by Jovita Opio, Nursery Manager, Little Lancing Day Nursery & Forest School
Safer Sleep has become a hot topic over recent months for families of young children and for nursery settings and domestic childcare providers. But what is it all about? From as long ago as the 1990s, advice has continually been developed and shared to help reduce the risks of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) in babies up to 12 months of age, and sudden unexpected death in childhood (SUDC) in children aged over 12 months.
So what are SIDS and SUDC?
SIDS is the sudden unexpected death of a baby where no underlying cause is identified. It is not common but research indicates that the risk can be increased by one or more of the following factors: Premature birth before 37 weeks, low birth weight, less than 2.5kg (5.5lbs), exposure to smoking in pregnancy and sleeping with babies or children on sofas or chairs. SUDC is the sudden unexpected death of a child where no cause is found.
Advice for parents of new babies is offered by the NHS Best Start in Life website, where suggestions for reducing these risks at home are given. Essentially, the recommendation is that the safest option is that babies under six months should sleep on their backs in a cot or moses basket in the same room as their parents, although it is acknowledged that sometimes co-sleeping will take place and the NHS offers advice on how to do so as safely as possible. They offer more information and advice about bedding, clothing and room temperatures at home.
For early years settings, there has been a move from guidance to a stricter set of regulations, developed by the Department of Education in conjunction with the Lullaby Trust. The work of the Trust has two overarching aims: to keep babies safe while sleeping and to offer ongoing support to grieving families where a sudden unexpected death has occurred.
These regulations for children under two years of age are now embedded within the Early Years Foundation Stage framework with effect from September 2026. This is a serious undertaking and provides a specific, stringent framework that must be adhered to. It outlaws unsafe sleep practices during childcare, whether at a nursery setting or a domestic-based provider.
For many nurseries and early years settings, the broad principles of safer sleep have already been best practice for some time, and they prepared for the specific requirements of the EYFS in readiness ahead of the implementation of the changes. It required reviewing current sleep practices and making adjustments as necessary.
Safer Sleep for the under two’s during childcare essentially covers four main areas: how they are put down to sleep, where they sleep, the sleep environment and monitoring/supervision. These can be summarised as follows:
• Children must be placed down to sleep on their back. Babies who are able to move from their back to their front and back again by themselves, can find their own sleeping position but should be placed down on their back to start with.
• Children must have their own separate sleep space on a clear, flat, firm surface such as a cot, bed or suitable mattress on the floor. Babies aged 12 months and under must only be placed to sleep in a cot that adheres to the relevant British Standards – this can include carrycots, moses baskets and travel cots but coracle-style floor beds are not allowed. Cots must not contain extra items such as toys, pillows, loose bedding, bumpers, wedges or straps. Sleep comforters may be used for babies and children aged over 12 months only.
• Sleep spaces must only contain a firm, flat, waterproof mattress. The child should have lightweight bedding firmly tucked in around them. Their heads must always remain uncovered and where blankets are used, they should be tucked in and the child should be placed feet-to-foot at the bottom of the cot. An acceptable alternative to bedding is a well-fitted baby sleep bag which again conforms to relevant British Standards.
• Children must always be within sight and hearing of staff when sleeping. For children over six months of age, a baby monitor may be used, provided it allows children to be seen and heard at all times. Babies under six months of age must always have an adult with them in the same room for every sleep – all children must be frequently checked when they are sleeping. Recommended temperatures for babies under 12 months while they sleep range between 16 and 20oC and staff must ensure that they are not too hot or cold, adjusting layers of bedding or clothing as judged necessary.
Other measures include children who fall asleep on walks and outings not being left in buggies or in outdoor clothing once they have returned to the nursery. Settings such as Little Lancing have developed a specific safer sleep policy shared with families and specifically referenced in Child Protection and Safeguarding policies. Regular sleep checks are completed on our nursery child management system.
Our staff have all undertaken the training offered by the Lullaby Trust and it forms part of our induction programme for new staff.Everyone involved in the care of children has their wellbeing and safety at the heart of everything they do and now these adjustments are in place, childcare providers and parents can work together to ensure that safer sleep practices continue to reduce the risks of SIDS/SUDS even further.
There is more information for families here:
The Lullaby Trust
www.lullabytrust.org.uk/baby-safety/safer-sleep-information
NHS Best Start in Life
www.nhs.uk/best-start-in-life
The Lancing College family includes its two Prep Schools located in Hove and Worthing and Little Lancing Day Nursery & Forest School which offers day care all-year round for children aged two months and over.
www.littlelancing.co.uk www.lancingcollege.co.uk
