Family involvement and early literacy: a review of interventions and educational outcomes

Early literacy is a situated process that is strengthened when schools build genuine educational partnerships with families. This study critically analyzes recent evidence on intervention strategies aimed at promoting family involvement in early literacy. A systematic review with narrative synthesis was conducted on publications from 2020 to 2024 in Latin American contexts and Spain, retrieved from academic databases and repositories (e.g., Scopus, SciELO, and Dialnet). After screening and full-text reading, 20 studies were included, and the evidence was organized using thematic coding. The results were grouped into four areas: (1) early literacy processes and practices; (2) family support and participation; (3) impact on reading performance and comprehension; and (4) intervention strategies and models. The literature converges on a positive association between family involvement and early literacy achievement, although this association is conditioned by structural barriers (time, schooling, resources) and the quality of school mediation. The most promising interventions combine school-family communication, accessible pedagogical guidance, flexibility, and cultural relevance. It is concluded that strengthening family participation requires equity approaches and sustainable institutional designs to prevent the perpetuation of inequalities.