- Nearly two thirds (64%) of UK parents spend less than the average recommended reading time with their child
- Around nine in 10 parents (87%) and teachers (91%) agree that having a trusted adult or reading volunteer read regularly with their child would improve their confidence, with more than half of teachers surveyed (53%)identifying that fear of making mistakes in front of others is a barrier to reading
- Chapter One partners with businesses who sponsor their staff to give children 30 minutes of online one-to-one reading each week.
- Two thirds of working adults (67%) say they would volunteer to read with a child if their employer supported them, and 69% think businesses should make that possible
Nearly two thirds (64%) of UK parents spend less than an hour reading with their child in a typical week, according to new research from UK literacy charity Chapter One. This puts most families below the recommended 70 minutes of reading time needed for a child’s development.
As a lead delivery partner for the National Year of Reading 2026 – a nationwide campaign to get more children and adults reading for pleasure – Chapter One commissioned the research to better understand the way the nation reads. The research comes against a backdrop of falling reading enjoyment among children aged between 5 and 8.
Despite the best intentions, family reading time is under increasing pressure. Almost nine in 10 parents (86%) say they would like more time to spend reading with their child, highlighting a gap between the support children need and the time many families are able to give. The main barriers are not parents’ lack of willingness to read with their children, but rather the time and capacity available to families.
Chapter One is working to address these issues head on through its online volunteering programme, where corporate volunteers take 30 minutes each week to read to a child.
Reading confidence is built through practice, encouragement and regular attention from adults.
When those opportunities become harder to find, children can feel the impact both inside and outside the classroom.
Confidence barriers are becoming harder to ignore
Teachers are reporting worrying signs that confidence is becoming a significant barrier to children’s reading development. More than half (53%) of teachers surveyed identify children’s fear of making mistakes in front of others as a barrier to reading, while many (44%) point to limited opportunities to practise reading one-to-one with an adult.
The findings show that students do not simply need help learning to read. They need the encouragement and confidence which comes from one-to-one undivided attention and the freedom to practise without the fear of making mistakes.
Children benefit from having more than one trusted adult to read with
The research from Chapter One shows overwhelming enthusiasm for children having direct reading support from trusted adults who can make a real difference to their lives.
Around nine in 10 parents (87%) and teachers (91%) agree that having a trusted adult or reading volunteer read regularly with their child would improve their confidence, while almost all teachers (96%) agree it is valuable for children to have a consistent adult outside their immediate family and school circle who takes an interest in their progress. 89% of parents even believe it would strengthen their child’s long-term love of reading.
As children grow up in a rapidly changing world, parents believe that the role of reading extends beyond literacy. When asked what difference reading volunteers could make, an overwhelming 90% said improving their child’s performance at school, and 91% said both improving educational opportunities and increasing their child’s enjoyment of reading.
A clear opportunity for businesses to step up
Alongside parents and teachers, 82% of working adults surveyed agree that every child should have access to regular one-to-one reading support if they need it, and almost four in five working adults (79%) agree that a trusted adult outside the family or school circle can have a lasting impact on a child’s future.
Encouragingly, the research finds that just over two thirds (67%) of working adults would consider volunteering as reading support for children if backed by their employer, highlighting a positive and practicable opportunity for business to help address the literacy crisis. Almost half (45%) say seeing the impact they could have on a child would motivate them to volunteer, while over a third (36%) would be encouraged by flexible scheduling around their job.
As we consider the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for future generations from education to employment prospects, both teachers (85%) and parents (84%) believe that reading volunteers can importantly help broaden their child’s perspective of the working world.
Just 30 minutes can change everything
Chapter One works to close the reading gap for children facing disadvantage, helping those who might otherwise slip through the cracks to develop the will and the skill to read. Its solution is simple and scalable. Through its online reading programme, children aged 5 to 8 read one-to-one with a volunteer from a UK business for 30 minutes each week, building their confidence and a love for reading from an early age.
Chapter One partners with nearly 200 organisations including those who supported this research – Amentum, Ashurst Perkins Coie, Eversheds Sutherland, KPMG, and Sodexo – to bring employees into the programme as reading volunteers. For businesses, it offers a simple way to turn a small amount of volunteer time into something that can make a lifelong difference to a child.
The charity urges all businesses to provide opportunities for their staff to volunteer and help transform young children’s lives through reading.
Emma Bell, CEO of Chapter One, said:
“Parents want to spend more time reading one-to-one with their children, but the reality of busy family life can make regular reading time difficult to find.
“Businesses have a valuable role to play. By giving employees the flexibility to volunteer, they can help children access trusted adults and give their people the chance to make a meaningful difference beyond work.
“When a child begins to believe that they can read, that confidence can stay with them long after the book is closed.”
Patrick Forbes, Business Support Director Sodexo UK & Ireland and Chair of Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation UK&I, said:
“We see first-hand how reading can change the trajectory for children growing up in more deprived areas where access to books and one to one support isn’t always a given. Part of our mission is to help children gain fundamental skills to avoid food insecurity as adults, and our work with Chapter One speaks powerfully to that.”
“This new research is critical to understanding the barriers, but also the solution to the reading gap in the UK. We are proud to have worked with Chapter One for over three years, with hundreds of volunteers reading with children for 30 minutes a week.
“Together, by working alongside teachers, parents and charities like Chapter One, we can reach more children than ever before and give them the confidence, literacy and self-belief to shape their own futures.”
Linda Horbye, Head of ESG, CMS, said:
“More than 70 of our people, from across every part of the firm, are online reading volunteers, giving children one-to-one support at a pivotal age: building their literacy, their confidence and an early understanding of the world of work. This school year, we’re helping Chapter One bring its online reading programme to children in Bristol for the first time, building on our long-standing partnership with a cause that sits close to our values.
“The benefits flow both ways. Reading for pleasure develops vital skills from critical thinking to adaptability. And for our volunteers, 30 minutes a week with a child has become a cherished part of the working week, boosting their well-being and bringing colleagues from across the firm together around something that matters.”
Find out where Chapter One works here, and read the Chapter One guide to workplace volunteering here.
If you or your organisation is interested in volunteering with Chapter One, do get in touch at karen.price@chapterone.org.
