Plans to hand out 100 baby boxes to parents in Brighton and Hove
Bosses are looking to tackle a rise in rates of infant mortality
Last updated 16th Dec 2024
A proposal to help up to 100 new parents a year in Brighton and Hove with a “baby box” is due to be put before councillors in the coming week.
Labour councillor Bruno De Oliveira hopes that it could help tackle increasing infant mortality rates which he said were three times higher in the poorest areas, with black newborns most at risk.
Councillor De Oliveira, who chairs the council’s Health and Wellbeing Board, said that the baby boxes would contain essentials including clothes, bedding and personal care products.
He plans to propose a motion on the subject at a meeting of Brighton and Hove City Council on Thursday (December 19th).
Councillor De Oliveira wants the council to work with community groups to create up to 100 boxes a year for a pilot programme.
He said: “By launching a council-led pilot programme to distribute up to 100 baby boxes annually in our most deprived postcodes, we can have a starting point to make a tangible difference.
“We will work with health professionals and community organisations to deliver these resources effectively.
“And we will collect data—not just to measure success but to advocate for broader, national implementation.
“This is not just a gesture of goodwill, it’s a declaration of our values. It’s a stand against health inequality. It’s an investment in the future of our communities.
“Imagine a city where every child, regardless of their postcode, starts life with dignity, safety and hope. Now, let us enable it.”
The full council meeting is due to start at 4.30pm on Thursday (19 December) at Hove Town Hall. The meeting is scheduled to be webcast.
According to the council’s website: “A total of 2,099 live births (32 births per 1,000 women aged 15 to 44 years) were recorded in Brighton and Hove in 2022.
“This is lower than England (52 per 1,000) and the south east (52 per 1,000) and is the lowest of all upper-tier local authorities in England.
“The number of births is decreasing. The number of births in Brighton and Hove has fallen by 29 per cent since 2013, from 2,967.”