Playcentre Aotearoa’s Sleeping Children Procedure

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008.

Licensing Criteria for Centre-based Education and Care Services 2008 (as amended January 2022):
HS9: A procedure for monitoring children’s sleep is displayed and implemented and a record of children’s sleep times is
kept.
Documentation required:
1. A procedure for monitoring children’s sleep. The procedure ensures that children;
– Do not have access to food or liquids while in bed; and
– Are checked for warmth, breathing, and general well-being at least every 5-10 minutes, or more frequently according to individual needs.
2. A record of the time each child attending the service sleeps and checks are made by adults during that time.

HS10: Furniture or items intended for children to sleep on (such as cots, beds, stretchers, or mattresses) are arranged and spaced when in use so that:

• adults have clear access to at least one side (meaning the length, not the width);
• the area surrounding each child allows sufficient air movement to minimise the risk of spreading illness; and
• children able to sit or stand can do so safely, as they wake up.

HS11: If not permanently set up, furniture or items intended for children to sleep on (such as cots, beds, stretchers, or
mattresses) and bedding is hygienically stored when not in use.

HS24: Rooms used by children are kept at a comfortable temperature no lower than 18°C (at 500mm above the floor) while children are attending.

 

Procedure
1.0 Monitoring & Recording
1.1 a) Regular physical checks (warmth, breathing and general well-being) will be made by the attending whānau member or nominated person at least every 5-10 minutes. An alarm reminder should be set if there is any chance the nominated adult may forget.
b) These will occur whether the child is in the provided bedding or in any other sleeping/resting place.
c) Children will not be given any fluids or foods while in a cot or other sleeping/resting place.
1.2 Details of every physical check of a sleeping child will be recorded in a book, digitally or on a form. Details will include;
a) Name of child
b) Start and finish time of sleep
c) Record of checks conducted during this period (time and by who)
Records to be held on site at the Centre for two years.
1.3 Procedures for monitoring sleeping tamariki will be displayed, implemented and recorded at the Centre. See Sleeping Children Procedure – Sign.
1.4 In an emergency, tamariki are to be woken up and taken to the emergency evacuation/meeting place.
2.0 Sleeping Environment
2.1 Sleeping areas will be no less than 18°C at 500mm above the floor with minimal fluctuations in temperature, minimised noise and appropriate lighting levels.
NB: Centres should ensure that the heating is turned on (if required) before tamariki arrive for the day to give time for the room/s used by them to heat up to required temperature.
2.2 Whānau will be provided with options to sleep their child in a cot/bed/stretcher or mattress (‘bed’).
a) Centres will have one ‘bed’ for every five (or part thereof) under two year old children attending on each session available for use.
b) Centres will have a safe and comfortable place to sleep (‘bed’) available for children aged
two and over to sleep or rest during a session.
c) Any ‘beds’ provided must be kept in a hygienic condition, good repair and free of hazards.
2.3 Centres will ensure that furniture or items intended for tamariki to sleep on (such as cots, beds, stretchers or mattresses) are arranged and spaced when in use so that:
a) Adults have clear access to at least one side (length not the width).
b) The area surrounding each child allows sufficient air movement to minimise the risk of spreading illness.
c) Tamariki able to sit or stand can do so safely as they wake. This means that where there are bunks or stacked beds, children who are able to stand will only use the bottom bed.
d) These are of a size that allows children using them to lie flat and are of a design to ensure their safety.
3.0 Sleeping Surfaces
3.1 Mattresses must have a non-porous, waterproof cover that is smooth and easily cleaned and disinfected and will not present a suffocation hazard to tamariki.
3.2

a) Individual bedding can be provided either by the Centre or whanau.
b) Bedding provided must be sufficient to keep the tamariki warm.
c) All bedding will be removed between use and laundered following the Laundering Procedure.
d) If bedding is to be used for the same child over the course of a week it will be labelled with the tamariki name or placed in a labelled clean bag.
e) Centres need to ensure there is adequate hygienic storage for this purpose such as wall hooks for linen bags. A cupboard or area which tamariki cannot access, is recommended.

Ensure that storage
i. does not create hazards to tamariki but is easily accessible to adults.
ii. is not in the toilet or nappy changing area.
3.3 Ensure when not in use of if not permanently set up, bedding, furniture or items intended for children to sleep on are hygienically stored.
4.0 Other Sleep Areas
4.1 Due to the ECE regulations and the risk of young tamariki suffering harm or death, whānau are not permitted to sleep their infants:
a) in car capsules; or
b) on uneven sleeping surfaces.
Please note this is not an exhaustive list of places infants cannot sleep at Playcentre.
4.2 There may be instances where whānau make the choice not to use the provided sleeping space when they are present with their tamariki. When whānau choose to use a sling or baby carrier:
– tamariki may only sleep in slings worn or carriers attached to their whānau member or
delegate
– slings and baby carriers must comply to specified requirements
– manufacturer’s instructions must be complied with
– tamariki must be positioned in a way that allows for the child’s face to be visible, chin up,
nose and mouth free, spine is straight
– whānau wearing slings must remain available to supervise other tamariki, where their presence is part of the adult ratio.
– Sleep monitoring and recording still apply when these alternative sleep places are selected

GUIDELINES
The following guidelines are a reference from Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Services 2008 (as amended 1 January 2022)
1. The space between sleep furniture/items needs to allow adults to:
a) easily check on tamariki,
b) ensure they are not too hot or cold,
c) check their breathing
d) move between them quickly in an emergency.
e) allow space within the sleep room for door opening and adult supervision (e.g. an armchair for an adult).
2. If multi-level cots are used:
Centres must ensure that tamariki who sit or stand when they wake have room to do so. Tamariki who can pull themselves to a standing position should not be placed in the top cot for safety reasons.
a) Centres should consider the age of the tamariki attending the Centre and ensure there are sufficient low-level cots for them to move into as they grow.
b) Further information around multi-level cots is given in PF29 Design of Sleep Provisions.
3. Furniture, such as cots, beds, stretchers or mattresses and bedding used periodically needs to be hygienically stored when not in use in order to prevent cross-infection.
4. Spraying and wiping cots, beds and mattresses with a suitable cleaning agent is needed before storage.
5. Linen must be removed from the mattresses and not stacked in between mattresses.