SCOTLAND'S top midwife has said the roll out of the new baby box scheme must be "well evaluated" to deliver on its health potential.
Mary Ross-Davie, director for the Royal College of Midwives in Scotland, welcomed the launch of the initiative which she said could help reduce inequalities.
Ms Ross-Davie: “The Royal College of Midwives has supported the Scottish Government’s baby box initiative since it was announced early this year. We have done so because we believe it is a positive public health initiative that has the potential, through it's universalist approach, to make a contribution to the reduction of inequalities at the start of a baby’s life.
“The box provides a safe sleeping space, which we hope will reduce the incidence of babies sleeping in unsafe environments, such as on sofas or for long periods in car seats or bouncy chairs.
“The contents of the box give parents information & practical resources to support safe sleeping; talk, play and read with their baby; carry their baby using a sling and recognise if their baby has a temperature and if the baby’s room and bath are the right temperature.
“It will be important that the implementation of the baby box scheme is well evaluated to understand parents’ and professionals’ responses to the box over time and to monitor their impact on health outcomes. This evaluation might well lead to possible changes to the contents over time."
Each box is worth £160 and contains a range of practical items for newborns, such as nappies and blankets, and also doubles up as a safe sleep space for the baby.
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