With back-to-school season in full swing, Children’s Panadol is joining forces with the Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation (ALNF) for the inaugural Building Brighter Futures campaign, which will help children develop important numeracy and literacy skills and raise awareness of the links between literacy and lifelong health.
Australian actress and ALNF ambassador Lucy Durack says it’s important we all work together to ensure all children in Australia can access the resources they need to develop and grow their literacy skills.
“By fostering strong literacy skills, we can equip children not only to succeed academically but in all aspects of their lives. I’m proud to support this campaign focused on building brighter futures for all Australian kids,” she says.
Durack told EducationDaily that she is proud to be part of the ALNF mission to ensure more young learners make lifelong connections with literacy.
She says that, as Australians, so many of us take literacy for granted “but if there’s about half of Australians struggling to read, finding ways to boost literacy is so important”.
“Not being able to read disadvantages communities in so many ways,” Durack told EducationDaily.
With a daughter at primary school and a son who has just started prep this year, Durack says the issue of improving literacy for the next generation is one that’s close to her book-loving heart.
“My work with ALNF reminds me how lucky I am to be able to give him options and take him to school and read out loud to him.
“But we just want to make sure that everyone can get the help they need to have good literacy skills.”
Having grown up with a mother who was a teacher, Durack says the importance of learning – and a passion for stories – was instilled in her from a young age.
“I come from a long line of teachers and teacher-librarians, so books were a massive part of my life, growing up,” Durack told EducationDaily.
“I remember being in bed at night and Mum telling me to come in and turn the light out and me just begging her for one more chapter.”

Developing essential literacy skills changes lives
But that is not the experience for all Australians. Data shows nearly 44 per cent of Australian adults today do not have the functional literacy skills they need to cope with the demands of everyday life, including challenges related to health and wellbeing. This means almost half of Australian adults struggle to read the directions on medication labels, have trouble filling out forms at the doctors and can struggle to measure the correct dosage of a medicine.
The Building Brighter Futures partnership between Children’s Panadol and ALNF hopes to highlight how strong foundational literacy skills, developed in childhood, are essential not only for academic success but also for thriving in everyday life.
With research showing that poor literacy is linked to poorer everyday health, improving literacy rates is one of the biggest silent challenges facing Australians.
Chief Executive Officer of ALNF Kim Kelly says that the back-to-school partnership comes at a critical time as schools prepare to welcome students back for another year.
“It’s estimated in every class of 24 students, eight cannot read well.2 As we get ready for the new school year, it is vital that improving literacy is high on the agenda. We hope this initiative shines a light on the important role literacy plays in creating and maintaining a healthy life both in and outside the classroom,” says Kelly.
“It’s important that we continue to think about the different ways we can support children’s literacy in Australia and ensure all children have access to the resources, programs and support they need to thrive.” says Kelly.
As part of the partnership with ALNF, Children’s Panadol, in collaboration with Chemist Warehouse, will be launching a shopper initiative. The initiative launched on 15 January and will end on 31 March. It will see Children’s Panadol donate 50 cents to the ALNF for every pack of Children’s Panadol sold at any Chemist Warehouse store across Australia.
Elena Pintado, Head of Pain at Haleon, the makers of Children’s Panadol, says the link between health and literacy is undeniable.
“Health and literacy are interlinked. Strong literacy skills empower us to make informed health choices, understand medical information, and lead healthier lives,” she says.
“We’re proud to be partnering with ALNF, not only to raise awareness of these links but to also help ensure that all Australian children are supported as they continue to grow and develop their literacy skills,” says Pintado.
All funds raised will go towards supporting ALNF’s literacy programs, which focus on improving the literacy and numeracy skills of Australian children, particularly in disadvantaged communities.
“Literacy is the foundation of a child’s future,” says Durack.
“It shapes their ability to understand and engage with daily challenges, make informed decisions and communicate effectively with others.”