Baby Boxes Delivered

Since 2017, almost 370,000 baby boxes have been delivered to families across Scotland.

That includes 64,860 in NHS Lothian and 19,057 in NHS Forth Valley.

Every single one represents a newborn child being given a practical, dignified start in life — and parents being given real support when they need it most.

The Baby Box is a simple idea done at scale. Essentials for the first six months, worth around £429, provided to every family. No stigma. No forms. No means testing. Just universal support that says: every child matters.

And it sits alongside other support you only get in Scotland — the Scottish Child Payment, 1,140 hours of free childcare, free school meals — a wraparound approach that is making a tangible difference for families.

All of this is happening while household budgets are under sustained pressure from decisions taken at Westminster.

The Scottish Government is using every lever of devolution to build a fairer start for children. But we are also seeing the limits of those powers every day.

If we can do this much with limited powers, imagine what we could do with the full powers of independence.