Hounslow Council has officially backed an early literacy drive, approving a motion to join Dolly Parton's 'Imagination Library' scheme. This initiative will provide free books to children under five, ensuring every child has the opportunity to sign up for home deliveries.

The decision was made during a Borough Council meeting on Tuesday, 21 July 2026, where the motion, proposed by Councillor Fiza Ahmed, was debated and approved. The scheme aims to foster a love of reading from an early age, recognising its crucial impact on school readiness, speech and language development, and long-term academic and career success. The full details of the council's meeting can be found in the Public reports pack.

A woman interacts with a young child during an early literacy activity.
A woman interacts with a young child during an early literacy activity.

Councillor Ahmed, a teaching assistant, highlighted the importance of early literacy, stating that over a quarter of children leaving primary school are not meeting the expected standard in reading. She added that this figure rises significantly for children from white working-class backgrounds and those with special educational needs.

The motion also includes a commitment to ensuring every child in the borough receives a library card, encouraging early engagement with library services. This initiative is part of a broader effort to strengthen community hubs within Hounslow's 11 libraries, which have already provided valuable support to over 10,000 local people. The council has invested in these hubs to offer advice and support, aiming to help parents find the support networks that they need and embed library use at an early age.

Newborn library cards will be introduced, reinforcing the message that libraries are for everyone and for life. While the specific management of this initiative is not detailed, the intention is to provide library cards to children of all ages, starting from birth.

Councillor Ahmed emphasised that this was a first step and a statement of intent signalling the Council's commitment to supporting children's development at every stage. The council's agenda frontsheet for the meeting is available here.

Bar chart showing the relative low-income rate (%) by ward in Hounslow for 2014/15 and 2020/21, with a note indicating an increase in child poverty across all wards.
Bar chart showing the relative low-income rate (%) by ward in Hounslow for 2014/15 and 2020/21, with a note indicating an increase in child poverty across all wards.