Parents back the Scottish Baby Box

August 13, 2021 9:55 pm

An independent survey commissioned by The Scottish Government has established that 97% of parents rate the Scottish Baby Box and its contents as good.

By Sunday when the scheme is four years old, 186,000 boxes will have been delivered to expectant parents. The uptake has been high at 98%.

The box which is given to all newborns in the country is intended to give every child the best start with the box as a cot for the first couple of months, and the contents intended to both save parents some expense, and also to offer advice.

The survey discovered that:

91% parents agreed that getting a baby box had saved them money on items they would otherwise have to buy
84% of parents said they had found the leaflet on safe sleeping useful
60% of parents felt the inclusion of books in the baby box had encouraged them to start reading with their baby earlier – younger, first-time and lower income parents were particularly likely to say this
66% of parents said they found the leaflet on breastfeeding useful and 68% found the leaflet on post-natal depression useful

Children’s Minister Clare Haughey said: “The Baby Box is part of our commitment to making sure that every child, no matter what their circumstances, has the best start in life. I am delighted that so many parents continue to value the box, and that they and their babies are benefitting from it and its contents.

“It is encouraging to see that the positive impacts of the Baby Box are felt right across all families, but particularly among first-time parents, younger parents and families on lower incomes.

“This evaluation really highlights the positive impact it is having on parents and their newborns – a fitting tribute on its fourth birthday.”

Jackie Tolland, from Parent Network Scotland, said: “As a parenting organisation, we were delighted to be part of the launch of the Baby Box in 2017. Since then, we have heard many stories about how helpful and very much-needed the Baby Box has been to families. We continue to promote the Baby Box and thank the Scottish Government for keeping parents in mind at the start of their parenting journey. We appreciate all the support.”