Every Scottish baby born from 2017 will receive boxes of ‘essential items’ to symbolise a ‘level playing field’ for all children
The Nordic-style policy will be a 'symbol of belief in a level playing field' for children born in Scotland, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced
BABIES born in Scotland will receive a care a package of essential items.
The Nordic-style policy will be rolled out from New Year's Day 2017, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced.
The policy was first announced in April and inspired by Finland's scheme with further details around the scheme announced over the weekend.
Sturgeon said: "We promised a baby box of all essential items for all newborns. It’s a policy borrowed from Finland where it’s contributed to the lowest rates of child mortality in the world.
"I’m delighted to give you an update on our plans to introduce it here. Next month we’ll launch a competition in partnership with the V&A in Dundee for the design of the box."
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She said that the scheme was to be a "symbol of belief in a level playing field" for all children.
A pilot of the program will be rolled out on New Year's Day, the First Minister announced at the Scottish National Party's conference in Glasgow.
The new information around the boxes comes as Sturgeon announced further changes to the country's childcare provisions.
Boxes have been delivered to expectant mothers in Finland for the past 80 years.
The boxes include nappies, clothes with the new babies sometimes even sleeping in the boxes themselves.
They have been credited for cutting infant mortality and supporting new mothers.
Scotland's First Minister has previously opened up over suffering a miscarriage at the age of 40.
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