Reach Out and Read is based in peer-reviewed research and the latest research in developmental science.
Did you know that in the first years of life, a child's brain makes over 1 million new neural connections every second? A child's early experiences, whether positive or negative, shape their brain's architecture for the rest of their lives. When we reach families early on and often with our evidence-based guidance, we can help them prepare their children for happier, healthier, and more successful lives.
And we know our program can make a big difference in the lives of young children and their families. The Reach Out and Read program's efficacy has been proven in more than two dozen independent and peer reviewed research. The evidence shows that our program has a major impact on families' attitudes and practices towards reading, children's language abilities, and the quality of pediatric care at participating clinics.
Key findings:
- Participating families are more likely to read together and to do so more often
- Children who participate in Reach Out and Read programming have show increased receptive and expressive vocabulary scores.
- Increased exposure to Reach Out and Read leads to larger increases in language scores.
- At participating clinics, families are more likely to rate their child's care provider as "helpful", and providers are more likely to rate families as "receptive".
- Participating families demonstrated higher attendance rates for well visits.
