Last year The Smith Family delivered its Let’s Read early literacy program to more than 23,000 children across Australia. 

The Smith Family Tasmania’s acting General Manager, Lesley Mackay said the program will be delivered to 700 Tasmanian children through early childhood services. 

The organisation also ran an early maths program, Let's Count, which reached 5000 Australian children. 

Ms Mackay said 360 Tasmanian children participated in the Let’s Count program last year and an additional 330 children would be involved in 2016. 

“Both these early learning programs are delivering outstanding results among the children and families we work with,” Ms Mackay said.

“There is a common misconception that all children begin their school journey with the same literacy and numeracy skills. However, research shows that 15.4 per cent of all children are developmentally vulnerable in language and cognitive skills before they start school.”

The Smith Family works with parents to increase their confidence to develop the numeracy and literacy skills of their children. 

“Research shows a parent’s engagement in their child’s learning is a bigger factor in a child’s educational attainment than a family’s background. Children with parents engaged in their learning and development, are more likely to do well at school.”

As Australia enters National Literacy and Numeracy Week, August 29 to September 4, the country’s largest children’s education charity has expressed concern regarding early childhood learning. 

“It’s vital for the wellbeing of Australia’s children that we continue to work collectively - families, early childhood educators, governments and communities - to ensure disadvantaged children are supported to be school ready, with ongoing targeted support available throughout their school journey,” Ms Mackay said.

To continue to see improvements Ms Mackay said initiatives such as the Department of Education’s Launching into Learning, which resources schools to develop programs to support children’s early learning before attending Kindergarten, and the work of Child and Family Centres should be supported.