The National Literacy Trust (NLT) works to ensure that all families—particularly those living in financial hardship—can engage in meaningful early learning experiences. Their approach emphasises no cost or low cost activities, inclusive practice, and reducing the mental load on parents.
Context and Challenge
Research with around 3,000 parents/carers of children under 5 years old in 2025, found that barriers to parent-child early learning included time, costs, and limited support from family, friends and local services.
Parents' support for young children's literacy at home in 2025 | National Literacy Trust
Families experiencing poverty often face hidden costs that are barriers to accessing “free” activities.
Examples include:
- Travel expenses
- Snacks or refreshments
- Weather‑appropriate clothing or outdoor gear
- Additional materials parents may be expected to bring
Practitioners recognised that while spare clothing or warm coats may be available for children during outdoor activities, parents may lack essential equipment themselves. This can prevent families from attending or fully participating.
Key challenge: Not all early years professionals have a full understanding of the lived reality of financial hardship, leading to unintentional exclusion.
NLT’s Approach
The NLT designs interventions that acknowledge families’ daily pressures especially time, capacity, and mental load.
Their practice includes:
- Designing no‑cost or low‑cost activities using everyday, accessible items.
- Prioritising access to books and play materials, supported through lending libraries and book swaps.
- Ensuring communication and resources use inclusive imagery and language, so families can see themselves represented.
Activities should fit seamlessly into daily routines rather than feel like an additional or burdensome task. Promoting consistent messages across early years services - from health visitors to community groups really helps families to feel supported.
No cost resources for families encouraging daily playful little moments are available here Start for Life | Words for Life
Guidance in Practice
The Embedding the Home Learning Environment guidance offers practitioners ways to support parents to integrate early learning into everyday life. Activities are designed to be:
- Small, manageable, and routine‑based
- Sensitive to financial barriers
- Tailored to diverse family contexts and cultures
This approach helps families feel confident, supported, and capable of embedding learning at home.
Key Takeaways for Practitioners
- Consider hidden costs that may prevent families from participating.
- Remove practical barriers - not just for children, but for parents too.
- Use inclusive messaging and imagery to help families feel represented.
- Recommend low‑pressure, everyday activities that don’t add to the mental load.
- Align messages across services to build trust and consistency for families.