The Health of Women and Girls: Health and Social Care Policy - Beyond the Women's Health Plan

2 Early years

Support for the earliest years is vital for the health of girls and young women across the life course, in addition to providing essential support for parents of all ages. The Population Health Framework includes short term actions on early years and child development. Work to improve health in the early years supports the ambitions of the Women’s Health Plan around early intervention, equity and holistic care.

Set out below are a range of key policy actions being carried out in relation to early years, supporting the needs of women and girls.

Health Visiting

Scotland’s universal Health Visiting service plays a vital role in supporting women’s health and wellbeing post birth. Health visitors provide tailored support to mothers, including breastfeeding support, maternal mental health screening, and connection to health and community based services to support their own health, as well as that of their child.

Health visiting: action plan 2025 to 2035 – gov.scot

Universal Health Visiting Pathway in Scotland: pre-birth to pre-school – gov.scot

School nursing

School nurses support the health and wellbeing of school-aged children through a preventative and early intervention approach. Their work spans ten priority areas, including emotional wellbeing, sexual health, substance misuse, and domestic abuse. This support is particularly impactful for girls and young women, helping to address health inequalities and improve outcomes later in life.

Pregnancy and Parenthood in Young People

Our strategy on pregnancy and parenthood in young people provides an overarching approach for young people, particularly young mothers. It aims to reduce the cycle of deprivation associated with early pregnancy and offers support during the perinatal period. This improves outcomes for young mothers through targeted, equitable support.

Family Nurse Partnership (FNP)

FNP is an intensive home visiting programme for first-time young mothers. Delivered by specially trained nurses from early pregnancy until the child turns two, they are supported across three main aims to improve maternal and birth outcomes, child development, and family economic stability.

This is an evidence based, person-centred, preventative programme, empowering young women to take control of their lives and make informed choices and sustainable change. Empowering Change – A Family Nurse’s Perspective

Young Patients Family Fund (YPFF)

YPFF provides financial support to families visiting young inpatients under 18, helping with travel, meals, and accommodation. This ensures that financial hardship does not prevent women, particularly mothers, from being present with their children or siblings during hospital stays. For new mothers whose babies require neonatal care, the fund enables them to stay close to their babies during a critical bonding period. By reducing financial barriers, YPFF promotes equity and access, supporting the Women’s Health Plan’s ambitions to improve outcomes for women through compassionate, person-centred care.

In 2024/25, Health Boards reported that the families of 7,469 young inpatients were supported through YPFF, with total payments amounting to £3,111,953