Frank Cottrell-Boyce has called on policymakers to treat children's reading as a "right" rather than a parental duty, warning that Britain is failing to grasp the emotional and social value of reading. New research reveals a sharp decline in daily shared reading at home.
Final laureate lecture highlights crisis
Speaking at the Royal Institution in his final laureate lecture, The Kids Are Not Alright, the children's laureate linked falling shared reading rates to poverty, housing insecurity, and social media. "Our children have been at the sharp end of two great crises: Covid, and just as damagingly, austerity," Cottrell-Boyce said. "We can talk all we like about [the importance of] bedtime stories … but what does that mean to a child with no bed? Or no space for a bed?"
He described how "furniture poverty" and housing insecurity prevent children from establishing stable reading routines. "You're not going to Narnia because you haven't got a wardrobe," he said. "Your clothes are stored in bin bags ready for the next move."
Declining shared reading, rising enthusiasm
Figures from BookTrust, released to coincide with the lecture, show daily shared reading among families with children aged eight and under has fallen from 60% in 2021 to 49% in 2025. However, the proportion of children who "like or love reading" has risen from 66% to 80% over the same period, indicating strong enthusiasm for books.
The UK is currently celebrating the National Year of Reading, a government-led initiative supported by the National Literacy Trust to combat declining reading-for-pleasure rates. The campaign includes launching the first Children's Booker prize, with a judging panel chaired by Cottrell-Boyce. Three children aged 8-12 will be recruited to help adjudicate. The campaign also involves distributing 72,000 books to children in need and fostering a "national mission" to make reading a daily habit.
Impact of screens and social media
Alongside economic pressures, Cottrell-Boyce highlighted the impact of screens and social media on children's attention. He said concerns about "addictive" tech platforms were now unavoidable, arguing that children's attention is being captured by systems designed to maximise engagement. "These kids are working for big tech," he said. "We all are. But you're working for someone who doesn't love you, who is not going to pay you and doesn't care how many hours you work. It's a shocking situation we've got ourselves into."
Referring to growing legal and political scrutiny of technology companies, he added: "These platforms should bear total responsibility. I think these trials are a bit like the big tobacco moment."
Reading for pleasure, not just literacy
Cottrell-Boyce added that we have failed to communicate what reading offers beyond literacy outcomes. "Reading has become so bound up with attainment and literacy, that we've failed to get across the emotional benefits, the fact that it is fun and should be done for pleasure," he said.
Despite the scale of the challenges, he remains optimistic about children's reading habits and the work already being done in communities. "Pessimism is a luxury that we can't afford," he said. "I do feel optimistic. I've met amazing people and seen amazing practice that costs next to nothing."
Cottrell-Boyce has used his two-year tenure as children's laureate to promote his Reading Rights campaign, which argues that shared reading should be embedded in early years support, from health visitors to family hubs. The new children's laureate will be announced in July.
