Safer sleep policy | Hunnypot Corner Day

Sleeping Child Policy and Procedure

We will discuss with you in detail the sleep routines you have established for your child and how we can best accommodate them into the routines and working day of the setting. These discussions will need to be ongoing as the sleep needs of your child will change as he or she grows and develops.

As a working parent you, too, need your sleep at night so it is vital that we work in partnership with you to provide a sleep routine for your child that fits your requirements. We will need to know how many naps your child normally has, for how long and at what times during the day.

When is the latest we can let your child sleep until without it affecting their night time routine?
Do you have a routine to settle your child that you would like to share with us?
Do they have a dummy or comforter?
Where does your child prefer to sleep?

We will regularly check your child when he or she is sleeping and we do this every 10 minutes. We will record these checks and the total time slept on the famly app.

If you have any concerns over your child’s sleep routine please do discuss them with us and we can make arrangements to change times, etc if necessary/possible.

At the nursery we always follow the safer sleep guidance released by the DfE (April 2026) and the safer sleep guidance from the lullaby trust.The following information was taken from the safer sleep, Lullaby trust website. Hunnypot Corner uses this guidance when caring for children at sleep time. This can be found at https://www.lullabytrust.org.uk/

You should always place a baby on their back to sleep and not on their front or side on a firm, flat sleep mat in the feet to foot position.
Sleeping a baby on their back (known as the supine position) every night is one of the most protective actions you can take to ensure your baby is sleeping as safely as possible.
There is substantial evidence from around the world to show that sleeping your baby on their back at the beginning of every sleep or nap (day and night) significantly reduces the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

It is important to make sure that your baby is a comfortable temperature – not too hot or too cold. The chance of SIDS is higher in babies who get too hot. A room temperature of 16-20°C – with light bedding or a lightweight, well-fitting baby sleep bag– is comfortable and safe for sleeping babies. At the setting we use cellular blankets and never use pillows.
Children’s faces must never be covered when they sleep.
All babies 1 and under will be put to sleep in a cot or travel cot.
Children’s heads should never be covered. Comforts will be removed once a child is asleep so they can not cover their face with them.
Children are always within sight and hearing of staff when sleeping and children under six months of age will always have a staff member in the room with them whilst they are sleeping.
Where possible we do not wake children from their sleep under the age of 2 years old as this can be very upsetting for the child and children require a good amount of sleep to aid their development.
Children will not be accepted in to the setting asleep as part of our safer sleep and safeguarding procedures, we need to see that a child is alert and well when they are dropped in to nursery.

Use a firm, flat and waterproof mattress in good condition

We use use firm and flat mattress’s that are protected by a waterproof cover. This helps keep the mattress clean and dry, as the cover can be wiped down. Beds are cleaned regularly and all bedding is washed weekly and kept in bed bags or storage units for each individual child. Bedding is washed with baby friendly wash powder and softener.

Avoid using soft or bulky bedding:

Firmly tucked in sheets and blankets (not above shoulder height) or a baby sleep bag are safe for a babies to sleep in. Be sure to remove any soft toys from the cot before each sleep period. Sleep your baby in the feet-to-foot position and avoid using soft or bulky bedding such as quilts, pillows and duvets.