Caring About Reading
Caring About Reading is a Leicestershire Library Services project that aims to help
children and young people in the care of Leicestershire County Council enjoy reading and discover new
ways of enjoying books and other reading material. The project encourages children in care to
use the wide range of facilities available in libraries.
Enjoyment of reading is the key to developing good literacy skills, improving achievement
at school and creating better opportunities for the future.
Work with Children and Carers
Caring About Reading works directly with children and young people in care. This
can include:
- Visiting children in their foster placements or homes
- Supporting children in their local libraries
- Running activities and workshops, including arts and crafts, drama, puppet work, book making and story telling
- Buying books for children and young people
Caring About
Reading also supports carers by:
- Providing training as part of the Education Awareness Programme
- Sourcing specialist books to help children and their carers to understand and explain difficult issues in their lives
- Running social and family learning events for carers and the children in their care
Lunchtime
Reading Clubs and Activity Sessions
Alongside the individual work with children and their carers, Caring About Reading
offers various group activities as appropriate which can include:
- Lunchtime Reading Clubs
Sessions in Schools to help support children to enjoy books and reading. These clubs may or may not include other children who are not in care. - Activity Sessions
A range of activities including art and craft, story telling and author workshops taking place in Leicestershire Libraries. Caring About Reading aims to support children through school breaks to keep children engaged with reading. - Partnership Work
Delivering activities with other providers to engage children in activities within libraries. - Professional Training
The Caring About Reading Development Workers can provide training sessions for:- Foster Carers
- Social Workers
- Teachers
- Library staff
to help further develop understanding
of the reading issues experienced by children in care and to explore ways to help support reading for
pleasure and thus improve future life chances.
Specialist Books
Caring About Reading holds a collection of books you may like to borrow to help
you with particular worries and issues experienced by the children in your care.
Topics covered include teenage pregnancy, drugs, bereavement, bullying, fostering
and adoption, facts of life, race issues and personal safety. There are story books and factual
information books, books for all ages and some information and guidance books aimed at you, the carer
or professional.
If you have a particular concern and would like to borrow books on that subject
then our contact details are on the below
If you would like further information about Caring About Reading then please contact the Caring About Reading Development Workers:
Macha Barnden - based at Oadby Library 0116
305 3806 mbarnden@leics.gov.uk
Sheila Munnoch - based at Melton Library 0116 305 3806 smunnoch@leics.gov.uk
Sheila Munnoch - based at Melton Library 0116 305 3806 smunnoch@leics.gov.uk
Page Last Updated: 24 February 2011
