Scotland's wee ones are welcomed to the world with a cardboard box and a poem
LONDON -- Scotland's most wee citizens are sleeping in cardboard boxes.
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon gave expectant mothers a starter kit full of essential items for newborns, kicking off the "baby box" programme that's modelled on Finland's.
The boxes will be trialled for three months in Clackmannanshire and Orkney, and all Scottish newborns are scheduled to receive them by summer 2017.
The boxes contain items like clothes, nappies and books. The idea is to give all newborns an equal playing field.
“Scotland’s Baby Box is a strong signal of our determination that every child, regardless of their circumstances, should get the best start in life," Sturgeon said.
The box also includes a poem written by Scotland's Makar (National Poet), Jackie May. It's called "Welcome Wee One."
O ma darlin wee one At last you are here in the wurld And wi’ aa your wisdom Your een bricht as the stars, You've filled this hoose with licht, Yer trusty wee haun, your globe o' a heid, My cherished yin, my hert's ain! O my darlin wee one The hale wurld welcomes ye: The mune glowes; the hearth wairms. Let your life hae luck, health, charm, Ye are my bonny blessed bairn, My small miraculous gift. I never kent luve like this.
The final design of the box for the full launch will be by a student. The six students on the shortlist are now receiving expert feedback for their final submission, and the winning student will receive mentorship and their design on boxes from 2017 to 2019.
The box is modelled almost entirely on Finland's incredibly successful programme, which has been in place since 1938. The boxes come with a mattress and can be used as baby's first bed, something which is believed to have helped reduce Finland's infant mortality rate.
Critics of the scheme, which is being implemented by the ruling Scottish National Party, are few and far between. But opposition party Scottish Labour said the box should contain items to encourage breastfeeding, and that the omission "makes it look like a PR exercise rather than a good piece of public policy," according to Scottish Labour inequalities spokeswoman Monica Lennon.
Liza Hearon was the Deputy Editor for Mashable UK. Liza started her career in journalism writing about punk bands for a 'zine in Florida, and her wanderlust has led her to work for news organisations in Russia, Japan and now London. Prior to joining Mashable, she was the European homepage editor for the Wall Street Journal. Liza loves podcasts, karaoke and really, really spicy food.
