Children's Services for Grown-Ups
Libraries for Parents and Carers
Libraries are brilliant places to visit for families and children. With a huge range of books, resources, PCs and activities, your library can support you and your child to begin a lifelong love of exploration and discovery. Here you will find out about some of the key collections and campaigns. If you would like more information about services for families and children, visit your local library.
Talking Together
The Talking Together book collection helps parents talk to their children about aspects of growing up including puberty, relationships and sexual health. Many parents have said they find books a useful “prop” to start discussion with their children.
Practical Parenting
If you are looking for some ideas or guides to help navigate the sometimes bumpy road of parenting, take a look at the Practical Parenting collections available in libraries. There are books covering a wide range of topics from breastfeeding, toilet training, weaning and more.
- The Expectant Dad’s handbook
- The Calm and happy Toddler
- The blissful toddler expert
- Play: Fun ways to help your child develop in first five years
- The Good Sleeper
- The Three Day Nanny
- What every new parent needs to know
Barrington Stoke
Barrington Stoke publishes super-readable children’s books that break down the barriers that can stop children getting into reading. First-rate short fiction brings together the very best children’s authors and illustrators in the UK with a host of unique accessibility features to offer cracking reads accessible to more children including those with dyslexia or visual stress.
What is Read, Write, Count?
Read, Write, Count is a new campaign designed to support parents of children in primaries 1 to 3 who want to be more involved in their children’s learning.
Read, Write, Count‘s website gives lots of simple ideas for bringing fun reading, writing and counting activities into your everyday life. Get ideas for things you can do together in the supermarket, on the way to school, at bedtime or mealtimes. You can have fun together and help your child to get the best start in life! The difference parents and carers can make is incredible as research shows that children do better at school and throughout life when parents are involved in their learning.
Read, Write, Count at your library is an activity that will spark a love of learning and discovery by doing something fun together as a family.
Early Years, Nurseries and Schools
If you work in an education setting, we would love to welcome you to libraries. If you look after a lot of children, we have:
- block loan tickets, these are special library cards for playgroups, nurseries, childminders, teachers etc. that allow you to borrow up to 30 books and keep them for 6 weeks.
- library visits or special storytimes that can be arranged for groups of children or school classes.