The Children’s Promise is a shared commitment to help children and families feel welcomed, supported and inspired through library services. It sets out an ambition for libraries to make a positive difference in children’s lives by encouraging reading, learning, creativity, confidence and connection with their communities. The Children's Promise underpins the Universal Library Offers.
The cornerstones of our Promise are:
Children and young people are inspired by welcoming, inclusive library spaces, with a range of books that mirror the diversity of our world and make reading irresistible.
Children and young people are enabled with imaginative digital opportunities, building their skills, literacy, knowledge and creativity.
Children and young people are encouraged to take part in formal and informal learning opportunities.
Children and young people are engaged by a wide range of creative and cultural experiences.
Children and young people are actively involved in decisions about library service developments and are offered opportunities to volunteer.
Children and young people are supported through library services and activities to improve their health and wellbeing.
The Promise can act as a guide for planning activities, shaping inclusive services, strengthening partnerships and explaining the value of library work with children and families. This survey, which forms part of a review, asks for your views on how clearly the Promise is understood, how useful it is in practice, and what would help for it work better in different local contexts.
