Rest and Sleep Policy

Rationale:

We strongly believe in the importance of children’s rest times for brain activity, healthy growth and development. Rest time allows children to have an opportunity to rest in preparation for afternoon activities. The service works with parents regarding their child’s needs and is aware of different values and cultural beliefs.

We have a duty of care to ensure that all children are provided with a high level of safety when resting or sleeping while in care. Our policy is based on the recommendations of Red Nose QLD (formerly known as Sids & Kids).

If parent’s beliefs conflict with these recommendations, written advice will be required from a registered medical practitioner/natural therapist due to medical conditions.

In meeting the service’s duty of care, it is a requirement that management and staff implement and adhere to the service’s Rest and Sleep Policy.

We are responsible for the children’s health and well-being. Children have different sleep patterns and needs. If a child falls asleep, it’s the child’s body needing to recover and rest. We will wake them after 40 – 45mins, if the Family has requested the Educator wakes the child.

The service defines ‘rest’ as a period of inactivity, solitude, calmness or tranquillity, and can include a child being in a state of sleep.

Aim:

To provide a high level of safety for all children and ensuring the environment is nurturing and calm for rest and sleep times.To ensure that rest and sleep times are a positive experience for all the children.

Procedures:

The primary safe resting and sleeping practices for Babies (Birth – 24 months) are:

All babies will be placed on their back to rest when first being settled. If a child is not to be placed on their back due to a medical condition, then this is to be in writing from a registered medical practitioner/natural therapist due to medical condition.
If an older baby turns onto their side or stomach during sleep, then allow them to find their own sleeping position.
Babies must not sleep in a rocker, bouncer, swing or beanbag, pillows and cushions. If they fall asleep in these pieces of equipment, transfer them into a cot.
At no time will babies have their face covered.
Babies will be placed with their feet positioned to the bottom end of the cot to stop them from wriggling down under the bed linen.
Quilts, duvets and pillows will not be used as bed linen.
Soft toys are not placed in the sleeping environment of an infant. Soft objects in the cot can be a suffocation risk. If a parent is adamant their child needs to have a soft toy during sleep in their cot, the educators will take the soft toy out after the child is asleep.
Necklaces and the Amber Teething beads need to be removed before rest or sleep.
Children’s rest environments are free from cigarette or tobacco smoke (see Tobacco Policy)
Sleeping bags with a fitted neck and arm holes can be used as an alternative option to bed linen. No hoods.
The rest environment, equipment and materials will be safe and free from hazards.
Educators monitor resting children at regular intervals of 10 minutes in hearing and visual range and supervise the rest environment.
If being used, dummy should be offered for all sleep periods. As recommended by red nose dummy use should be phased out by the end of the first year of a baby’s life. If a dummy falls out of a baby’s mouth during sleep, it should not be re-inserted.

* (SUDI) Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy and (SIDS) Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy (SUDI) is a term used to describe the sudden and unexpected death of a baby. SUDI may be the result of a serious illness or a problem that baby may have been born with, but most SUDI deaths occur as a result of either SIDS or a fatal sleep accident.

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the unexplained death, usually during sleep, of a seemingly healthy baby less than a year old. SIDS is sometimes known as crib death because the infants often die in their cribs.

Toddlers (18months – 3 years)

Toddlers are to be placed on their backs to rest, unless otherwise directed in writing by the child’s medical practitioner/natural therapist due to medical condition.
If a toddler turns onto their side or stomach during sleep, then allow them to find their own sleeping position.
Necklaces and the Amber Teething beads need to be removed before rest or sleep.
At no time will toddlers have their face covered.
Light bedding will be used.
Sleeping bags with a fitted neck and arm holes may be used and encourage toddlers to rest on their back.
Toddlers are not to sleep on beanbags, pillows and cushions if they fall asleep on these items they are to be moved onto a bed.
If being used, dummy should be offered for all sleep periods. Dummy use should be phased out by the end of the first year of a baby’s life. If a dummy falls out of a baby’s mouth during sleep, it should not be re-inserted.

