Parents and carers are a child’s first teacher, and the home environment is the key to early childhood literacy. A child whose family is experiencing vulnerable circumstances, hardship or disadvantage is most at risk of starting school with fewer literacy prerequisites.
Children who start school behind typically stay behind. If a child is a poor reader at the end of year one, there is a 90% chance that they will still be a poor reader at the end of year four. Low literacy has a life-long impact on education, employment and health outcomes. It is therefore imperative that children are actively supported in language and literacy development and encouraged to love reading from an early age.
Drawing on research demonstrating the direct relationship between books in the home environment and the level of education attained, the Give the Gift of Reading Christmas appeal will assist families by providing high quality, age appropriate, reading material selected by our experts in early literacy development.