We are funding and working with NHSScotland to promote and support good child and maternal health, so that all children in Scotland can have the best possible start in life.
Actions
We are:
- improving maternity and neonatal care by implementing our five-year plan for those services
- offering free vitamins to all pregnant women to help ensure a healthy pregnancy and baby
- introducting a Scottish Milk and Healthy Snack Scheme to replace the existing UK Nursery Milk Scheme in Scotland
- undertaking a maternal and infant nutrition survey to see whether our policies are working
- funding free school meals for all children in primary 1 to 5 in local authority schools
- supporting delivery of a universal health visiting service to help ensure the health and wellbeing of all pre-school children
- delivering the Family Nurse Partnership programme to support first-time teenage mothers, as well as some mothers aged up to 24
- supporting delivery of the tranformed school nurse role in order to promote the health of school aged children
- setting vaccination policy in Scotland to protect our children against serious vaccine preventable diseases
- supporting parents/carers with the cost of visiting sick babies and children in NHS inpatient care through our Young Patients Family Fund
- working to improve social care support
Background
Our policies to support maternal and child health are part of Getting It Right For Every Child (GIRFEC) - our national approach to improving outcomes and supporting the wellbeing of children and young people.
In July 2021 we launched the Young Patients Family Fund (YPFF), which replaced the previous Neonatal Expenses Fund (NEF). The YPFF helps parents/carers with the cost of visiting young inpatients aged under 18.
In January 2017 we published The best start: a five-year forward plan for maternity and neonatal care in Scotland, which sets out how we will improve the services available for pregnant women and newborn babies in Scotland.
In 2011 we published Improving Maternal and Infant Nutrition: A Framework for Action which outlines the measures to be taken by organisations working with families to ensure that every parent is supported to give their baby the very best nutritional start in life.
You can find health advice for before and during pregnancy, and for babies and toddlers, on NHS Inform.
Certification of pregnancy and baby loss prior to 24 weeks
We published a leaflet and frequently asked questions (October 2023) on the Memorial Book of Pregnancy and Baby Loss Prior to 24 weeks and the application process for a record and commemorative certificate. These were developed by Scottish Government, National Records of Scotland, Royal Colleges, health professionals and baby loss charities. We hope that this will provide acknowledgment and a measure of comfort to those who have experienced a pre-24 week loss.
Bills and legislation
The Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014
Breastfeeding etc. (Scotland) Act 2005
Contact
Email: Central Enquiries Unit ceu@gov.scot
Telephone: 0300 244 4000
Post:
Improving Health and Wellbeing Division
Children and Families Directorate
Scottish Government
Area 2B (North)
Victoria Quay
Edinburgh
EH6 6QQ