Safe Sleep and Child Care Providers

Licensed child care providers must follow rules to make sure infants are safe. Safe sleep requirements for licensed child care providers:If your child care provider is a family member, friend, or neighbor, they should still take steps to protect your baby.

Ask your child care provider if they follow the requirements below:

• Approved cribs or other infant sleep equipment must meet Consumer Safety Product Commission Standards. Standards can be found at CPSC.com.
• Mattresses must be firm. Only use mattresses manufactured or recommended for the specific model of crib or other sleep equipment. Sheets must be fitted to the mattress. Sheets should not be so loose that the infant can pull on the sheet. The sheet should not be so tight that the mattress corners pull upwards.
• Soft bedding and materials that could pose a suffocation hazard are not permitted. Each infant up to twelve (12) months of age must be provided with an individual crib or futon approved for infants or other approved sleep/rest equipment meeting Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) standards.
• Infants must be placed on their back for sleeping.
• Infants who fall asleep in a car seat, infant seat, or other equipment not approved for infant safe sleep must be moved immediately to an approved sleep area and placed on their back.

Licensed child care providers may only use “wearable blanket” sleep sacks that do not swaddle. Swaddle-style sleep sacks may only be used with a doctor’s note.

Criteria for Safe Sleep Sacks that are not acceptable:

• sleep sacks that are too long or big for the infant
• sleep not used in the manner the manufacturer intended
• weighted sleep sacks
• sleep sacks or clothing that "swaddles" the infant -restricts movement of legs and arms 2.223.C.19.a
• sleep sacks that are not intended for commercial use

Swaddling infants is only allowed with a health care plan completed and signed by the child’s physician.
All sleeping infants must be physically observed at least every ten (10) minutes by the primary provider or a staff member;
Additional information can be found https://decl.my.salesforce-sites.com/families?p=safesleep

Safe Sleep Resources:

• The American Academy of Pediatrics provides tips and guidelines to practice safe sleep.
• The Safe Sleep Academy provides helpful tips for putting your baby to sleep safely, soothing fussy babies, and making your entire home a safe place for baby.
• Cribs for Kids® Partners in Colorado provide safe sleep education for parents and caregivers, and many provide portable cribs to those who qualify. Partners may have a different set of requirements for receiving portable cribs and some partners only provide safe sleep education, but not cribs, however they may know of other programs that are available in your area that can assist you.
• More information on safe sleep can be found on the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and Children’s Hospital Colorado websites.