Support for early years and the National Literacy Trust

That this House recognises the urgent need to address falling levels of early language in the UK, as highlighted by the National Literacy Trust; notes with concern that in 2024 187,542 five-year-olds started school without the communication and language skills they need to thrive; further notes the steep decline in key home learning activities since 2019, including daily reading, playing, and singing between parents and children; acknowledges the critical role of the home learning environment in shaping a child’s future development and life chances; believes in the power of early intervention in enabling the government to meet its 75 per cent school readiness targets; praises the National Literacy Trust’s Early Words Matter campaign and its work to empower families, train early years staff, and provide high-quality literacy resources and programmes; welcomes innovative projects such as Gift a Gruffalo, the organisation’s place-based work in 21 hubs across the country and projects like the National Literacy Trust collaboration with Worwin in Gorton and Abbey Hey and Sandwell and The Very Group in Liverpool; and calls on the Government to commit to working in partnership with communities, businesses, families, devolved administrations, local leaders and the third sector to deliver long-term investment in early years literacy and improving access to community services, books and resources, supporting parental wellbeing, and joining up early education, health, and family support services to create a fully integrated early years system.