We all know the phrase "it takes a village to raise a child". When it comes to fostering reading confidence and a love for books this has never been more true.

New research published from the UK's largest reading charity BookTrust finds that the more people in a child's life who are involved in influencing their reading, the more likely the child is to become a keen independent reader.

However, the research also found that nearly a third of children under 7 do not regularly read or share stories with different people. These children appear to be missing out on the enjoyment that these 'reading influencers' bring and the crucial role they play in shaping long-term reading habits.

'Reading influencers' include different family members as well as teachers or other trusted people in their lives - such as Chapter One online reading volunteers. These experiences have a marked impact on a child's love of reading.

Children selected by teachers to participate in the Chapter One reading programme often do not have a family member to practice reading with them, and they are also likely to be one of the 1 in 5 children who don't have any books at home.