Prevention of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and Safe Sleep Practice Requirements

Licensed child care facilities that care for children ages 0 to 2 years old must follow all safe sleep requirements at all times. Talk with your child care provider regarding the importance of maintaining safe sleep practices for your child. Child Care provider safe sleep requirements include:

• Infant must be placed in an approved crib, on his or her back, to sleep.
• Infants must be supervised and physically checked frequently while sleeping.
• Infants must be placed to sleep in an approved crib (centers and family child care homes) or pack and play (family child care homes only) with a clean, firm, snug-fitting mattress which is manufactured for the specific equipment being used. The equipment must be safe, sturdy, and free from hazards. Drop side cribs are prohibited.
• The sleep equipment must have a fitted sheet. The sheet must not be so tight that the corners of the mattress pull up or so loose that the sheet gathers or bunches.
• Soft bedding that could pose a suffocation hazard is not allowed in the sleep environment including, but not limited to, bumper pads, pillow, blanket, quilt, sleep positioning device, flat sheet, bib, plush toys, and stuffed animals.
• Infants who fall asleep in/on equipment not approved for sleep must be moved to an approved sleep environment immediately.
• Swaddling is allowed only with a health care plan completed and signed by the child’s physician. Use of sleep sacks which double as swaddling devices are not allowed.
• There should be no blanket or other material which covers or drapes over the sleeping equipment. Mobiles or other types of play equipment that attach to any part of the sleep equipment are not allowed.
• There should be nothing that covers the infant's head and face.
• The room temperature must be comfortable so the infant does not overheat.

The Division of Early Care and Learning will now notify parents of safe sleep violations observed during annual inspections of their child care facility. If you see any violations of safe sleep requirements in your child's facility, call the Office of Early Childhood at 303-866-5958 to file a complaint.