Across Scotland, more than 350,000 families have now opened a Baby Box, each one filled with essentials for newborns and a safe space to sleep, and each one marking the start of a new chapter for parents.
The Scottish Government’s universal Baby Box programme, the only scheme of its kind in the UK, has reached its eighth anniversary, with expectant parents saving around £400 thanks to the bundle of clothes, bedding, toiletries, and practical items designed for the first six months of a child’s life.
Funded with almost £8 million in 2025-26, the scheme is offered to every new parent in Scotland, with 89 per cent of families taking up the offer, around 41,000 Baby Boxes each year.
To mark the milestone, First Minister John Swinney visited Western Isles Hospital in Lewis to hand over a Baby Box to expectant mother Mairi Morrison and her partner George Waddington.
“Scotland’s Baby Box strongly signals our determination that every child, regardless of their circumstances, should get the best start in life,” he said, adding that the programme has now delivered 1,281 boxes to families in the Western Isles alone.
He said the universal offer, which remains unique in the UK, has been “hugely successful” and praised its reach into every part of the country, from the central belt to the most remote islands.
“My number one priority as First Minister is to end child poverty in Scotland,” he said, “and I am very proud of the impact that the Baby Box is making to support families across the country.”
The programme began in 2017 and was inspired by Finland’s long-running Baby Box tradition, which has been credited with improving child health and reducing infant mortality.
Each Scottish Baby Box contains over 40 carefully chosen items, from newborn clothing and blankets to a changing mat, digital thermometer, bath towel, picture books, and play items, all packed inside a sturdy box that can be used as a safe sleeping space.
For many parents, especially those living in rural and island communities where shopping options are limited, the Baby Box offers peace of mind that they have the basics covered before their baby arrives.
The Scottish Government says the scheme is about more than the physical items, it is about equality, dignity, and giving every child, no matter where they are born, the same start in life.
Eight years in, the milestone of 350,000 boxes delivered is being celebrated not just as a statistic, but as a sign of a national commitment to families that begins from the very first day.
