ALL babies in Scotland born from August 15 will be eligible to receive a box of essential items for newborns.
The Baby Box has been produced by the Scottish Government in a bid to tackle inequality and promote health. Each box will contain items including clothing, nappies and sheets, while also doubling as a safe sleep space. The box has been awarded British Safety standard accreditation as a crib for domestic use.
Earlier this year, Packaging Scotland spoke to Leanne Young, winner of a national competition to design the Baby Box.
Mark McDonald, Minister for Childcare and Early Years, commented, “We are committed to doing everything we can to give every baby born in Scotland the best possible start in life and the Baby Box is just one of the range of measures we are using to help babies and parents thrive in the crucial early months.
“We will continue to listen to feedback as the Baby Box reaches more families and work with parents and healthcare professionals to keep the contents under review.
“The national roll-out is the result of months of hard work and engagement with healthcare professionals, stakeholders and parents and I would like to thank everyone involved in helping us reach this momentous occasion.
“The Baby Box has certainly captured the public’s imagination and we are extremely proud to introduce it to Scotland.”
Chief medical officer, Dr Catherine Calderwood, added, “All the evidence shows that the early years are crucial for children’s development. What happens then can be linked to outcomes much later in life. So we know that measures undertaken in the 0-3 years age range have the opportunity to make the biggest impact.
“That is why we have been working hard to enhance the existing infrastructure available to support families in these crucial early years from before birth all the way up to school age and beyond.
“Over and above the practical benefits the items within the Baby Box provide, the box itself also offers healthcare professionals a unique opportunity to introduce expectant parents to a wide range of health promotion information.”
