Bookbug for the Home training evaluation

Bookbug for the Home training course is designed for early years professionals and volunteers who are working with families that would benefit from extra support with song, rhyme and book sharing. The training provides delegates with all of the theoretical and practical knowledge and resources they will need to try Bookbug activities in a family’s home or in a small group. Bookbug for the Home enables practitioners to pass on key messages to families about the benefits of early interaction, which contributes to bonding and attachment, brain and language development and social and emotional skills.

Download our evaluation infographic to see the full impact of Bookbug for the Home training.

Evaluation from 2018–19 delegates

• 480 delegates trained from health, local authority, education, libraries and third sector organisations in 2018–19
• Delegates have used Bookbug activities with an estimated 2,000 families
• 96% of delegates said training increased their confidence in working with families
• Almost half of delegates said the training had supported families to go on to attend public Bookbug Sessions

‘I have worked with a family with a child with ASD, who was non-verbal. We adapted Bookbug for the Home to include play activities to encourage communication. During singing we paused a lot during the songs to encourage verbal interaction. The child is now talking to communicate and using lots of single words and some phrases! The mum has said the support she has received has been life changing.’

Esther, Early Years Co-ordinator, Third Sector

‘The mum I worked with had a very difficult upbringing which resulted in being a looked after child. When she was pregnant with her own child she could not understand the concept of reading to baby. After I delivered Bookbug Sessions … the mum decided to show her child books and read them out loud. When the child was 9 months old the mum still attended the library to obtain books and was asked by her family why she was reading to her child. She stated that “my child will have better speech and language skills because I have read him lots of books”. I was so proud of her and don’t think I could have hoped for a better outcome!’

Susan, Family Nurse, NHS

‘I started using Bookbug for the Home after my training with a young couple and their son. The reason for this was to improve the parents’ interaction with their son and improve their literacy skills. We did sessions for 8 weeks in the home and the family have continued this themselves. After closing with the family I met them in the local area and mum is expecting another baby. She asked her son to show me what he sings to the baby and he began singing ‘Twinkle, Twinkle’ to his mum’s pregnant tummy. This is a song he didn’t know before the Bookbug at Home Sessions. Bookbug is now firmly instilled in the family’s daily routine.’

Melanie, Project Worker, Third Sector