UK Study Finds Black Children and Other Marginalised Groups Severely Underrepresented as Main Characters in Children’s Books
October 16, 2025
written by CCMag
A new report by literacy charity Inclusive Books for Children (IBC) reveals persistent and alarming gaps in representation within UK children’s publishing. The annual Excluded Voices Report 2025, analysing 2,721 titles published in 2024 for readers aged 1 to 9, shows that stories centring children from marginalised backgrounds remain rare — and, in some cases, are in decline.
Representation Remains Critically Low
The study found that only 5.9% of children’s books published in 2024 featured a main character who was neurodivergent, disabled, or from a minoritised ethnic background. Even more concerning, fewer than half of these books were created by “Own Voice” authors or illustrators — those who share the same identity as their main characters.
Black Representation Plummets
One of the report’s most striking findings is a 21.5% drop in books with Black main characters compared to 2023, effectively reversing gains made in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement. This decline was partially obscured by a modest increase in books featuring Asian protagonists — but representation for these groups still falls dramatically short of reflecting the diversity of UK classrooms.
Only 1.3% of books featured South Asian main characters, despite children of South Asian heritage making up 12.5% of England’s nursery and primary pupils.
ESEA (East and Southeast Asian) representation was 0.8%, while approximately 2.6% of young pupils are from ESEA backgrounds.
Disability and Neurodivergence: Rare and Inauthentic
Representation of disability and neurodivergence remains almost non-existent. In 2024, just seven books featured disabled main characters, and six included neurodivergent protagonists — the majority written or illustrated by people without lived experience of these identities.
[Additional Read: Caribbean Tales Film Festival Celebrates 20 Years of Caribbean Storytelling with Stellar Lineup]
Early Years Books Lag Behind
For the youngest readers, representation is even more limited. Of 577 baby and toddler books analysed, only two featured an Own Voice main character, and just 2.8% of books for this age group included a protagonist from a marginalised background.
Broader Implications for Literacy and Society
The report situates these findings within a wider literacy crisis. According to the National Literacy Trust, only one in three children aged 8–18 reported enjoying reading in 2025 — a 36% decline since 2005. Researchers argue that the homogeneity of available stories fails to engage children from diverse backgrounds and misses a powerful opportunity to foster belonging, empathy, and social cohesion.
“Far-right agitators are threatening the peace and security of people from minoritised ethnicities,” Marcus Satha, co-founder of IBC says.
“It is essential that creatives with marginalised identities are brought into the fold of children’s publishing. Authentic storytelling shows children that everybody belongs and everybody adds value to society,” Satha adds.
Conclusion
The Excluded Voices Report 2025 highlights systemic shortcomings in UK children’s publishing and calls for urgent industry-wide action to support and platform marginalised creators. As the report underscores, diverse, authentic stories are not just about representation — they are central to fostering a more inclusive, equitable society and reversing the nation’s reading decline.
To download the report click here.
