The Nursery Milk Scheme (which is also applicable to Childminders) entitles children under five, in childcare for more than two hours per day, to receive 189ml (1/3 pint) of milk (infant formula and cow’s milk) free of charge.
The scheme reimburses childcare providers for the costs of supplying the milk and is currently delivered by the Department of Health.
Nursery Milk is being devolved to Scotland as part of the devolution of Welfare Foods through provisions in the Scotland Act 2016. In devolving the scheme to Scotland we have an opportunity to do something different; that contributes to our wider ambitions for improving children’s health and tackling health inequalities.
At this stage, the Scottish Government is asking what childcare providers think of the current Nursery Milk Scheme and for any suggestions in relation to how this could work in Scotland.
The survey is here and will run to 30 October 2017.