SCOTLAND’S baby box scheme is helping to raise awareness among parents about sleep safety, according to early evaluation findings.
By the summer, all newborn babies in Scotland will receive the boxes, containing about 40 different essential baby items, after a pilot scheme was launched by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon on January 1. She hand-delivered them to the parents of the first babies of 2017 in the pilot areas of Clackmannanshire and Orkney.
The boxes include clothing, bedding and toys and are based on a project running in Finland since 1938 to give all children an equal start. The Scottish Government scheme will cost an estimated £6 million per year.
Parents taking part in the pilot scheme were asked for their views on the box, how they use it and its contents. One mother told researchers she had learned about the importance of using breathable blankets while other parents said they believe the box is a safe sleeping place because it comes with cellular blankets rather than fleeces, a brand new mattress, and is the size of the box, which is larger than a Moses basket but smaller than a cot.
Minister for childcare and early years Mark McDonald said she will use the feedback to address any concerns before the summer roll-out.
“It is fantastic to hear the baby box is encouraging parents to think about safe sleeping practices. We have also had consistently positive feedback about the high quality of the baby box contents. These preliminary findings are extremely promising and we will use the lessons learnt throughout the pilot period to proactively address any concerns or queries parents may have about using the box ahead of its national roll-out this summer.”
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