Baby box scheme ‘put on hold’ by council over safety concerns

On hold: Hackney is seeking reassurances over the boxes . Photograph: Baby Box Co.

The rollout of free baby boxes in Hackney has been “placed on hold” by the council as it seeks assurances over their safety.

The Citizen revealed earlier this year that the Town Hall was set to hand out cribs made by the Baby Box Company, which are filled with products including a mattress and nappies, to new mums and dads across the borough.

The launch had been pencilled in for this autumn, but “cautionary advice” from infant death charity the Lullaby Trust, which claims “it is not possible for baby boxes to meet all current safety standards”, has led the council to hold off on the scheme.

A representative of the Baby Box Company told the Citizen that its products “exceed UK standards”, and that the firm already operates a number of free programmes through the NHS, including four in London.

Baby boxes have been popular in Finland for over 80 years.

A Hackney Council spokesperson said: “The Baby Box Company offered the boxes for free to Hackney and we were assured they met safety standards but those standards have not been specified.”

“The council has piloted approaches to baby packs and baby boxes and has worked closely with the Lullaby Trust throughout the whole project, and more recently the Baby Box Company.”

They added: “We are currently seeking assurances about appropriate safety standards being met before proceeding with a service using any boxes. We are keen to roll out good health advice to all new parents across the borough and we are reviewing the best way of doing this.”

The Lullaby Trust is focused on reducing the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), and on supporting families affected by it.

The Trust’s chief executive Francis Bates told the Guardian in August: “We support all efforts to promote safer sleep for babies. However, we do have concerns about the baby boxes being marketed as products which will reduce infant mortality and SIDS.

“We are not aware of any evidence, including in Finland, to support this claim. It is also not possible for baby boxes to meet all current safety standards, as nursery furniture regulations only apply to traditional cots, cribs and bassinets, not boxes made from cardboard.”

The Baby Box Company said it “respects the work of the Lullaby Trust, and understands its concerns given there are other companies whose products do not comply with safety standards”, but reasserted that “ours do”.

A representative confirmed the company had sent “all the necessary safety assurances” to Hackney Council.

The firm’s CEO Jennifer Clary told the Citizen: “Child safety is the reason Baby Box Company exists. Oftentimes the media misrepresents the baby box tradition as a one-stop-shop solution, equating simple provision of a bed box with improvements in maternal and child health outcomes.

“Baby boxes have been used in Finland for 80 years. Since their introduction, Finland has seen a dramatic reduction in infant mortality rates. What the success of Finland’s positive results actually demonstrates is the significance of parenting education, engaging prenatal intervention and accessible community supports.

“Every mother in Finland must visit a healthcare professional by her second trimester to receive a check-up and vital education before being eligible to claim the free Baby Box.

“Our programme is designed to pay homage to the Finnish model by providing safe-sleep baby boxes universally to expecting and new parents in communities where the local healthcare experts collaborate to develop and implement an education programme on Baby Box University.

“Baby Box University is at the heart of our operations because this secure platform enables our team and local healthcare partners to objectively monitor the efficacy of our collective contributions and alter community program designs as needed to have maximum impact on public wellness outcomes.

“Our baby boxes meet or exceed all applicable safety regulations in the territories where our company operates. This includes full compliance with the EN/UK standard for cribs and cradles BS EN 1130.”

She added: “Nothing is as important to the Baby Box Company as the safety of our customers.”

The firm said any parents in Hackney who would like a free baby box can apply through one of its four programmes in London.