Older Children (3 years and over)

At no time will a child have their face covered while resting.
Light bedding is preferred.
Quiet activities will be provided to children after a 40minute rest period.

An unwell child:

A child will be placed on their back to rest when displaying signs of being unwell. If a child turns to their side or stomach during their sleep, then allow them to find their own sleeping position. (consider the age of the child and the nature of the illness) They will be constantly supervised no matter what age until they are picked up by their parent or guardian.
All children will rest with their face uncovered.

Supervision of resting children:

All children resting will be supervised by educators.
Students/volunteers will not be left unsupervised when settling children for a rest.
All children who have fallen asleep in the service will be monitored regularly.
Supervision ratios are in line with the services’ licensing regulations.

Resting children of any age will be checked every 10 – 15 minutes by educators as well as assessing the following:

positioning of each child in their cot/or bedding
each child’s breathing rate. If a child is not breathing, then staff are to commence CPR and call 000. (follow First Aid procedure)
the arrangement of bed linen - uncover a child’s face if it’s covered.
the environment – monitor temperature, security of the cots (sides are up or locked) location of heaters etc.

Techniques and strategies are varied for settling children before or during a rest period. These may reflect;

individual needs of a child or group of children
parenting beliefs and values of families
cultural and religious practices
frequency of days a child attends care
circumstances/events happening at home
consistency of practice between home and care
child’s general health and well-being
use of comforters, resting aids (dummies, security blankets)

The general best practices standards considered when settling resting children by educators are:

meet the needs of the children
maintain health and safety practices
minimise any distress or discomfort
acknowledge children’s emotions, feelings and fears
understand that young children (especially from 0 – 3 years) settle confidently when they have formed bonds with familiar educators

Sleep & Rest Environment:

Safety checks are conducted in the rooms and any hazards are noted on a maintenance record for fixing. Hazard is immediately rectified.
Cords, leads etc. are tied away from children’s reach to prevent chocking.
No hot water bottles, electrical blankets, heated wheat bags in children’s cots/bedding.

Cots:

All cots and mattresses meet the Australian Standards. (Babyhood Australia brand) Cots that are not labelled with the Australian label will not be used.
All cots are placed at a safe distance from heaters/ electrical appliances or cords.
educators will not add any extra mattress or padding under or over the manufacturer’s cot mattress.
educators will look for any hazards and report them. Maintenance record filled out and hazard rectified. (loose or broken parts, missing or loose knobs, screws, sharp catches, peeling/cracking paint or splintered wood and any design flaw that reduces the safety of the cot.
educators are to ensure none of the older babies can climb over the sides of the cot.

Port-a-cots:

All port-a-cots and port-a-cot mattresses are of Australian Standard. Only supplied port-a-cot mattresses will be used.
All port-a-cots are placed at a safe distance from heaters/ electrical appliances or cords.
educators will not add any extra mattress or padding under or over the manufacturer’s port-a-cot mattress.
educators will look for any hazards and report them. Maintenance record filled out and hazard rectified.
educators are to ensure none of the older babies can climb over the sides of the port-a-cot.

Mattresses:

All mattresses are to be in good condition, clean, firm, flat and must fit the cot base/port-a-cot base with no more than a 25mm gap between the sides of the cot or port-a-cot base.
educators will look for any hazards and report them. Maintenance record filled out and hazard rectified.

Bedding (older children):

Durable vinyl covered foam mats (bed mats).

Hygiene Practices:

Babies’ cots and mattresses are cleaned after every child on their last day of the week. Milton’s liquid is sprayed onto the mattresses and scrubbed dry. The linen is supplied by the Kindy and is washed and cleaned after the child’s last day. The mattresses are flipped every time they are cleaned.
Portable mesh beds are cleaned every day after use, by using Diversey Taskforce/warm soapy water. If bodily fluids are involved, then Oxivir Five 16/warm soapy water followed by Diversey J512 is used. Children bring their own bed linen which is taken home to be laundered after the child’s last day. (Ume, Bara, Kiku)
Bed mats are cleaned every day after use, by using Diversey Taskforce/warm soapy water. If bodily fluids are involved, then Oxivir Five 16 is used to clean and then Diversey J512. Children’s bedding is taken home at the end of every day they attend the Kindy. (Yuri, Sumire, Satsuki)
Any strollers used will be cleaned with warm soapy water and left out to dry in the sun after each use.

