Milk and healthy snack scheme for pre-school children launches

A scheme to provide milk and a healthy snack to pre-school children starts on Sunday.

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.

It 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 specified non-dairy alternative.

The Scottish Government said more than 3000 childcare settings and over 116,000 children are already signed up and more are expected to register.

It expected to give between £9m and £12m 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.”

Cosla children and young people spokesman Stephen McCabe said: “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.”