Infant (0-12 months) Safe Sleep Policy
Home Away From Home Child Care Center INC.
000814597
Effective Dec. 2015

Purpose: The Purpose of the Safe Sleep Policy is to maintain a safe sleep environment that reduces the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and sudden unexpected infant deaths (SUID) in children less than one year of age. Missouri Law (210.223.1, RSMo.) requires all licensed child care facilities that provide care for children less than one year of age to implement and maintain a written safe sleep policy in accordance with the most recent safe sleep requirements of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Missouri child care licensing rules require licensed child care facilities to provide parents and/or guardians who infants in care be provided a copy of the facility’s safe sleep policy.

Sudden infant death syndrome is the sudden death of an infant less than one year of age that cannot be explained after a thorough investigation has been conducted , including complete autopsy, an examination of the death scene, and a review of the clinical history.

Sudden unexpected infant death is the sudden and unexpected death of an infant less that one year of age in which the manner and cause of death are not immediately obvious prior to investigation. Causes of sudden unexpected infant death include, but are not limited to, metabolic disorders, hypothermia or hypothermia, neglect or homicide, poisoning, and accidental suffocation.

Child care providers can maintain safer sleep environments for infants that help lower the chances of SIDS. Our goal is to take proactive steps to reduce the risk of SIDS in child care and to work with parents to keep infants safer while they sleep. To do so, this facility will practice the following safe sleep policy:

Safe Sleep Practices

1. Infants will always be placed on their backs to sleep. When, in the opinion of the infant’s licensed health care provider, an infant requires alternative sleep positions or special sleeping arrangements, the provider must have on file at the facility written instructions, signed by the infant’s licensed health care provider, detailing the alternative sleep positions or special sleeping arrangements. Caregivers will put the infant to sleep as specified in the written instructions.
2. When infants can easily turn from their stomachs to their backs and from their back to their stomachs, they shall be initially placed on their backs, but shall be allowed to adopt whatever positions the prefer for sleep. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that infants are placed on their back to sleep, but when infants can easily turn over from their back to their stomach, they may adopt whatever position they prefer for sleep. We will follow this recommendation by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
3. Sleeping Infants shall have a supervised nap period. The caregiver shall check on the infant frequently during napping or sleeping and shall remain in close proximity to the infant in order to hear and see them if they have difficulty breathing or when they awaken.
4. Steps will be taken to keep infants from overheating by regulating the room temperature, avoiding excess bedding, and not over-dressing or over wrapping the infant. Infants should be dressed appropriately for the environment, with no more than one (1) layer than an adult would wear to be comfortable in that environment.
5. Caregivers will receive in-person or on line training on infant safe sleep based on AAP safe sleep recommendations. This training must be completed 30days of employment or volunteering and will be completed every three years.

Safe Sleep Environment

1. Room temperature will be kept at no less than 68 degrees F and no more than 85 degrees F when measured two feet from the floor. Infants are supervised to ensure they are not overheated or chilled.
2. Infants’ heads and face will not be covered during sleep. Infants’ cribs will not have blankets or bedding hanging on the sides of the crib. We may use sleep clothing such as a sleep sack or sleeper that is designed to keep an infant warm without the possible hazard of covering the head or face during sleep/nap time.
3. No blankets, loose bedding, comforters, pillows, bumper pads, or any object that can increase the risk of entrapment, suffocation or strangulation will be used in cribs, playpens or other sleep equipment.
4. Toys and stuffed animals will be removed from the crib when the infant is sleeping. When indicated on the Infant and Toddler Feeding and Care Plan or with written parent consent, pacifiers will be allowed in infants’ cribs while they sleep . The pacifier cannot have cords or attaching mechanisms including small stuffed animals.
5. Only an individually- assigned safety-approved crib, portable crib, or playpen with a firm mattress and tight fitting sheet will be used for infant napping or sleeping.
6. Only one infant may occupy a crib or playpen at one time.
7. Sitting devices such as car safety seats, strollers, swings, infant carriers, infant slings, and other sitting devices will not be used for sleep/nap time. Infants who fall asleep anywhere other than a crib, portable crib or playpen must be placed in the crib or playpen for the remainder of their sleep or nap time.
8. No person shall smoke or otherwise use tobacco products in any area of the child care facility during the period of time when children cared for under the license are present.
9. Home monitors or commercial devices marketed to reduce the risk of SIDS shall not be used in place of supervision while children are napping and sleeping.
10. All parents/guardians of infants shall be informed of the facility’s written Safe Sleep Policy at enrollment.
11. To promote healthy development, infants who are awake will be given supervised “tummy time” for exercise and for play.