by Jess Gibson
A new report launched by BookTrust and author Frank Cottrell-Boyce is calling on national and local leaders to make reading part of daily life for every child in their first seven years.
The report highlights reading inequality among children in the UK, exploring three areas for improvement: reading for the best start in life; reading in early years settings and schools; and reading for children with experience of social care.
It builds on January’s Reading Rights summit in Liverpool, where expert voices across a range of sectors, including national and local government leaders, came together to discuss innovative practice and support to improve children’s lives.
The Reading Rights report identifies five key areas of focus moving forward:
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workforce training supporting practitioners working in the early years to understand early reading
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policy, guidance and frameworks’ inclusion of early reading
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access to books in homes, early years settings, community spaces and schools
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sharing of high-quality research and evidence about reading in the early years with everyone involved in supporting children and families
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multi-agency leadership.
A second Reading Rights summit will be held in early 2026, followed by a second report in summer 2026 to detail progress over these five key areas.
Read the full report here.
Commenting on the report launch and campaign aims, Waterstones Children’s Laureate Frank Cottrell-Boyce 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.
“During my travels as Waterstones Children’s Laureate, I’ve encountered brilliant people and ideas who are already making a difference. We just need to make sure that every child gets a chance to experience that difference. To turn that invisible privilege into a universal right.
“The mission is urgent. Childhood is fleeting. But the mission is also achievable. And it is full of joy.
“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.”