bookstart

(Click here to enter the BookStart Website)

Programme history, small beginnings

Booktrust initiated a pilot project in 1992 involving 300 families in Birmingham. This ground-breaking research was undertaken by Professor Barrie Wade and Dr Maggie Moore.

Parents were given free books at their baby’s nine-month health check. The children’s development was carefully monitored for the next five years and the result was a noticeable advantage in their literacy and numeracy levels by the time they started primary school.

Furthermore, research showed that, two years after receiving the books, the children were three times more likely to be interested in reading than those who had not participated in the project. This was the beginning of Bookstart.

National Launch

Following the initial pilot project, awareness of BookStart’s resounding success grew and by 1998 there were 60 schemes across the country. However, they all relied heavily on local funding which limited Booktrust’s ambition of achieving 100% national coverage.

The situation changed, at the launch of the national Year of Reading in September 1998, the secretary of State for Education, David Blunkett, announced Booktrust’s plans to develop Bookstart across the UK, with the support of Sainsbury’s, a large supermarket group, as the national sponsor.

Bookstart was launched in 1999 and had reached 92% national coverage of the UK in just 15 months. By March 2000 Bookstart in the UK had become the first,

national, baby book gifting scheme in the world.

A truly remarkable achievement and a testimony to the hard work, enthusiasm and determination of everyone involved.

Since then, research carried out by Professor Kimberly Reynolds at the University of Surrey, Roehampton in 2001 has revealed that Bookstart is not only boosting awareness of the importance of reading to babies, but encouraging those who already read to read more.

“Bookstart aims to ensure that every baby aged between 7-9 months receives a free bag of books. It also aims to promote and encourage the sharing of books with babies and increase access to books by promoting local library services and book ownership to new parents.”

In support of Bookstart, best wishes, quotes and endorsements

“May I wish everyone a very successful Conference and what I am sure will be a wonderful celebration of a decade of Bookstart. I am sorry that I am not able to be there with everyone, Bookstart has had a tremendously positive effect on many children, introducing and awakening an abiding love of reading and an appreciation of books throughout their lives.”

Lorna Fitzsimons, MP, Rochdale

“If there is a more inspired or inspiring initiative in the arts I have yet to come across it.”

Gary McKeone, Head of Literature, Arts Council of England on the Bookstart scheme.

“I am delighted that this Department is supporting Bookstart. Bookstart is a prime example of an innovative, national scheme which really works and which can deliver key policy objectives such as: improved literacy and basic skills, social inclusion and equality of opportunity.”

Baroness Blackstone, Minister of State for the Arts

“Bookstart offers babies a wonderful introduction to the joys of sharing books and can act as an effective encouragement for some parents to improve their own literacy skills. Bookstart is a very cost effective, innovative and fun way to develop babies into eager and happy learners.”

Rhianned Pratley, Deputy Director of Basic Skills Agency in Wales

“We know from the research we have been engaged in over the past two years, that Bookstart really does make a difference. Not only does it give good quality books to families, it also encourages library use and the enjoyment of books from a very early age.”

Carol Taylor, Director of Read On Write Away! The Derbyshire Literacy Initiative

“Although babies cannot read, the close physical contact of the carer with the baby, the movement of the pages turning, the sound and rhythm of a voice all give a secure and enjoyable means of a shared experience. Early enjoyment of books will help establish a good groundwork for the vital role they will play later on in a child’s more formal education.”

“In some homes there are no books. Not just no baby books, but no books at all. I started buying my own board books so that I could use them as examples, but of course, I could not leave them behind for the baby. It’s very hard to talk about sharing books with your baby, and then have to take the books back and know that nothing will change. Bookstart is really making a difference. Parents are thrilled with the pack and start looking at the books straight away. Some of my mums have joined the library and some are starting literacy classes themselves.”

“Every week we hold Bookstart baby events in our libraries. It is such a privilege and a joy to sit with mums and babies and join them in the pleasure of sharing books. The mums and babies love it and so do I. It’s my regular ‘shot in the arm.’ It reminds me of why I wanted to be a librarian.”

“The whole purpose of our existence is to bring books and readers together or in the case of Bookstart, to bring books and babies together. We believe that books enrich people’s lives. Books really are a gift for life.”

“With Bookstart, we can achieve a nation where right from babyhood, all people can grow to have a lifelong love of books. How ace is that? This is not just ‘something cute for babies.’ There is so much more going on here. This is about a revolution in lifelong learning. A revolution? Well, you know, we all want to change the world.”



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