Childcare Safe Sleep SOP Template

1.Purpose

To reduce the risk of sleep-related infant death by following widely accepted safe sleep practices for every nap and every infant, every time.

2.Scope

Applies to sleep and nap time for infants in care at the center. Sleep arrangements for toddlers and preschoolers on cots are covered by a separate procedure.

Definitions

Safe sleep environment

A crib with a firm, flat mattress with a fitted sheet and nothing else in it, following current widely accepted safe sleep guidance.

Visual sleep check

A caregiver looking directly at each sleeping infant on a set interval to confirm safe positioning and breathing.

Rolling infant

An infant developmentally able to roll from back to front and front to back on their own.

3.Responsibilities

Infant Room Teacher

Places infants on their back to sleep in a safe crib and performs scheduled visual sleep checks.

Assistant Teacher

Supports sleep checks, prepares cribs and helps maintain a distraction-free sleep area.

Center Director

Audits crib setup and sleep check documentation and keeps sleep policy training current.

Parent/Guardian

Communicates the infant's sleep needs and any medical sleep plan from their pediatrician.

RACI matrix

R = Responsible, A = Accountable, C = Consulted, I = Informed

4.Materials and PPE

Materials, tools and systems

• →Crib meeting current safety standards with a firm, flat mattress
• →Fitted crib sheet
• →Sleep check log or timer
• →Wearable infant sleep sack in place of loose blankets
• →Written medical sleep plan on file, if applicable

5.Procedure

1. 5.1

   Confirm the crib meets safe sleep standards

   Assistant Teacher

   Before each use, confirm the crib has a firm, flat mattress with a well-fitted sheet and nothing else in it, and check for any recalled or damaged equipment.

2. 5.2

   Remove all soft items from the crib

   Infant Room Teacher

   Keep the crib completely clear of blankets, pillows, bumpers, stuffed toys and positioning devices before the infant is placed down.

   Checkpoint: The crib is empty except for the fitted sheet before any infant is placed in it.

3. 5.3

   Check for a medical sleep plan

   Infant Room Teacher

   Check the infant's file for a written medical sleep plan from a pediatrician before placing them down, and follow it exactly if one is on file.

4. 5.4

   Place the infant on their back

   Infant Room Teacher

   Place every infant on their back to sleep for every nap and at night, unless a written medical exception from a pediatrician is on file.

   Warning: Always place infants on their back to sleep. Never place an infant on their stomach or side unless a documented medical exception is on file.

5. 5.5

   Dress the infant appropriately for sleep

   Infant Room Teacher

   Use a wearable sleep sack sized for the infant instead of a loose blanket, and dress the infant appropriately for room temperature rather than relying on extra bedding.

6. 5.6

   Position one infant per crib

   Infant Room Teacher

   Place only one infant per crib, keeping cribs spaced according to your facility's licensing requirements.

7. 5.7

   Keep the sleep area free of hazards

   Assistant Teacher

   Keep cords, mobiles out of reach, and any monitoring equipment mounted so it cannot fall into the crib.

8. 5.8

   Perform visual sleep checks

   Infant Room Teacher

   Check every sleeping infant visually at the interval required by your facility's policy and local licensing rules, confirming safe positioning and normal breathing.

   Checkpoint: Every infant has a documented visual sleep check completed at the required interval, with no gaps.

9. 5.9

   Document each sleep check

   Infant Room Teacher

   Record the time and outcome of each visual sleep check in the sleep log immediately after performing it.

10. 5.10

    Reposition a rolling infant safely

    Infant Room Teacher

    If an infant who can roll independently rolls onto their stomach during sleep, you do not need to reposition them onto their back, but continue to place them on their back at the start of every sleep period.

11. 5.11

    Respond immediately to a sleep emergency

    Infant Room Teacher

    If an infant is found unresponsive or not breathing normally, start your facility's emergency response immediately, including calling emergency services and beginning infant CPR if trained and needed.

    Warning: Do not delay calling emergency services while attempting to assess the infant further.

12. 5.12

    Follow local licensing rules and review the policy

    Center Director

    Follow your state or local licensing rules for safe sleep practices exactly, and review this policy with all staff whenever guidance is updated.

6.Quality checks

• →Every crib is empty of soft items before and during use.
• →Every infant is placed on their back for every sleep period, without exception documentation missing.
• →Visual sleep checks are documented at the required interval with no gaps.
• →All staff complete safe sleep training on the center's required schedule.

7.Records

• →Visual sleep check log
• →Medical sleep plan documentation on file
• →Safe sleep training completion records
• →Sleep emergency incident reports

8.KPIs

• →Percentage of sleep periods with on-time visual checks documented
• →Percentage of infants placed on their back with no missing documentation
• →Safe sleep training completion rate
• →Crib safety audit pass rate

9.Common mistakes

• →Adding a blanket to keep an infant warm instead of using a properly sized sleep sack.
• →Skipping a scheduled visual sleep check when the room is short-staffed.
• →Placing more than one infant in a crib during a busy nap time.
• →Not checking for a medical sleep plan before placing an infant down.

10.Revision history