Museums, libraries and archives are uniquely placed to support families and early years children. They are based in the community and offer accessible learning opportunities that particularly support inter-generational groups.
Research has demonstrated the importance of the home learning environment and the role of the parent as a child's first and most effective teacher.
MLA and NIACE have produced Families, learning and culture to support museums, libraries and archives develop and build on their family learning practices and have recently updated this work see: http://shop.niace.org.uk/family-learning-and-mla.html.
The publication aims to set the context for the strategic development of family learning programmes with museums, libraries, archives and the wider cultural sector. It details a variety of government priorities where family learning can play an important role in delivering results for the families involved and their communities. Developments are placed in the context of localism and strategic commissioning.