Challenge Awards Spotlight: San Diego County’s Helping Incarcerated Caregivers Read to Kids Program

San Diego County’s Raising a Reader: Helping Incarcerated Caregivers Read to Kids program has earned a 2024 Challenge Award from the California State Association of Counties for its unique approach to supporting early childhood literacy and fostering meaningful connections between incarcerated caregivers and their children.

Launched in late 2022, this program addresses a critical gap in services by providing early literacy education to incarcerated parents and caregivers. Recognizing that children of incarcerated parents are significantly more likely to face incarceration themselves, the San Diego County Library developed a trauma-informed curriculum aimed at breaking this cycle.

The program offers monthly workshops at the county’s women’s re-entry facility, where trained librarians teach participants how to engage their children in reading through picture books, rhymes, and interactive activities. Each participant receives a workbook and two children’s books to practice reading while incarcerated and to take home upon release. Additionally, participants are encouraged to apply for a library card, fostering continued engagement with library resources post-incarceration. 

Since its inception, the program has conducted 19 workshops with 156 attendees, who have reported increased confidence in reading to their children and a greater understanding of the importance of literacy.

This initiative exemplifies how libraries can play a pivotal role in community rehabilitation and education, offering a replicable model for other counties aiming to support justice-involved families.