Breastfeeding and your business
Your legal duty
It's illegal to prevent someone from breastfeeding or bottle feeding a child in public if your business:
- is open to the public
- allows children
This does not apply to businesses that do not allow children by law. For example, betting shops and pubs whose licence does not allow children.
You can read more about the law around breastfeeding in the Breastfeeding etc. (Scotland) Act 2005 and Equality Act 2010
You could be convicted of an offence if you prevent someone from feeding a child.
Breastfeeding Friendly Scotland
Breastfeeding Friendly Scotland is a national scheme you can sign up to for free. It's backed by Scottish Government and run by local health boards.
It aims to help businesses and people who breastfeed know their rights and responsibilities.
Businesses in the scheme display an award with this logo:
The award lets people know that your business:
- is part of the scheme
- understands the law
- supports breastfeeding on the premises
Benefits to your business
Joining Breastfeeding Friendly Scotland can benefit your business because:
- people who breastfeed feel more comfortable visiting your premises and this could attract new customers
- training staff to be breastfeeding aware can improve customer service
- your health board will add you to a list of breastfeeding friendly businesses which can help increase publicity
- you'll be added to an interactive map of breastfeeding friendly businesses so people who breastfeed can find you more easily
Early learning and childcare settings
If you run an early learning or childcare business, you can also sign up for the Breastfeeding Friendly Scotland Early Learning Scheme. The scheme provides online learning for your staff that help them to:
- promote a breastfeeding friendly environment
- support families and colleagues who breastfeed
- learn more about the benefits of breastfeeding
To sign up for the Breastfeeding Friendly Scotland Early Learning Scheme, you need to:
- have a designated breastfeeding champion who's responsible for running the scheme
- have provided your staff with online training
- make sure your business normalises breastfeeding
- discuss breastfeeding, parenting and nurture within your curriculum
- include breastfeeding and returning to work within your staff policies
You can contact your NHS health board Breastfeeding Friendly Scotland lead to learn more and find out how to join the Early Learning scheme.
How to sign up to Breastfeeding Friendly Scotland
Breastfeeding friendly checklist
You need to email your local health board to sign up to Breastfeeding Friendly Scotland. To sign up, you'll need to:
- train staff about the law and what it means for them
- display your Breastfeeding Friendly Scotland award in a noticeable place (not a toilet or baby changing area)
- never ask someone to stop breastfeeding, cover up or move their seat
- support people to feel more comfortable breastfeeding their child
- deal with complaints about people breastfeeding by explaining you're part of the scheme and what the law says
Get in touch
Get in touch if you:
- have businesses in more than one health board area
- don't know who your local health board is
- have any other questions about Breastfeeding Friendly Scotland
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