Scottish Milk and Healthy Snack Scheme

The Scottish Government’s ambition is to ensure that as many children as possible attending eligible settings can benefit from the milk and healthy snack policy, embedding the habit of regular consumption of high-quality dairy produce (or non-dairy alternative) and fruit and vegetables from an early age. The purpose of the Scheme is to support  improvement in children’s health in the earliest years, which is crucial in tackling health inequalities

Under the new Scheme, eligible settings must register with Stirling Council, providing the required information which will include a forecast of your intended provision. Stirling Council will make upfront payment(s) to enable settings to purchase the necessary produce

To participate in the new Scheme, eligible settings in Stirling must register with Stirling Council, providing the required information. Settings which do not register with the new Scheme will not receive payments.

Eligible settings are those which:

• Are registered with Care Inspectorate;
• Where pre-school children spend 2 or more hours per day;
• Have registered with their local authority to be part of the Scheme.  

At registration, settings will be asked to provide relevant information including evidence of their registration with the Care Inspectorate, bank details and forecasts which Stirling Council will use to calculate payments.

Childcare settings that are registered with the Care Inspectorate and provide care to pre-school children for 2 hours or more per day are eligible to apply to join the Scheme

Under the Scheme, a pre-school child who is attending childcare for more than 2 hours per day should receive once in the day, the following benefit:

• 189 mls of first infant formula for children under 12 months

189mls (1/3 pint) - or a 200ml container- of

• Pain fresh cow’s milk (whole milk for children 1 year and over, including the option of semi-skimmed milk for children 2 years and over)
  or, where children cannot consume cow’s milk for medical, ethical or religious reasons, plain fresh goat or sheep milk (whole milk for children 1 year and over or to include semi- skimmed milk for children 2 years)
  
  
• Where children cannot consume cow's milk, goat's milk and sheep's milk for medical, ethical or religious reasons a specified unsweetened calcium-enriched non-dairy alternative;
  and a healthy snack portion ( fruit or vegetables) per child per day
  
  
• Where children cannot consume cow's milk, goat's milk and sheep's milk for medical, ethical or religious reasons a specified unsweetened calcium-enriched non-dairy alternative;
  AND a healthy snack portion ( fruit or vegetables) per child per day.

Childcare providers should offer cow's milk to children except where children may not drink this for medical, ethical or religious reasons. In these instances, settings should offer a sheep or goats milk, or where those are not acceptable, a specified, unsweetened non-dairy alternative may be offered (details on specification will be included in the guidance). First infant formula can be provided for children up to the age of 12 months.

Funding for the Scheme will be provided by Stirling Council who will confirm the payment arrangements. Funding provided via the Scheme must be used for the specified benefit only and families should not be charged for a benefit which has been funded via the Scheme.

A childcare provider that is no longer entitled to a payment under the Scheme due to a change in circumstances must inform Stirling Council (acting on behalf of Scottish Ministers) of that change as soon as reasonably practicable.

Where there has been a significant change to the number of eligible children enrolled, or to the benefit to be provided in relation to a payment period, the childcare provider must notify Stirling Council (acting on behalf of Scottish Ministers).