350,000 Baby Boxes delivered

Over 350,000 Baby Boxes packed with essential items for newborns have been delivered across Scotland, saving expectant parents around £400 and giving children the best start in life.

The Scottish Government’s universal Baby Box programme, the only one of its kind in the UK, is offered to all parents of newborn babies. Backed by almost £8 million funding in 2025-26, the Baby Box helps to ensure that every family has access to items needed in the first six months of a child’s life, as well as a safe space to sleep.

Marking the eight-year anniversary of the programme, First Minister John Swinney will meet expectant mother Mairi Morrison and her partner George Waddington at Western Isles Hospital in Lewis to deliver their Baby Box.

The First Minister said:

“Scotland’s Baby Box strongly signals our determination that every child, regardless of their circumstances, should get the best start in life. 

“The programme is supporting families right across the length and bread of Scotland, including here in the Western Isles where 1,281 boxes have been delivered to date.

“It is clear that this universal offer, a UK first, has been hugely successful with 89% of all parents with newborn babies registering for a box – benefiting around 41,000 families annually.

“My number one priority as First Minister is to end child poverty in Scotland – and I am very proud of the impact that the baby box is making to support families across the country.”

Background

The Scottish Government’s universal Baby Box programme opened for registration on 15 June 2017 with Boxes being delivered in August 2017.  Since the start of the programme, 350,000 Baby Boxes have been delivered across Scotland with 1,281 Baby Boxes being delivered to families in NHS Western Isles. 

The Baby Box includes items which support breastfeeding, such as breast pads and a leaflet with top tips on breastfeeding and how to access support.  Among other items the Baby Box contains 2 baby books, a carrier sling, underarm thermometer, bath & room thermometer, play mat, around 15 items of clothes for age 0 – 6 months, a changing mat, a redeemable voucher for a reusable nappy and liners and many other useful items for mother and baby.

The 2025-26 Programme for Government includes a commitment to enhance the contents of the Baby Box by March 2026, building on feedback from parents and frontline practitioners working with families, which will strengthen support for early child development and to mitigate the impact of poverty on babies. 

350,000 Bogsaichean Bèibidh air an lìbhrigeadh

Ochd bliadhna de thaic uile-choitcheann do theaghlaichean.

Thathar air còrr is 350,000 Bogsa Bèibidh a lìbhrigeadh air feadh na h-Alba, ’s iad làn nithean a tha riatanach do leanabhan ùra. Tha seo air mu £400 a shàbhaladh do phàrantan a bha an dùil ri leanabh, ’s e a’ toirt do chloinn toiseach-tòiseachaidh cho math ’s a ghabhas nam beatha.

Thèid prògram uile-choitcheann nam Bogsaichean Bèibidh le Riaghaltas na h-Alba – prògram a sheasas leis fhèin san Rìoghachd Aonaichte – a thabhann do gach pàrant aig a bheil leanabh ùr. Le taic-airgid de faisg air £8 millean ann an 2025-26, tha am Bogsa Bèibidh na chuideachadh le bhith a’ gealltainn cothrom do gach teaghlach air nithean a tha a dhìth anns na ciad sia mìosan de bheatha a’ phàiste, agus air àite-cadail sàbhailte.

Airson an ochdamh bliadhna dhen phrògram a chomharrachadh, bidh am Prìomh Mhinistear Iain Swinney a’ coinneachadh ri Mgr agus a’ Bh-ph Caimbeul, ’s iad an dùil ris a’ chiad leanabh aca san Dàmhair, aig Ospadal nan Eilean Siar ann an Leòdhas airson am Bogsa Bèibidh acasan a lìbhrigeadh.

Thuirt am Prìomh Mhinistear:

“Tha Bogsa Bèibidh na h-Alba na chomharra soilleir dhen dealas a th’ againn gum faigh gach pàiste toiseach-tòiseachaidh cho math ’s a ghabhas na bheatha, ge b’ e dè seòrsa suidheachadh anns a bheil e.

“Tha am prògram a’ toirt taic do theaghlaichean ann an àitichean fad is farsaing ann an Alba, nam measg an seo anns na h-Eileanan an Iar far a bheilear air 1,281 bogsa a lìbhrigeadh gu ruige seo.

“Tha e soilleir gu bheil an solar uile-choitcheann seo nach deach fheuchainn a-riamh san Rìoghachd Aonaichte air a bhith air leth soirbheachail, ’s 89% de na th’ ann de phàrantan le leanabhan ùra gan clàradh fhèin airson bogsa fhaighinn. Tha seo na bhuannachd do mu 41,000 teaghlach sa bhliadhna.

“’S e am prìomhachas as àirde a th’ agam mar Phrìomh Mhinistear gun tèid cur às do bhochdainn cloinne ann an Alba – agus tha mi gu math pròiseil às a’ bhuaidh a th’ aig a’ bhogsa bèibidh ann a bhith a’ toirt taic do theaghlaichean air feadh na dùthcha.”

Cùl-fhiosrachadh

’S ann air a’ 15mh latha dhen Ògmhios 2017 a dh’fhosgail siostam-clàraidh prògram uile-choitcheann nam Bogsaichean Bèibidh le Riaghaltas na h-Alba, ’s Bogsaichean gan lìbhrigeadh san Lùnastal 2017. Bho thòisich am prògram, thathar air 350,000 Bogsa Bèibidh a lìbhrigeadh thar Alba, ’s 1,281 Bogsa Bèibidh air an lìbhrigeadh do theaghlaichean ann an sgìre NHS nan Eilean Siar.

Tha nithean rim faighinn anns a’ Bhogsa Bèibidh a tha feumail aig àm beathachadh-broillich, leithid padaichean-broillich agus bileag le sàr-mholaidhean a thaobh beathachadh-broillich agus mar a gheibhear taic leis. Am measg nithean eile, gheibhear anns a’ Bhogsa Bèibidh dà leabhar-leinibh, stuth-aodaich leis an tèid leanabh a ghiùlan, teas-mheidh a chuirear fon achlais, teas-mheidh airson an amair agus an t-seòmair, brat-cluiche, mu 15 pìosan aodaich do dh’aois 0 gu 6 mìosan, brat airson badain atharrachadh, eàrlas leis am faighear badan ath-chleachdaidh agus na duilleagan a ghlacas salachar a’ phàiste, agus tòrr nithean eile a bhios feumail dhan mhàthair agus dhan leanabh.

Tha gealltanas an lùib Prògram an Riaghaltais 2025-26 gun tig piseach air na tha am broinn a’ Bhogsa Bèibidh ron Mhàrt 2026, mar fhreagairt air molaidhean a fhuaras bho phàrantan agus luchd-obrach duine ri duine a dh’obraicheas còmhla ri teaghlaichean. Mar seo, thèid an taic a neartachadh a gheibh clann a thaobh an cuid leasachaidh anns na tràth-bhliadhnaichean, agus thèid a’ bhuaidh a lasachadh a bheir bochdainn orra.