Roots to Read Objectives
- To provide resources to families while in hospital that will:
- Promote and support an understanding of the importance and benefit of early childhood literacy
- Promote parental reading, speaking and singing as well as “serve and return” interactions with their newborns.
- Assist in sustaining literacy activities that are interactive, reciprocal, shared and connected to a family’s culture
- Provide examples of reading materials appropriate to the child/family
- Link the family and child to literacy programs in the community and public library
- To achieve funding for ongoing support of the program via directed donations to the Roots to Read program via the Nanaimo and District Hospital Foundation
- To ensure ongoing program evaluation and modification to ensure the objectives are met.
What is the Roots to Read program?
- Established in March 2022, this program is being implemented by perinatal staff as part of caregiver teaching (target start date June 2022).
- Provision of Roots to Read book bag to every newborn at NRGH that will include:
- 2 carefully curated new books that encourage “serve and return” interactions between caregiver and newborn
- Early Words educational cards for simple quick caregiver reference (Canadian Children’s Literacy Foundation, printed and used with permission)
- One page Tips for Parents with Babies flyer (Reading Rockets, used with permission)
- Information about local library access (VIRL to supply)
- The Roots to Read program is fully dependent on donations.
