Children's laureate Frank Cottrell-Boyce has called for urgent national action to address the growing children's reading crisis, as new research reveals that daily shared reading among families with young children has plummeted by 11 percentage points over the past four years.
Decline in Shared Reading
BookTrust's latest family survey, released to coincide with Cottrell-Boyce's lecture at the Royal Institution in London, found that daily shared reading among families with children aged up to eight dropped from 60% in 2021 to just 49% in 2025. This decline comes despite the fact that the proportion of children who say they like or love reading has actually increased, from 66% to 80% over the same period.
The research highlights a growing disconnect between children's enthusiasm for reading and families' ability to incorporate it into daily routines. More than a third of parents (36%) expressed concern about their child's screen time, including 27% of those with children under one year old. However, nearly half of parents (48%) said that shared reading helps reduce screen time, suggesting it can be a powerful tool for reconnecting families.
National Action Required
In his address, Cottrell-Boyce argued that the UK is facing a serious crisis in children's development, linked to broader pressures such as poverty, housing instability, social isolation, and the decline of local services like libraries and youth facilities. He emphasised that too many children are starting school without regularly experiencing the comfort of shared stories and books.
"Working with BookTrust over the last two years as children's laureate has been a hugely rewarding experience," Cottrell-Boyce said. "Launching the reading rights campaign is something very close to my heart as I'm truly passionate about making sure the transformative gift of reading is shared with every single child."
Reading Rights Campaign
The lecture marked the conclusion of Cottrell-Boyce's two-year tenure as children's laureate and the launch of his new role as reading rights ambassador for BookTrust. He reflected on the achievements of his reading rights campaign, which aims to ensure that shared reading becomes a part of every childhood and that all children have access to books.
"We've worked with early learning centres, nurseries, schools and family hubs and the UK Government to make sure children have the best start in life with guidance from midwives, health visitors, early years professionals, families and communities," he added. "I urge everyone to join our movement to ensure that every child has daily access to books and shared reading in their first seven years of life. It's so important for their happiness, mental health, empathy and future opportunity."
BookTrust's Call to Action
Annie Crombie, co-chief executive of BookTrust, stressed the urgency of the situation. "Frank has spent the last two years making an extraordinary case for reading as a right, not a privilege. Reading rights sets out what national action should look like so that every child can access books and shared reading in their earliest years," she said.
"Our research shows why this matters now. Families value reading and children still love it, but daily shared reading is slipping because life is getting harder. Without support, inequalities will only grow. With Frank as our reading rights ambassador for BookTrust, we'll be bringing partners together so that shared reading is built into the support families receive. Our children's futures will only improve if we act collectively and early."
