A central aspect of the Government's early years policies has been to embed positive attitudes to play, learning and exploration. Helping parents with ideas, support and resources to learn with their child can have a significant impact on cognitive development as well as promoting positive attitudes to learning. Through the Birth to Three Matters Framework and the Foundation Stage of the National Curriculum, the Government has recognised the value of helping to prepare children for primary school with activities and opportunites for fun and informal learning.
Promoting literacy and language development is a key element of the Sure Start approach. For example, Sure Start Myatt's Field, Angell Town, in Lambeth, employs a literacy development worker to work with the community to encourage reading and positive parent/child communication. A key part of this work is to distribute free books to new families through the Bookstart programme. They are also involved in organising regular neighbourhood activities where parents and toddlers come to read, and play, together.
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