Bookstart’s targeted programme delivered through children’s centres sees fantastic results
Booktrust celebrates today with some fantastic results from an independent evaluation of their targeted programme Bookstart Corner. The overwhelmingly positive response to the programme highlights the impact the scheme is having in encouraging families to share stories with their young children. The research showed that after taking part, parents are more confident in many aspects of sharing stories, such as using puppets and toys to act out the story, singing rhymes, discussing the story with their child and looking forward to reading with their child. Both families and practitioners saw the impact, with the majority of children’s centre staff (62%) saying they believed families were playing and engaging as a normal part of daily life after the programme. In addition to the research results, the scheme has been shortlisted for a Nursery World Award in the “Working With Parents” category.
The value of the programme was further demonstrated in additional research carried out by Booktrust with children’s centre practitioners. One practitioner commented:
‘The Bookstart corner programme has been a fundamental tool in reaching the most hard to reach families in our area. The programme has not only enabled workers to explore the habits of book sharing, songs and rhymes but it has also enabled workers to extend and discuss issues around routine, speech and language etc. This has subsequently led to families exploring other programmes in the home or at the centre. A very simple but effective tool.’
The original Bookstart programme has been running for 21 years and offers the gift of free books to all children at two key ages before they start school, to inspire a love of reading that will give children a flying start in life. Bookstart Corner is a targeted programme which runs through children’s centres across England. It caters for nearly 80,000 children aged 12-30 months. It helps those parents who might not be as confident in sharing stories with their children and need guidance in how best to do this. The programme involves families taking part in a series of four Bookstart Corner sessions in their home with a member of staff from the children’s centre. These sessions utilise carefully selected resources and focus on stories, books and rhymes.
The results of the independent evaluation showed clearly that the programme was valued highly, with several key improvements in the parents’ confidence in sharing stories. Some of the key findings included:
98% of parents said they liked and used the resources they were given and 94% said their child had enjoyed taking part.
Before taking part, only 33% of parents said they used teddy bears in puppets when sharing stories, which almost double after the programme to 65%
Before taking part, 78% of parents said they looked forward to spending time reading books with their child, but after this shot up to 94%
Following the sessions, 84% of parents were more likely to state that their child has a favourite book, compared to 66% beforehand
Practitioners involved said 63% of families were playing and engaging as part of a normal daily life following the programme, compared to just 23% who were doing this before taking part
In addition to the increase in confidence in sharing stories, the programme had the additional effect of helping to introduce parents to other local services, including the children’s centre, but also local libraries and Bookstart Bear Club. They were also more likely to attend rhyme and story time sessions.
Head of Early Years at Booktrust, Justine Hodgkinson was delighted with the results:
‘Bookstart has always celebrated parents and carers as their child’s first and most enduring teacher, however so many mums and dads need extra help and encouragement to develop their confidence around sharing books, stories and rhymes with their children. This research shows that high quality resources delivered directly into the family home by trusted children’s centre practitioners can have such positive outcomes for children and wider benefits for family members. I am delighted with these findings in what is only the programme’s second year and we look forward to building on best practice when we launch the programme again in September.’
A full report is available on request. For more information and interview requests, contact Rosi Crawley in the Booktrust press team on Rosi.Crawley@booktrust.org.uk or 02088754827
About the Research:
Booktrust commissioned a team of researchers from the Centre for Education and Inclusion Research at Sheffield Hallam University to evaluate the Bookstart Corner programme.
The research sought to investigate the impact of engaging in Bookstart Corner on parents/carers. Specifically it looked at:
How many families regularly shared books, stories and rhymes with their child
The confidence of parents/carers sharing books, stories and rhymes with their child,
Engagement of families with local services (including Children's Centres, Bookstart bear club, public library)
Practitioner perspectives on the impact of the programme on families
The methodological approach was to conduct a randomised before (pre-intervention) and after (post-intervention) self-completion survey with families to whom the Bookstart Corner programme was being delivered. In other words families were asked to complete a survey before receiving the Bookstart Corner sessions and after receiving the Bookstart Corner sessions, which allowed a comparative analysis of survey data to investigate any changes in the factors listed above.
Booktrust have also carried out a large scale survey with children’s centres practitioners about the programme, which will be released shortly.
About Booktrust:
Booktrust is an independent reading and writing charity that makes a nationwide impact on individuals, families and communities, and culture in the UK. We make a significant positive contribution to the educational outcomes of children from the earliest age. We work to empower people of all ages and abilities by giving them confidence and choices about reading. And we want individuals of all backgrounds to benefit from the wellbeing that a rich and positive engagement in reading and writing can bring. www.booktrust.org.uk
Read the executive summary report
Read the full report
Download the press release