Rest Environment:

Each room uses various techniques for resting and sleeping children. The environment is calming, soothing and relaxing for the children’s health and well-being. Educators may use music or language to assist in this calm and relaxed environment.

Rest and Sleep times of the day:

Babies room have flexible rest and sleep times.
Toddlers and older children have scheduled rest and sleep times, after their lunch.
Older children are offered quiet activities after a rest period of 40 – 45mins. Quiet reading, drawing, puzzles or activity bags are offered.
Sumire and Satsuki children have quiet activities after a rest period of 40-45mins. This may be the use of I-pads with educational games, quiet reading, drawing, puzzles or activity bags.

Sleepwear:

Educators continually assess the temperature of the rest environment and address the children’s clothing needs.
Sleeping bags must meet the Australian Standards (e.g. sleep bags)
Educators are to ensure children are not wearing corded hoods on jackets or other such clothing in accordance with the child’s age, the temperature of the environment, the linen being used and the child’s individual needs.

Communication:

Children

The children are aware of rest and sleeping times through their routines and transitions during the day. The environment is set up for their comfort and relaxation. Children may help with this part of the day and the making of their own beds.

Families

The Rest and Sleep Policy is available to parents in the Service’s Policy and Procedures folder found in the foyer. They are also given a Parent Handbook when they start at the kindy.
Red Nose Sleeping Practices, posters and information are visible throughout the service.

 Newsletters, notices and our website may periodical remind parents and families about our Rest and Sleep Policy.

Parents/Authorised Persons will receive a photo/s with a brief description about their child/ren’s day via the Xplor App.
Daily Communication such as food intake, toileting and rest information will be sent to Parents/Authorised Persons via the Xplor App.
Educators encourage parents/families to participate in developing policies through newsletters, notices and surveys.

Staff/Educators/co-educators:

All educators are familiar with the Ed, & Care National Laws & Regulations and the Service’s Policies and Procedures.
Educators communicate children’s sleep requirements by room notices or verbally.
Educators are all qualified and up to date in First Aid.

If a family’s belief and requests are in conflict with current recommended evidence-based guidelines, the service will need to determine if there are exceptional circumstances that allow for alternate practices. For example, with some rare medical conditions, it may be necessary for a baby to sleep on his or her stomach or side, which is contrary to Red Nose recommendations. It is expected that in this scenario the service would only indorse the practice, with the written support of the baby’s medical practitioner. The service may also consider undertaking a risk assessment and implementing risk minimisation plans for the baby.

In other circumstances, Nominated Supervisor and educators would not be expected to endorse practices requested by a family, if they differ with Red Nose recommendations. For example, a parent may request the service wrap or swaddle their baby while they are sleeping. However, according to red nose recommendations, this practice should be discontinued when a baby starts showing signs that they can begin to roll (usually around four to six months of age, but sometimes earlier). Nominated Supervisor and educators should be confident to refer to the service’s Sleep and Rest Policies and Procedures if parents make requests that are contrary to the safety of the child. Child safety should always be the first priority.

Link to NQF: Quality Area 2 Children’s health and safety

Standard 2.1 Each child’s health and physical activity is supported and promoted.

Element 2.1.1 Each child’s wellbeing and comfort is provided for, including appropriate

opportunities to meet each child’s need for sleep, rest and relaxation.

Element 2.2.1 At all times, reasonable precautions and adequate supervision ensure children are protected from harm and hazard.

Quality Area 3 Physical environment

Standard 3.1 The design of the facilities is appropriate for the operation of a service.

Element 3.1.2 Premises, furniture and equipment are safe, clean and well maintained.

Source: Red Nose 2019, ACECQA, Ed. & Care National Law & Regulations

Form Reviewed: December 2020