A decision to withdraw funding from a long-established scheme that has provided free book to babies and toddlers in Wales for more than 25 years has triggered strong criticism from literacy organisations, parents and children’s advocates, who warn that the move could disproportionately affect families living in poverty. The decision has been described as “heartbreaking” by those involved in delivering the programme, which has been a cornerstone of early years support across the country for a quarter of a century.
BookTrust Cymru, which runs the Bookstart programme in Wales, said the ending of direct grant funding risks leaving the most vulnerable families without access to early years reading support. The scheme distributes free bilingual book packs to thousands of parents every year through health visitors, with one pack typically given at a child’s six-month health check and another at around 27 months. The packs include age-appropriate books along with guidance for parents on how to share books with babies and toddlers.
Sioned Jones, director of BookTrust Cymru, said the decision had left her deeply distressed, warning that the programme’s value extended far beyond the provision of free books. She said the charity’s work focused on helping parents build strong bonds with their children, supporting early brain development, and encouraging shared reading practices that lay the foundation for later learning. According to Jones, the organisation invests heavily in training practitioners, conducting research and evaluating the impact of its programmes, which cost around £370,000 annually. She stressed that evidence consistently shows the scheme helps families develop reading habits and also supports the use of the Welsh language at home.
Funding for the programme, provided through Adnodd, the Welsh government’s educational resources body, is due to end in March 2026. Adnodd has said it is reviewing how early years literacy materials will be commissioned in future and insists it is working with BookTrust and other partners to ensure there is no break in support for families. It has stated that its focus is on identifying the most effective approaches to improving literacy outcomes for young children in Wales, informed by research and evidence, rather than simply continuing with an existing delivery model.
The decision comes at a time when concerns have been raised about reading standards among Welsh pupils, a context that has intensified criticism of the move. BookTrust Cymru has argued that ending a programme with a proven track record at such a moment is difficult to understand, particularly as no impact assessment has been published on how the change could affect children from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Parents who have benefited from the scheme have spoken about its importance in everyday family life. Many described how their babies enjoyed handling books, exploring textures and pictures, and how repeated shared reading helped strengthen parent-child bonds. Others said the books supported language development and offered a valuable alternative to screen time in busy households.
Children’s Laureate for Wales Nicola Davies also voiced strong concerns, saying that reading to very young children gives them a crucial early advantage, not only academically but emotionally. She warned that replacing a well-established, evidence-based programme would not be straightforward and said the idea that its benefits could be quickly replicated was unrealistic. Davies added that the consequences of the funding decision would be felt most acutely by Wales’ most vulnerable children.
The Welsh government has said it has instructed Adnodd to ensure there is no gap in provision, while Adnodd has confirmed that no final decisions have been made and that any future programme will be commissioned through an open and competitive process. However, for many families and campaigners, the uncertainty surrounding the future of the scheme has already cast a shadow over a programme long seen as a simple but powerful investment in children’s early lives.
