Split over free-for-all baby boxes
PARENTS are split over who should receive free baby boxes for their newborns.
A total of 160 boxes were given out during a three-month pilot project in Clackmannanshire and Orkney.
A report on the trial found parents had different views on whether the boxes should be given out universally or limited to first-time parents or those on low incomes.
The kit contains 40 items in a cardboard box that babies can sleep in.
Minister for Childcare and Early Years Mark McDonald said: “The research showed that the idea of the box was widely welcomed, although there were differing views on whether it should be targeted at specific groups.”
A nationwide roll-out of the boxes starts on August 15. The aim of the kit is to reduce inequalities, provide advice on safe sleeping for babies and help parents bond with their infants.