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Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - The effectiveness of book-gifting programmes to enhance the reading skills of children in care
T2 - A randomised controlled trial of ‘Reading Together’ in England
AU - Connolly, Paul
AU - Sebba, Judy
AU - Winter, Karen
AU - Roberts, Jennifer
AU - Tah, Priya
AU - Millen, Sharon
PY - 2023/10/31
Y1 - 2023/10/31
N2 - There now exists a considerable body of international evidence demonstrating the consistently poor educational outcomes faced by children in care. These effects emerge early and worsen as children grow older and last longer term into adulthood. One popular intervention aimed at addressing this has been the use of book-gifting. However, there is limited evidence that this, on its own, is effective in improving reading outcomes for children in care. Moreover, previous research suggests the need for book-gifting programmes to be enhanced through including a direct role for foster carers to support their children's reading when receiving the books. This article reports the main findings of a three-armed randomised controlled trial conducted in the UK across 22 local authorities and involving 266 children, that sought to evaluate the effectiveness of an enhanced book-gifting intervention, supplemented by a paired-reading component for foster carers to undertake with their children, known as Reading Together. The effects of the Reading Together intervention were measured on one primary outcome, children's levels of reading comprehension, and also included a number of secondary outcomes (reading accuracy, reading rate, receptive reading and attitudes towards reading). The trial found no evidence of the effectiveness of the programme, which is attributed to both the possible ineffectiveness of the programme itself and/or the confounding effects of Covid-19 national lockdowns and other restrictions that impacted on foster families during the period of the trial. However, the trial raises a number of important issues which are drawn out and discussed including: which children in foster care a programme like this should be targeted at; how to better ensure fidelity through an enhanced peer foster carer support role; the involvement of schools in interventions like this; and the need for more attention to be paid to the nature and quality of the carer/child relationship. Implications for future research are outlined.
AB - There now exists a considerable body of international evidence demonstrating the consistently poor educational outcomes faced by children in care. These effects emerge early and worsen as children grow older and last longer term into adulthood. One popular intervention aimed at addressing this has been the use of book-gifting. However, there is limited evidence that this, on its own, is effective in improving reading outcomes for children in care. Moreover, previous research suggests the need for book-gifting programmes to be enhanced through including a direct role for foster carers to support their children's reading when receiving the books. This article reports the main findings of a three-armed randomised controlled trial conducted in the UK across 22 local authorities and involving 266 children, that sought to evaluate the effectiveness of an enhanced book-gifting intervention, supplemented by a paired-reading component for foster carers to undertake with their children, known as Reading Together. The effects of the Reading Together intervention were measured on one primary outcome, children's levels of reading comprehension, and also included a number of secondary outcomes (reading accuracy, reading rate, receptive reading and attitudes towards reading). The trial found no evidence of the effectiveness of the programme, which is attributed to both the possible ineffectiveness of the programme itself and/or the confounding effects of Covid-19 national lockdowns and other restrictions that impacted on foster families during the period of the trial. However, the trial raises a number of important issues which are drawn out and discussed including: which children in foster care a programme like this should be targeted at; how to better ensure fidelity through an enhanced peer foster carer support role; the involvement of schools in interventions like this; and the need for more attention to be paid to the nature and quality of the carer/child relationship. Implications for future research are outlined.
KW - Sociology and Political Science
KW - Developmental and Educational Psychology
KW - Education
U2 - 10.1016/j.childyouth.2023.107097
DO - 10.1016/j.childyouth.2023.107097
M3 - Journal article
VL - 153
JO - Children and Youth Services Review
JF - Children and Youth Services Review
SN - 0190-7409
M1 - 107097
ER -