Almost half of Welsh parents say they want more support and information to help their children spend more time with books, according to new research from BookTrust Cymru, a charity that has spent 25 years embedding bilingual shared reading programmes for babies and young children in Wales.
The survey of parents and carers of children aged 0 to 8 across Wales found strong enthusiasm for reading at home. More than nine in ten parents (92%) said they enjoy reading with their child, while 80% said their child likes or loves reading or sharing books.
However, despite this enthusiasm, only 49% of children are now read with every day at home potentially indicating a downward trend. Nearly two-thirds of parents (63%) reported facing challenges when it comes to reading with their child, while 73% said they would like their child to spend more time with books and stories.
Among the challenges raised, families cite lack of time, energy and competing priorities when it comes to reading with their child.
BookTrust Cymru says family life in Wales has been shaped by the lasting effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and wider economic pressures, making everyday routines harder to sustain for many families.
Significantly, almost half of parents (46%) said they wanted more support and information to help make that happen. The findings point to a clear appetite among Welsh families for services, programmes and practical support that can help parents establish and maintain reading habits from the earliest years of a child’s life.
BookTrust Cymru is urging sustained, long-term investment in early years reading, family literacy initiatives, libraries and community services that enable children to access books and foster a lifelong love of reading.
Sioned Jacques, Partnership Manager at BookTrust Cymru, said:
“These findings send a clear message. Parents in Wales value reading and want to spend more time-sharing stories with their children
“The challenge is not a lack of interest or motivation. When 92% of parents tell us they enjoy reading with their child, but only around half of children are being read with every day, it is clear that many families are struggling to find the time, support and stability needed to make reading a regular part of family life.”
Research shows shared reading from an early age can have huge benefits for education, bonding, wellbeing and even narrowing social inequalities. The charity warns that reducing support risks widening inequalities that begin long before children enter school, with children from families facing multiple pressures less likely to benefit from consistent reading routines. The survey also found that children with stable bedtime routines are considerably more likely to be read to daily.
BookTrust Cymru says the findings highlight the importance of sustained investment in early years reading support at a time when many families are facing increasing pressures.
Sioned added:
“Perhaps the most striking finding from the survey is that nearly half of parents are actively asking for more help. Families want practical support, information and opportunities to help them build reading habits at home.
This is why long-term investment in early years reading programmes matters. These programmes help families establish reading routines from the earliest months of a child’s life, giving children the strongest possible foundations for language development, learning and wellbeing. Now is the time to strengthen that support, not scale it back.”
BookTrust Cymru is calling for long-term, sustainable investment in early years reading initiatives, family reading programmes, libraries and community-based services that help children access books and develop a lifelong love of reading.
