Improving Parents' Literacy

Family literacy interventions can be directed at supporting improvements in reading and writing of children, as well as the improvement of the participating parent or carer’s literacy.

Parents and adults participating in First Read groups will be supported to improve their literacy. Locally provided adult literacy interventions will be identified and partnership agreements will be developed with them. These will allow illiterate or low literate parents and carers from First Read groups to access existing literacy programmes.

Where sufficient demand exists within the group of participating parents and carers consideration can also be given to establishing adult literacy classes for First Read participants. Research indicates that adult literacy interventions are more effective when the participants share another common interest or experience.

Participation in a First Read group could create a community of interest that could in turn increase the effectiveness of adult literacy interventions.

It is also common for family literacy projects to increase the educational aspiration of participating adults. First Read will identify existing professional, further and vocational educational opportunities and support First Read participants to access these.