‘Transformative’ baby box trial approved for Scarborough
A Nordic-inspired maternity support package will be trialled in Scarborough after plans were approved by the county’s elected mayor.
A ‘Cradle to Career’ campaign to support young people across the region and offer them the best start in life is going to be launched by David Skaith, the Mayor of York and North Yorkshire.
The £400,000 scheme would fund two pilot projects: a baby box pilot in Scarborough, based on a Finnish model, and a children’s literacy scheme in Selby.
At a meeting on Friday, September 11, members of the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority approved funding for the projects as part of a long-term ambition to give “every child and young person the opportunity to thrive, from birth through education and into the workplace”.
Speaking at the meeting, Mr Skaith said: “Far too many young people in York and North Yorkshire find that those first few days and weeks and years of their lives can be incredibly difficult, and this funding will go towards helping with that.
“The baby box in particular is a tried and tested programme which has had huge levels of success since its inception in Scotland, where parents reported the baby box saving them money on essentials that they otherwise would not have been able to afford.
“We’ve chosen to undertake the trial in Scarborough due to the highest levels of childhood poverty in the town, and we’ll closely monitor the outcomes of newborn babies in the area.”
It would be based on the flagship scheme in Finland, where the baby box has been a universal benefit since 1949 and is given to all expectant mothers provided they attend antenatal care.
The boxes in Scarborough will contain a mix of developmental toys and books, practical items such as thermometers, and information booklets for parents and carers on topics such as reading, safe sleep, and weaning.
A key feature of the scheme is that a referral for the baby box will be made by a Health Visitor at an antenatal visit, providing further engagement between parents and key public services.
Cllr Bob Webb said: “I’m really glad that we are talking about the idea of cradle to career, and if you can get it right in those early days, it makes a huge difference and can make a young person’s life much easier.”
The 12-month pilot in the Scarborough area will help parents access local services and support healthy child development.
The boxes will contain a mix of developmental toys and books, practical items such as thermometers, and information booklets for parents/carers on topics such as reading, safe sleep, and weaning. It is based on a flagship scheme that has run in Finland since the 1930s.
Mr Skaith added: “As a father of two young children, I know first-hand the joy, challenges, and anxieties that come with welcoming a new life into the world. The original Finnish Baby Box has supported families in Finland for over 80 years, and I am proud to have the opportunity to bring this successful and established initiative to the county. I hope that new families across the Scarborough area will feel the benefit of the items and resources in their boxes.”
Cllr Mark Crane, the deputy leader of North Yorkshire Council, said he backed the plans and asked how large an area of Scarborough will be included in the plan.
Cllr Webb, a cabinet member of the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority, said that “in terms of geography it will be Scarborough’s ward boundaries”.
The scheme will be allocated £165,000 for the boxes, in addition to staff resource costs.