Infant food insecurity - responding and preventing: guide

Following discussions in June 2023, we committed to forming a short life working group to develop emergency integrated pathways for families in Scotland with an infant that may face food insecurity and what is available locally to them in an emergency. This toolkit forms a guide for local areas.


Other Helpful Links

Cash-First - towards ending the need for food banks in Scotland: plan - gov.scot(www.gov.scot)

Ready access to emergency cash payments enables people to buy the food and other essentials that meet their needs and preferences. When emergency cash is provided alongside appropriate advice, people can be supported to ensure they are accessing all of their entitlements and helped to resolve any issues in order to prevent the crisis from happening again, for example by securing increased income from benefits. Once that immediate support is in place, appropriate referrals to wider support, including local community support, can help meet wider needs and reduce the isolation often caused by poverty. Moving towards cash-first in practice will take time, and where help to access food is still needed this should be provided in a way that maximises dignity and choice.

Cost of Living Support -Scottish Government

Child Protection Committees Scotland Campaign - its okay to ask

Getting it right for every child (GIRFEC) - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

National Breastfeeding Helpline

Safe Formula Feeding - Parent Club

Breastfeeding | Parent Club

Unicef Guidance on Supporting Families with infants under 12 months who may be experiencing Infant Food Insecurity This guidance was developed by Unicef in October 2022 to raise awareness of this issue. It has some examples of support pathways from across the UK.

Contact

Email: erin.clark@gov.scot

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