Sturgeon to visit toddler caring project

SCOTLAND'S health secretary is to meet the first babies born into a US-inspired scheme to help young mothers.

Nicola Sturgeon will visit the Family Nurse Partnership Programme in Craigmillar to see the project in action.

It is understood it could be expanded across the rest of the Lothians and Scotland if it continues to be a success.

The idea of the programme is to provide intensive support to first-time parents in their teens and stick with them for the first two years of their child's life.

Nurses offer help with breast-feeding, parenting skills and dietary information, as well as helping the parents with education and employment opportunities.

Ms Sturgeon said: "I know from speaking to the parents involved that they are forming really strong bonds with the nurses from the projects, which is giving them the support and help they need to make the right choices for their children."