At Tender Loving Daycare, we believe that children need to experience a healthy amount of sleep (between 12-14 hours daily) for optimal development. According to the World Health Organization (2019), “Over the course of a day, a combination of more physical activity, less sedentary screen time and longer sleep duration results in the greatest health benefits.” Our program philosophy has embraced these findings and strives to support the health and well-being of the children in our care. Following CCEYA (2014), we have created a comprehensive sleep supervision policy with procedures that will be shared with parents in our handbook, which is available online or in hard copy.

 

 

Sleep Policy

 Tender Loving Daycare will provide a rest/sleep period of no longer than two hours and no less than one hour and will monitor children during the rest period. During your child’s childcare day, they are engaging in moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity and minimal sedentary time, unlike their weekend schedules. They are engaging with up to eighteen other people socializing and navigating learning social skills. (Think of how tired you get while hosting your child’s birthday party) Each child is an individual, and we will consider their needs during this time. Monitoring sleeping children reduces the risk of harm/injury because caregivers can look for signs of distress (I.e., change in skin colour, change in breathing, signs of overheating) or unusual behaviours and react as required. Our rest time will be made a calm and peaceful experience. The curtains will be drawn, restful music will be played, and the staff will support children during this time in a relaxing way. (I.e., rubbing of backs, sitting beside them for comfort)

For the infants in our care, we will sleep in a manner consistent with the recommendations set out in the document entitled, Joint Statement on Safe Sleep: Preventing Sudden Infant Deaths in Canada, published by the Public Health Agency of Canada, as amended from time to time, unless the child’s physician recommends otherwise in writing. The current recommendation in the Joint Statement is that children younger than 12 months of age be placed on their backs for sleep. It also states that once infants can roll from their backs to their stomachs or sides, those looking after them don’t need to put them on their back even if they started that nap/sleep time on their back. For children 0-12 months of age, the Joint Statement (page 4) sets out the following additional principles of safe sleep:

• Other than a firm mattress and a fitted sheet, there should not be any extra items such as pillows, duvets, blankets and bumper pads in the crib, cradle or bassinet to reduce the risk of suffocation.

• Infants are safest when placed to sleep in fitted one-piece sleepwear that is comfortable at room temperature to reduce the risk of overheating and minimize the use of blankets. If a blanket is used, only a thin blanket of breathable fabric should be used.

• Strollers, swings, bouncers and car seats are not intended for infant sleep. An infant’s head, when sleeping in a seated position, can fall forward and cause their airway to become constricted. Once an infant falls asleep, the child should be moved as soon as possible or as soon as the destination is reached to the sleep equipment required under the regulation.