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Sharp drop in children who enjoy reading - charity

Getty Images A young girl wearing a blue top and blue trousers sits cross legged on the floor. She has an open book on her lap and is smiling. In the background a young boy and two girls are also sat with open books on the ground. There are shelves of books behind them.Getty Images
The National Literacy Trust is calling on the government to make reading for pleasure a regional and national priority

The number of children in Yorkshire who enjoy reading has dropped sharply, according to a charity.

The National Literacy Trust said the percentage of young people in the region who said they liked to read had fallen to its lowest level in 19 years.

More than 76,000 children aged five to 18 responded to the organisation's national survey.

Reading for pleasure was "critically important" for young people's education, wellbeing and confidence, said Jason Vit, head of local area at the charity in Doncaster.

The research found that 37% of young people in the region said they enjoyed reading, compared to 55% in 2023.

Declining reading skills were a "cause for concern, particularly for those from disadvantaged communities," a charity spokesperson said.

They also found that fewer boys said they enjoyed reading than girls.

Getty Images A young girl with brown hair is lying down with an open book in front of her. A woman with brown hair is lying next to her and smiling and also looking at the book. In the background in a purple curtain.Getty Images
A survey found that the percentage of children who said they enjoyed reading had dropped to the lowest level for 19 years

The charity has called on the government to make reading for pleasure a regional and national priority.

The National Literacy Trust had been working with communities in areas including Doncaster to encourage children to read for fun by hosting storytelling events and giving away books.

Mr Vit said: “Children and young people have lots of things competing for their time.

"They have lots of pressure both in school to do well but also in their social lives.”

He added that parents could encourage their children by reading a book, newspaper article or blog post with them.

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