A SCOTTISH Government scheme providing free milk and a healthy snack to pre-school children launches today.
All pre-school children who spend two or more hours a day in a nursery or other eligible childcare setting registered with the scheme are entitled to milk and a snack of either fruit or vegetables.
The initiative replaces the UK Nursery Milk Scheme, adding on the provision of a healthy snack.
Cows’s milk will be offered as standard but children who cannot drink it for medical, ethical or religious reasons will be offered a non-dairy alternative.
READ MORE: University of the West of Scotland dairy project could raise £60m a year
According to the Scottish Government more than 3000 childcare settings and over 116,000 children are already signed up, with more are expected to register.
It expected to give between £9 million and £12 million to local authorities to administer the scheme in the first year, depending on uptake.
Registered childcare providers will receive up-front payments through their council.
Children’s Minister Clare Haughey said: “We know that diet impacts on children’s health and their ability to learn.
“This scheme not only provides eligible pre-school children in Scotland with access to excellent sources of nutrition but we hope it will set up healthy eating habits for life.”
She added: “With this expanded and improved offer, the Scottish Government has gone further than the UK scheme.
“Working in partnership with Cosla and other key partners, we are investing in children’s outcomes, providing increased money up-front, and offering a wider range of healthy produce while supporting our vital Scottish food and drink sector.”
READ MORE: Empty supermarket shelves prove it's time for a food revolution in Scotland
Cosla children and young people spokesman Stephen McCabe added: “The provision of milk and healthy snacks to children is an important part of ensuring that they can get the best from their learning and contributes to their overall health and wellbeing.
“The scheme will provide for children at a crucial stage in their development and we have worked in partnership to ensure that as many children as possible benefit.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel