Scotland’s baby box deliveries get under way

New parents across Scotland will this week start to receive a box full of essential items aimed at giving their child “the best possible start in life”.

Delivery of the baby boxes, containing items such as clothes, books and blankets, will begin today.

The national roll-out follows pilot projects in Orkney and Clackmannanshire.

The boxes can also be used as cribs. New parents are being urged to consider safe sleeping practices for their newborns ahead of the launch.

Chief Medical Officer Dr Catherine Calderwood said: “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 zero-three 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.”