Chancellor Gordon Brown announced that the Bookstart scheme would receive greater funding in his spending review earlier this month.
'Because it is our basic belief that every child should have the opportunities today available only to some, we will extend the Bookstart scheme and at nine months, then at 18 months, then at age two, provide free books universally for every child,' the Chancellor said.
Currently parents receive a bag containing two baby books, a booklet explaining how and why to share books with young children, a booklist and an invitation to join the local library, distributed by local health visitors at their child's eight-month health check.
The expansion, set to begin in April 2005, will enable Bookstart to roll out its other initiatives - the Bookstart Plus bag at 18 months and My Bookstart Treasure Box for three-year-olds - on a national basis. So far these have only been distributed in Sure Start areas.
Chris Meade, executive director of Booktrust, said, 'This is wonderful news. It establishes the future of the Bookstart bag and makes it possible to extend the scheme so that we can foster a lasting love of books in the lives of every child born in the UK. Research proves that children who were Bookstart babies are more confident readers when they start school.'
