years, arts and health sectors to recommend action.
In the report’s foreword, Cottrell-Boyce said: “Children who have not been given the vast invisible privilege of being read to will all too soon be parents themselves and, without support, will pass on that disadvantage to their children.
“The task is urgent and vital, but it is also achievable and full of joy.”
He added: “I’m asking for Government support on a local and national level to make sure this simple, vital experience is available to all.
“To help us remember who we really are – the storytelling species.”
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.
“That’s why, for BookTrust, this report is the next step on our journey to make early shared reading and storytelling an everyday part of all children’s lives.
“We want this report and campaign to unite us, inspire us and give focus to our shared commitment to improving children’s lives.”
A Department for Education (DfE) spokeswoman said: “This Government is committed to breaking the unfair link between a child’s background and what they can go on to achieve, and have set a clear milestone through the Plan for Change to ensure tens of thousands more children start school ready to learn.
“Supporting every child to become a confident reader is crucial for their development, wellbeing and life chances, which is why we are extending early language support, delivering thousands of new places in school-based nurseries, and providing support for parents with home learning through the Family Hubs and Start for Life programmes.
“The Education Secretary has made clear that reading and writing are the cornerstones of learning, and we will continue to engage with experts across the sector as we build an early years system that gives every child the best start in life.”
