Why Dads Matter in Reading and Why Listening to Them Matters Too

Across the UK, there is growing concern about children’s early learning, and one issue keeps coming up: reading. 

Recent research shows that more than a third (37%) of children are starting school not “school ready”, according to the Kindred Squared’s 2025 School Readiness Survey. Teachers are clear about one of the causes. More than half (51%) of school staff say that parents not reading with their children is a key factor, and 40% of parents agree.  

At the same time, a new study by the National Literacy Trust shows that daily engagement between parents and young children, including reading, playing and chatting, is declining.

When we look closer, there is also a clear gender gap. 

Fathers are significantly less likely than mothers to read daily with their children. Only 42% of ‘daily reader’ parents are fathers; 58% are mothers.

This 16% gap matters because we know that when dads are involved, children’s language development, confidence and educational outcomes all improve. 

So the question is not just what is happening. It is what we can do about it. 

Listening to dads, not just talking about them 

At the Fatherhood Institute, one of the ways we explore questions like this is through our Dads’ Panel. This is a group of fathers and father figures who come together to share real-life experiences, challenges and ideas. 

These sessions are deliberately informal. There are no scripts and no “right answers”. Just honest conversation. 

What emerges is something incredibly valuable: insight that you simply cannot get from data alone. 

Our latest panel focused on dads and early learning, particularly reading. What followed was a rich and thoughtful discussion that revealed not just barriers, but practical and hopeful solutions. 

What actually helps dads read with their children? 

One of the strongest themes to emerge was the power of excitement and connection. 

One dad described how something as simple as receiving a book in the post, addressed to his child, transformed reading into an event: 

“She gets so excited… it’s hers. That makes her want to read it with me.”  

That sense of ownership and anticipation matters. Reading is not just about literacy. It is about shared moments. 

Another dad spoke about building reading into everyday routines: 

“After bath time, we always sit and read before bed. She knows it’s coming. It’s just part of what we do.”  

These are not complex interventions. They are small, consistent habits that make a real difference. 

Confidence is a hidden barrier 

The panel also highlighted something that is often overlooked. Many dads do not feel confident reading. 

The National Literacy Trust data supports this. Fathers who are less engaged in activities like reading are more likely to have lower confidence and less understanding of language development, particularly in lower socioeconomic groups.  

For some dads, this links to their own experiences of education. For others, it is uncertainty about how to read with a child: things like using voices, letting them turn the pages and valuing the shared experience as much as finishing the book.

Another contributor, an educational psychologist, emphasised a crucial point: 

“It’s not even the reading. It’s the language around it… just being present, talking, sharing the moment.”  

This changes how we think about the issue. 

Reading is not about getting it right. It is about connection, conversation and confidence. 

Rethinking what “reading” looks like 

A particularly powerful insight from the discussion was the need to broaden our definition of reading. 

Not every dad will pick up a storybook, and that is okay. 

Reading can include: 

• Talking about pictures 

• Sharing a football programme 

• Reading a magazine together 

• Making up stories 

• Creating your own books from family experiences 

The data also shows that dads are less likely than mums to engage daily not just in reading, but also in chatting and playing, with gaps of 12% and 10% respectively.  

This reinforces the importance of recognising and building on the ways dads already connect with their children. 

The bigger picture: inclusion matters 

The discussion also highlighted a wider issue. Fathers are still too often left out of communication from schools and services. 

Some dads are not even contacted directly. Others feel that schools are not spaces where they belong. 

As one contributor put it, even attending school meetings can feel like a challenge for some fathers, especially if they had difficult experiences at school themselves.  

This matters because if dads are not included, they cannot be fully involved. 

Supporting fathers is not just about changing individual behaviour. It is about changing systems so that dads are seen, welcomed and engaged. 

Why the Dads' Panel matters 

What this conversation shows is exactly why the Dads’ Panel is so important. 

The data tells us there is a problem. The dads tell us what is really going on. 

They highlight: 

• The importance of routine and everyday habits 

• The role of confidence and past experience 

• The need to make reading feel accessible and relevant 

• The barriers created by systems that overlook fathers 

Most importantly, they offer solutions that are grounded in real life. 

Solutions that are practical. Solutions that are achievable. Solutions that work. 

Moving forward 

If we want more children to thrive, we need more dads to feel confident, included and supported. That starts with listening. 

The Dads’ Panel gives us that opportunity. It ensures that fathers’ voices are not just heard, but acted on. It helps shape programmes, influence policy and improve how services work with dads and families. 

Because when we support dads, we support children. And that benefits everyone. 

Join the Dads’ Panel 

If you are a dad, stepdad, grandad or father figure, your voice matters. 

You do not need to be an expert. You do not need to have all the answers. You just need your experience. 

The Dads’ Panel is a space to share what real family life looks like. It is a chance to influence work that supports fathers across the UK, and to make sure services and policies reflect the realities dads face every day. 

By joining, you can help shape better support for families and better outcomes for children. 

Join the Fatherhood Institute Dads’ Panel today and be part of the change.

If you’re a commissioner of family services, or a practitioner, check out FRED. It's our transformative reading-for-pleasure programme for dads and their young children.