Evaluating the impact of Bookbug Bags and Sessions in Scotland

Bookbug is Scottish Book Trust’s Early Years Programme, delivered in partnership with local authority library and education services, NHS boards (including health visitors and health promotion staff) and third sector partners. Bookbug encourages parents and carers to share books with their children from as early an age as possible, to inspire a love of books and reading in every child.

The aim of this two-year evaluation was to examine how, and to what extent, Bookbug impacts on the lives of families in Scotland, and on the knowledge, attitudes and practices of early years professionals.

Overall, the evaluation has found that the Bookbug programme is high quality, understandable, transferable into different local settings, and hugely respected by those involved. Families and professionals value the Bookbug programme and regard it as having positive impacts.
The message and approach being delivered is clearly evidence based and is being delivered in a clear, concise way, complementary to national and local policy objectives. The brand and mascot work are praised for being well respected, recognised and valued.
Bookbug is making an important contribution to positive engagement with families facing barriers to accessing services, with the majority of professionals stating that that the Bookbug programme allowed them to reach families that they otherwise would not.
Main challenges include ensuring quality and consistency across the programme, widening the benefits and coping with sectoral complexities and pressures on resources. The greatest issue is not therefore a question of whether the Bookbug programme can support Scotland’s families to read, talk, sing and cuddle more, but rather, that the context of diminishing resources impacts on delivery.