The Great Eight: Delivering literacy programmes from birth to eight years in

9 The Great Eight: Delivering literacy programmes from birth to eight years in Tallaght and beyond Fig 3: Number of days children are read to at home: annual comparation Early Home Learning Environment The Home Learning Environment Index (HLEI) is used to assess the quality of the home learning environment for young children, in terms of the activities that take place in the child’s home environme. [...] 10 Chapter 1 Fig 4: Number of books in the home in 2021 We explored how the number of books a child has is related to the HLEI score using the data from 1057 children in the 2021 survey. [...] The programme started in 2008 in response to an extensive consultation process in which the community of Tallaght West identified the need to support children’s literacy as part of a wider strategy to improve the health, safety, and learning of children and to increase their sense of belonging to their community. [...] It is important to be sensitive to a variety of literacy abilities and needs and to adapt the programme to suit the individual and group needs. [...] The earlier this begins in the child’s life and home, the stronger the outcome for the child and for the child’s family and community.