'Baby boxes are a vital way to ensure equality between all children'

MPS have joined North East Mayor Kim McGuinness in backing a call for innovative “baby boxes” to form part of the Government's strategy to tackle child poverty.

- By SAM VOLPE Health reporter

The mayor has been vocal supporter of the scheme which is the first in England of its kind.

Launched by charity The Children's Foundation back in 2023, the baby boxes are inspired by similar schemes in Scandinavia and Scotland. The aim is to provide new parents with the boxes which feature a range of items from books to changing mats designed expressly with a child’s first 1,001 days in mind.

The pilot in the North East had, as of March this year, seen more than 1,450 boxes funded by the North East Combined Authority and distributed to first-time parents receiving Universal Credit or assessed as likely to benefit by their maternity teams.

NECA has committed to expanding upon this in its own child poverty action plan. And now the charity is urging the Government to incorporate baby boxes into its plans.