Ahead of a campaign to boost literacy, a children’s laureate has warned that reading is suffering as children, especially under-seven, are preferring screens to books. This is all due to the instant gratification by digital tablets, e-games, and smartphones that sap children’s attention span needed to indulge in literacy.
Authors including Sir Michael Morpurgo and Malorie Blackman have written an open letter requesting the government to invest in early years reading. According to a BookTrust survey, only half of children aged between one and two from low-income families are read to daily. Some families struggle to access books and required support.
The letter, addressed to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, says.
“It is not right that children from poorer backgrounds are deprived of a life that is rich in reading.
Official figures suggest that around 4.2 million children in the UK are now living in deprivation.
“It is vital to recognise that children who read regularly are more likely to overcome disadvantage,” the letter continues.
The letter is part of BookTrust’s new Get Reading campaign to support disadvantaged children in family reading.
It follows a recent survey from the charity of more than 2,000 low-income families in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, which found less than half of children under seven are being read a bedtime story. This is despite the early years being a crucial window in child development.
Last year, a study by the National Literacy Trust discovered that over half of children and young people surveyed said they did not enjoy reading in their free time.
Sir Michael, the best-selling author of more than 150 books said the initiative aims to give children “their right” to discover the enjoyment of reading.
Recently, speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, he said the younger that children are introduced to the power of stories, the better chance there is of putting them on an “extraordinary pathway of knowledge, understanding and empathy… to give [them] some idea of what’s out there”.
He added that making books more readily available to children in homes and schools is vital as parents battle increasing cost-of-living pressures. He said:
“If you haven’t got the books, then what can you do? There are many, many households in this country where there are no books, we know that we still close libraries, we know one in five primary schools do not have libraries in the land of Shakespeare.
“Books need to free at the point of delivery, like the health service.”
Navkiran Dhaliwal is a seasoned content writer with 10+ years of experience. When she's not writing, she can be found cooking up a storm or spending time with her dog, Rain.
