Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library: A research-backed targeted early years intervention in the Wirral

Since April 2021, Wirral Borough Council has delivered Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library as a targeted speech, language and communication intervention across five high-need wards. Offered to all babies born from April 2021 onwards within these areas, the programme aimed to strengthen the home learning environment and improve early communication outcomes. By embedding delivery within Early Childhood Services and building a multi-agency partnership approach, the project has demonstrated sustained parental engagement and improved Communication and Language (C&L) outcomes. Across the five wards, 56 per cent of schools reported an increase in C&L combined since 2019/20.

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a free book-gifting programme for children from birth to age five. Each month, enrolled children receive a high-quality, age-appropriate book posted directly to their home, addressed directly to them. The programme aims to inspire a love of reading, strengthen parent-child bonding and support early communication and language development. Books are carefully selected to reflect children’s developmental stages and a diverse range of stories and themes. Delivered locally through 300 Local Programme Partners - many of whom are Local Authorities - and coordinated nationally by The Dollywood Foundation UK, the programme strengthens the home learning environment and helps prepare children for school.

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library operates through a simple cost-sharing model designed to maximise impact while keeping delivery efficient. The Dollywood Foundation UK covers all central overheads and infrastructure costs, including administration, systems, coordination, book selection, procurement and national support. Local Programme Partners, such as Wirral Borough Council, are responsible for registering the eligible children in their area and for funding their books and mailing costs. The average cost is approximately £2.16 per book, equating to around £26 per child per year for 12 books. This model ensures families receive books free of charge while enabling communities to scale the programme sustainably through local funding and partnerships.

Wirral identified five wards with consistently lower Foundation Stage outcomes:

• Bidston & St James
• Birkenhead & Tranmere
• Rock Ferry
• Seacombe
• Leasowe & Moreton East.

Baseline data showed Good Level of Development (GLD) and Communication and Language (C&L) combined outcomes below national averages. There were also indicators of intergenerational low attainment, including high proportions of adults without formal qualifications.

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library was viewed as an opportunity to influence these intergenerational challenges by strengthening family relationships, improving aspirations and supporting early communication development within the home.

DPIL was offered to all babies born from April 2021 onwards living within the five identified wards as a targeted speech, language and communication offer.

The objectives were to:

• Inspire parents and carers to explore books with their child at home.
• Create a culture of shared reading within families.
• Use book-sharing as a vehicle to improve Communication and Language outcomes.
• Contribute to improved Good Levels of Development (GLD) over time.

Wirral Borough Council’s Early Childhood Service established a partnership working group that included health partners, libraries, Foundation Years Trust and Koala Northwest. The group met monthly at the outset to develop a project plan addressing short-, medium- and long-term delivery opportunities and risks.

The project is coordinated by Early Childhood Services, but delivery is multi-agency. For example:

• Parents signing up to DPIL can automatically register their child with the library service.
• Eligible children are identified through Public Health birth data.
• School Readiness Workers carry out targeted “Welcome to the World” home visits to support access to services and registration.
• Parents can also register via partner contact within homes and community settings.
• Registrations are managed centrally by the Early Childhood Services Business Support Team using the Book Order System (BOS) database.

This coordinated system ensured targeted reach within the five wards while embedding the programme into the wider early years infrastructure.

Across 2024/25, parent feedback, sustained engagement with Early Childhood Services and school-level outcomes indicate that engagement with DPIL strengthened the home learning environment and supported early communication.

Key outcomes include:

• 56 per cent of schools across the five wards report an increase in C&L combined since 2019/20.
• 73 per cent of participating parents report reading daily to their child.
• 94 per cent of parents report increased communication from their child.
• 94 per cent report feeling more confident supporting their child’s communication and language development.
• Year 4 engagement reached 1,274 children, with 834 having sustained contact with communication and language-related sessions delivered in Family Hubs or community venues.

Parents consistently report excitement, ownership and increased family engagement around reading, including:

• Greater enthusiasm from children when books arrive.
• Increased sibling engagement in shared reading.
• Support for families who could not otherwise afford books.
• Perceived improvements in communication and language development.

What parents tell us:

It was so helpful receiving the Dolly books at a time when I couldn’t buy books myself

We love getting a book each month and I was so shocked how they are tailored to R’s age and stage! I can’t wait to see how they change as he grows.

I feel she loves books more because they're her books. When they come, she says "mummy my new book" very excited. She really enjoys them! This is good, it’s fabulous you’re doing a good job. I meet with my friend who has a 1-year-old son and also gets the books. We read the books together with my daughter as we get the same books in the post. It is helping with our communication and language.

The programme is brilliant! My twins love the books, it’s really nice they get one each as well, as they love to fight over books, but they don’t have to when we are reading Dolly books

I think this is an amazing scheme. Not only does my youngest get excited when the new book arrives, so do my older two and they also enjoy reading the new book to their younger sister

E was an extremely premature baby born at 25 weeks. Reading has been a huge part of her development

This is an amazing receiving books gets mum and baby really excited to read more. X

I would definitely recommend signing up for Dolly’s imagination library!
So many good books for your child's age, my son loves it

N absolutely loves the books and reads them every day

Key learning points include:

• Targeted universality within place works best when embedded across the wider early years system.
• Visibility through partnership activity, displays, community events and “Dolly” themed sessions increased uptake and embedded the programme locally.
• Reliable data flow on registration, uptake and related activities is essential for evidencing impact. It is important to strengthen data and systems to avoid reporting gaps.
• Embedding a feedback culture strengthens evaluation.
• Early funding conversations are critical. Although initial costs are low, increased registrations require a robust long-term funding plan. We would advise stabilising funding from the start to avoid resource competition across the voluntary and community sector and develop a funding strategy at an early stage.

• begin with a clear place-based rationale
• build a delivery coalition early
• integrate evaluation from the outset
• diversify funding streams and identify risks early.

Steve Korris, Executive Director, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library [email protected]