Eager parents reading with the kids over 42 minutes a day
As the Government unveils new plans to boost literacy standards, it's a gold star for parents with a study into family reading habits revealing over half of UK parents are now reading with their child for over 25 minutes a day.
Of 1465 parents questioned by childcare voucher provider Computershare Voucher Services (CVS), 51% reveal they are reading for an average 25 minutes each day with a child. An enthusiastic 20% of parents are reading even more - clocking up an impressive 42 minutes a day.
However, in stark contrast one in ten parents are spending less than nine minutes a day reading with their offspring, a figure which increases the more siblings a child has.
Julian Foster, managing director of CVS, said: "Busy parents face a number of time pressures and it's very positive to see that despite this, a majority are reading with their children regularly - with a quarter even managing over five hours a week!
"This is great news, as research suggests that children who are read to on a regular basis before they start school are most likely to succeed, and it is thought to be a key predictor of educational success."
Speaking earlier this month, School Minister Nick Gibb said that reading books for just half an hour a day could be worth up to 12 months' extra schooling by the age of 15.
A report by The Literacy Trust* into young people aged 8 to 17 has also shown a direct link to attainment, with 8 in 10 children who read over 10 books a month being above average readers, compared to just 3 in 10 of those who rarely read.
Parents are the most important reading role models for children and young people, according to The Trust, with mums taking the lead. 67% of parents who read to their children are mothers compared to just 17% of fathers.
Julian added: "To help parents motivate and inspire their children to read, CVS has launched a special 'Let's get Kids Reading' campaign to coincide with World Book Day. Any parents wishing to get involved can visit our special online book club, on our dedicated Facebook page, where they'll find practical advice, reviews and competitions - including the chance to win their child's height in books!"
CVS is the largest dedicated childcare voucher provider, handling childcare vouchers for over 100,000 working parents every month, via 12,000 organisations. For more details, visit facebook.com/computersharevoucherservices.