Reading for Results

Background
Data on welfare participants reveal a clear link between under education and chronic, intergenerational welfare dependency.  The Reading for Results  program began in January 2005 as a collaborative effort between the New Hanover County Department of Social Services (DSS) and the new Hanover County Public Schools to address this issue.  Serving children and families who utilize DSS Prevention and Child Welfare Services, the goal of the program is to promote family literacy and encourage family participation  in their child’s learning.    Initially the NHC Public Schools provided training to DSS social workers on reading  techniques, choosing age appropriate books and building vocabulary and oral language.  With an ongoing goal of  promoting early literacy skills in “at-risk” children in New Hanover County, the Reading for Results program continues to serve children and families receiving services through DSS Prevention and Child Welfare units.

   Vision
The vision for the Reading for Results program is to assist in breaking the cycle of poverty and illiteracy by encouraging reading, enhancing oral and language proficiency, and developing early literacy skills.  Starting Right: A Guide to Promoting Children’s Reading Success (National Research Council, National Academy Press, 1999) states, “Strong language and literacy environments are especially effective for young children who need an extra boost to promote their later success in reading.  It is especially important for children who live in low-income communities…”.   Welfare reform data shows that people with strong basic education and literacy skill work and earn more than individuals with low skill level.  In the Cape Fear Region, 24% of adults read at or below 5th grade level and 29% of adults read at or below 8th grade level.  These stats tell us that over 50% of adults read at or below age level.  Fostering  family literacy in the everyday activities of these families will assist low income individuals in providing more positive interaction with their children, will ultimately help deter intergenerational poverty, and will bring about the child’s future academic success thus addressing inadequate literacy skills later in life.

   Goals
The goals of the program are to encourage reading through increased access to age appropriate books within the family unit and improve the worker-client relationship between DSS social workers and the families in need of our services.

 This program is based on a meet, model and motivate concept:

 · Meet:  Families are met by staff at either DSS or in their homes.  DSS clients receive an initial visit by their social worker who introduces the program to them to determine the family’s interest.

 · Model:  When the program is first introduced to the DSS client, social workers will model basic reading and literacy skills learned from the new Hanover County Schools training session.  They will also give the family one free, new, age appropriate book per child when they conduct the home visit.  At subsequent visits, additional books will be given to each child.

 · Motivate:  Each parent served by Reading for Results will participate in or learn about creative ways to motivate young readers.  When a child and family are met in the home, DSS staff will share ideas with the family members on how to make reading fun.  In addition, by giving the books to the family, the parents will have the resources and opportunity to read with their children, increasing not only literacy but creativity and imagination.