Mothers, Literacy, and Policy: A Bibliometric and Systematic Review

Indonesia's persistent literacy gap — reflected in low PISA and PIRLS rankings — signals a structural failure to leverage the family, particularly mothers, as the primary site of children's literacy development. Grounded in an integrated theoretical framework drawing on Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory, Taylor's and Auerbach's family literacy theory, and Bourdieu's cultural capital theory, this study employs a methodological integration of Systematic Literature Review (SLR) and bibliometric analysis to examine the role of mothers in children's literacy education and to formulate an evidence-based family literacy policy for the Indonesian context. Bibliometric analysis of Scopus-indexed publications (2015–2025) using Biblioshiny/Bibliometrix reveals a multidisciplinary convergence of health, psychology, and education in family literacy research, a strong geographical concentration of knowledge production in high-income countries, and a field-wide theoretical transition toward informal learning ecosystems — all patterns with direct policy implications. SLR synthesis of empirical studies identifies three core mechanisms through which mothers contribute to children's literacy: cognitive-linguistic scaffolding, socio-emotional support, and cultural-identity mediation through translanguaging and intergenerational practices. Integrating both analytical layers, this study proposes a five-pillar Evidence-Based Family Literacy Policy model — encompassing collaborative ecosystem development, parental capacity strengthening, literacy access and infrastructure, language and cultural preservation, and empirical monitoring and evaluation — in which each pillar is explicitly traceable to specific bibliometric and SLR findings. This model offers a contextually adaptive, empirically grounded policy framework applicable to Indonesia and other developing countries facing comparable literacy challenges.