Get the fundamentals of sleep right and keep children and educators safe

Early childhood educators are often put in a position where parents are, quite rightly, turning to them for advice and support.

In the early days of parenting, questions about sleep and settling are common – How much sleep should she be getting? He just won’t settle at night, do you have any ideas? She always seems so tired and I rock her for ages, but the only way she will settle is with a drive – what do you do here? 

While these questions are part and parcel of the experience of many early childhood educators, few are adequately prepared to respond. Educators are prepared for the compliance aspect of safe sleep in their training, which is backed up with in-service policies, but when it comes to some of the more abstract sleep and settling questions, many professionals feel lost about how to support the families in their care. 

“We’ve noticed that as the early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector has grown, more and more educators are entering the field with shorter time spent in training, and limited hands-on experience in complex matters like sleep and settling,” Natalie van Winckel, Education Manager at Sleep Smart said. 

“We understand the complex, pressured and challenging role that educators face, but we also understand that for many parents, these professionals are their frontline advisors, and primary sources of knowledge and advice when it comes to responding to tricky issues like sleep and settling.” 

In response the Sleep Smart team developed a course which supports teams to understand the fundamental principles behind safe sleep and settling best practice and the importance of nurturing a child’s social and emotional health.

“It’s not just about compliance,” Natalie explained. “To sleep well and minimise any distress or discomfort with regards to sleep and rest, children need to feel safe and secure.” 

In just two hours, the Safe Sleep and Settling Fundamentals Course, which is based on current evidence and research, combines the fundamentals of sleep and settling with the compliance based obligations services must meet under the Education and Care Services National Regulations. 

It provides educators with an understanding  of a child’s needs, cues and capabilities, plus step-by-step strategies for creating an emotional and physical safe sleep space, with a ‘watch at your own pace’ curriculum that educators can dip in and out of, in recognition of the dynamic and fluid nature of the work they do. 

Each online module contains easy to follow video lessons, featuring animations, real demonstrations, downloadable handouts and a short knowledge assessment.

Course modules include:

– An overview of social and emotional development in infants and toddlers and how this can impact sleep.

– Evidence-based information on how to create a safe sleeping environment.

– Guidance on Risk assessments and physical sleep checks.

– Collaboration with families and how to manage common requests related to sleep.

– Understanding individual sleep and rest needs and managing common sleep challenges.

– Managing sleep transitions including step-by-step guides to settling babies and toddlers during sleep and rest periods.

Educators have 90 days to complete the 2 hour course and receive a Certificate of Completion following successful completion of each module and the knowledge assessment.

Would you like to learn more about how Sleep Smart can support your service? Visit the website here. 

Readers of The Sector are able to access a 5% discount on the Safe Sleep and Settling Fundamentals Course by enrolling here.