Parents The Literacy and Social Inclusion project looked at ways of supporting parents who have poor or under-developed literacy skills so that they feel both empowered to help their children learn, and motivated to improve their own skills. Now that the project is over, this page links mainly to sections of the Supporting parents and families area of the website that are particularly relevant to social inclusion.

Background

What goes on in the home strongly influences children's achievement. Above all, good parenting means showing an interest in children's daily lives, speaking and listening to them and encouraging them to have high aspirations. In the early years, this involves helping children to learn to read. Where parents lack confidence, have poor literacy skills or have a different language or cultural background, they may need help and encouragement to do so.

Family literacy is the general term used for any initiative that aims to work with parents to improve their children's communication, reading or writing skills, while improving parents' literacy skills too. Family literacy is a powerful way to support parents with few skills and show how they can help their children become confident and effective communicators. It also has knock-on positive benefits for other family members - parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters.

Early intervention is important because parental activities at home, for example, reading to children, taking them to the library and spending time speaking and listening to them, means their children start school at an advantage. Talk to Your Baby is a National Literacy Trust initiative that aims to encourage parents and carers to talk more to babies and young children.

Links:
You may wish to look at the Early years, Children and Young people sections as well.