Ticking all the right boxes

Research into parents' views on the Scotland’s Baby Box shows 100% are either satisfied or very satisfied with the overall quality of the contents.

Ninety-nine per cent of parents are also either satisfied or very satisfied with the range of items, the design of the box and delivery arrangements.

Other key findings show:

• Contents were all very highly rated - most popular items were the bathroom/room thermometer (32% said it was most useful item), ear thermometer (22%) and sling (15%)
• When asked spontaneously what was missing most parents (69%) could not think of any suggestions. The most common request (made by 10%) was for new-born nappies to be included
• The most popular idea for inclusion when prompted was a second sheet for the mattress (67% said this would be very or quite useful)
• The majority of parents (62%) had used or planned to use the box as a bed. The main reason given for not using the box as a sleeping space was that parents had  already purchased an alternative or received one as a gift (86%)
• Most parents had read all of the information included. The two most popular inclusions were a poem for your wee one (97% said they had read or planned to read) and information on safe sleeping (93%).

During a visit to Moo Music in Balloch near Inverness, Minister for Childcare and Early Years Maree Todd said:

“It’s great to hear how positive parents are about the Baby Box and also find out first-hand what else we can do to make next year’s roll-out even more successful in supporting parents during those crucial early months.

“The Baby Box is part of a range of measures to ensure that every baby born in Scotland is given the best possible start in life. It will help tackle deprivation, improve health and support families, and we’re proud it has already become an important and exciting part of the journey to parenthood in Scotland. That is why our recent draft budget outlined significant investment in the early years to continue to deliver this box of essential items and our wider package of support for parents.

“It is particularly welcome that the most popular items in the box are the ones which are most useful for baby wellbeing but are often the most costly to purchase. I am glad that new parents are already seeing the health benefits the contents of the box provide with many commenting they were pleased with the range of high quality items they wouldn’t have thought to buy.

“I am also pleased to see that the majority of parents are using the box as a safe sleeping space and that the main reason for not doing so is because they already had an alternative. We want all parents to make the choice that is right for them when choosing where their baby sleeps but I hope that as more parents know to expect the box they will no longer need to buy an alternative in advance.”

More information about the research can be found in Scotland's Baby Box - parents' view on contents.