Led by former children's TV presenter Susan Stranks and includingBaroness Warnock and MP Don Foster, the group says that a 'nationalnursery of the airwaves' for children up to seven years old and theirfamilies would complement the early years and family support services.The proposed not-for-profit service would:
- enrich key aspects of children's early development includinglistening, imagination, concentration, communication and languageacquisition skills
- promote learning via songs, rhymes, movement and stories
- support marginalised families finding it hard to access services
- offer parenting information.
A meeting to define the proposal, provisionally named 'Sound Start', washeld last week. A pilot scheme would run in some nurseries beforebroadcasting across the UK at an estimated cost of less than 5 ayear per child.
Professor Jim Rose, who led the review of how reading should be taught,welcomed the proposal. He said, 'It is important for children to developspeaking and listening skills as a foundation for securing theirprogress in reading and writing.'
Gila Falkus, a group member and speech and language therapist, said,'There is increasing acknowledgement that we face a national crisis inthe acquisition of literacy. Good-quality children's radio could make avaluable contribution.'
