Bookstart and different needs
Bookstart is for every child.
The books which are given through Bookstart have been carefully selected for their very wide appeal. However Bookstart also knows that some young children may particularly benefit from certain types of book.
This area of the Bookstart website can help you find more books which may particularly suit your child's specific needs. You can also find details of other resources and organisations which can provide information and help.
Bookstart is also working to encourage the production of more books which show positive images of disability and diversity.
What to do if you think a child might benefit from other books
What is Bookstart/Booktrust doing to support children with additional needs?
What to do if you think a child might benefit from other books
The Bookstart books are carefully chosen for their very wide appeal. However, if a child has additional needs, local Bookstart schemes will want to talk to the parent or carer about how Bookstart can help further.
Finding books to suit different needs
The Bookstart booklet Finding books to suit different needs may be a good starting point.
This booklet will help parents and professionals to identify different types of books that might be particularly relevant to a child's specific needs. You can click here to download a copy of the booklet or order it free from the resources catalogue. When ordering if from the catalogue, please use the code FR DIFF ENG. This area of the website also aims to highlight other great books to suit different needs. Keep visiting the site to look out for new titles.
If a child is blind or visually impaired, a Booktouch pack can be offered. Booktrust is also working to develop new resources for deaf or hearing impaired babies.
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What is Bookstart/Booktrust doing to support children with additional needs?
- Bookstart offers two booklets - Finding books to suit different needs and Finding inclusive books
- These are available through local libraries and through this website
- Bookstart offers a Booktouch pack for parents or carers of blind or partially sighted children up to (and including) the age of four and a Bookshine pack of books and guidance materials aiming to encourage a love of books in deaf children of 0 to 4 years
- Bookstart is working to create new resources for parents and carers of deaf or hearing impaired children up to (and including) the age of four Bookstart aims to ensure that all the Bookstart books and resources are as accessible and inclusive as possible
- Bookstart works with publishers to encourage more books which show positive images of disabled people
- Bookstart works in liaison with other organisations such as the National Deaf Children's Society, RNIB, Clearvision, Mencap and Scope
- Bookstart works in consultation with disabled children and their families to develop and extend this support.
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Bookstart is working closely with writers, illustrators and publishers to try to increase the number of children's books that suitably reflect our diverse society. A Bookstart booklet Finding inclusive books offers a list that aims to help you to find early years books showing positive images of disability, as well as titles that may prove useful in discussing disability and diversity.
You can click here to download the booklet or order copies free from the resources catalogue. When ordering from the catalogue, please use the code FR INCL ENG. More books (including books for children of all ages) can also be found on Booktrust's "Bookmark" website: website: http://www.bookmark.org.uk/
Bookstart is also working with Scope, whose three-year "In the Picture" programme aims to increase positive images of disabled children in early years books. website: http://www.childreninthepicture.org.uk/
You can also download large print versions of both these booklets:
If you wish to order physical copies of these, please not the codes:
- Finding inclusive books - FR INCL ENG
- Finding books to suit different needs - FR DIFF ENG
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