Children’s laureate Frank Cottrell-Boyce has called for national action to tackle the children’s "reading crisis", as new research suggests families are increasingly struggling to make reading part of daily life.
Speaking at London’s Royal Institution, at an event hosted by children’s reading charity BookTrust, he argued that evidence shows there is an appetite to read among children, but families need more support.
He claimed the UK is facing a serious crisis in children’s development, connecting this to wider pressures including poverty, housing insecurity, isolation and the erosion of local services such as libraries and youth provision.
Part of this challenge is that too many children are starting school without consistently experiencing the warmth of shared stories and books, he said.
To coincide with his speech, BookTrust has shared the results of its latest family survey, which found that between 2021 and 2025 daily shared reading among families with children aged up to eight fell from 60% to 49%.
In comparison, the proportion of children aged up to eight reported to like or love reading rose from 66% to 80%.
It found that more than a third (36%) of parents or carers report worrying about their child’s screen use, including about a quarter (27%) of those with children under one.
Nearly half (48%) say that shared reading encourages their child to spend less time on screens, suggesting it can help families reconnect.
Cottrell-Boyce’s speech, which takes place during the National Year of Reading and marks the end of his two-year tenure as children’s laureate, also saw him reflect on the progress made through his reading rights campaign, which aims to ensure shared reading is a part of childhood and that every child has access to books.
He revealed his new role as reading rights ambassador for BookTrust and called for more people to join the reading rights movement.
Cottrell-Boyce said: “Working with BookTrust over the last two years as children’s laureate has been a hugely rewarding experience.
“Launching the reading rights campaign is something very close to my heart as I’m truly passionate about making sure the transformative gift of reading is shared with every single child.
“We’ve worked with early learning centres, nurseries, schools and family hubs and the UK Government to make sure children have the best start in life with guidance from midwives, health visitors, early years professionals, families and communities.
“I urge everyone to join our movement to ensure that every child has daily access to books and shared reading in their first seven years of life. It’s so important for their happiness, mental health, empathy and future opportunity.”
Professor Sam Wass, director of the Institute for the Science of Early Years and Youth at the University of East London, said: “There’s a huge body of scientific evidence to show how shared reading supports children’s language development, attention and wellbeing.
“It shows that the act of reading itself, that warm back-and-forth between an adult and a child, can matter as much as the words on the page.
“That’s why it’s vital we keep working to ensure every child has access to books and stories to give them the very best start of life. I fully support Frank’s reading rights movement to make reading a right for every child.”
Annie Crombie, co-chief executive of BookTrust, said: “Frank has spent the last two years making an extraordinary case for reading as a right, not a privilege.
“Reading rights sets out what national action should look like so that every child can access books and shared reading in their earliest years.
“Our research shows why this matters now. Families value reading and children still love it, but daily shared reading is slipping because life is getting harder.
“Without support, inequalities will only grow. With Frank as our reading rights ambassador for BookTrust, we’ll be bringing partners together so that shared reading is built into the support families receive. Our children’s futures will only improve if we act collectively and early.”
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