Sleep and Rest Policy

1. Overview

1.1. Purpose

Effective sleep and rest strategies are important factors in ensuring a child feels secure and safe at the Service. Adequate planning and training are required to ensure that team members support effective individual rest and sleep strategies where needed.

1.2. Scope

All Junior Adventures Group (JAG) People are required to comply with the provisions set out in this policy, their contract of employment and all other relevant policies, procedures and legislation.

1.3. Legislative Requirements

Under the Education and Care Services National Regulations, JAG is required to have policies and procedures in place to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of the children in care.

2. Policy Statement

JAG is committed to ensuring safe and effective sleep and rest practices. JAG recognises the importance of having effective sleep and rest strategies to meet the needs of children attending the Service.

3. Principles

3.1. Duty of Care

Team Members have a duty of care to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children attending the Service. Effective sleep and rest strategies are important for ensuring a child feels secure and safe at the Service. Each service will incorporate sleep and rest practices, including a high level of safety for children resting or sleeping to keep them safe from harm.

3.2. Promotion of Rest and Sleep

We actively promote the importance of rest and sleep at the Service and home. Service Leaders will keep up to date with sleep and rest best practice guidelines, share this knowledge with JAG People and apply contemporary knowledge to their practice. Information about rest and sleep will be available for children and families.

3.3. Supervision

Every reasonable step will be taken to ensure that children resting or sleeping will feel safe and secure. They will be provided with a space that keeps them safe from other activities occurring at the Service and free from harm or hazard.

This will be done in coordination with other JAG People to ensure that all children at the Service have their needs met.

Children sleeping or resting will be routinely monitored for signs of illness, and families will be contacted when necessary.

3.4. Service Planning

Children have different sleep, rest and relaxation needs. Children of the same age can have different sleep patterns, which Service Leader and educators need to consider when planning activities and spaces.

Cushions, other soft furnishings and comfort items create an optimal sleep and rest environment. These items will be available at all times to easily access when needed.

Team Members will have clear guidelines to ensure children who choose to participate in restful activities or sleep have their needs met. Where excessive sleep or rest is observed, this will be monitored, and Service Leaders will be notified to determine appropriate steps to support the child’s wellbeing.

The Service will ensure that children who do not wish to sleep or rest are provided with an alternative activity.

3.5. Safe Sleeping

JAG People will ensure to supervise children while they rest or sleep to ensure that blankets, pillows or other items do not cover a child’s face while sleeping. All team members will have had training on safe sleep practices and apply this in the Service setting, encouraging children to rest and sleep in a safe position.

3.6. Parents and Guardians

We will work in partnership with parents and guardians to promote healthy sleeping and resting habits.

Parents and guardians are responsible for advising the Service of any rest and sleep needs, including strategies to make them feel comfortable and safe.

Parents and guardians will be informed of their child’s resting or sleeping upon collection of the child.

3.7. Sleep and Rest Risk Assessment

To ensure that our Services meet the needs of the children that we care for, Junior Adventures Group has conducted a Risk Assessment to ensure that the Policies and Procedures are informed and fit for purpose. This Risk Assessment can be found in Appendix 1.

3.8. Record Keeping and Regulatory Compliance

On-site safety audits, incidents and complaints will be documented. This will allow us to track issues and enable changes in practice to be considered and implemented to maximise safety.

Sleep & Rest Policies, Procedures and Guidelines have been developed in line with mitigation strategies identified in the Approved Provider’s sleep and rest risk assessment. If requested, A copy of this risk assessment is available from the Quality Service Development team.

3.9. Child Safety

As part of our quality and safeguarding, we are committed to monitoring and providing relevant information to parents and other stakeholders where sleep and rest patterns may raise concerns about a child’s overall health and wellbeing Children’s health, wellbeing and safety is priority within our Service. We safeguard children through our procedures and practicesPolicies and practices reflect the relevant legislation, including the National Principles for Child Safe Organistions. JAG provides polices and procedures to equip JAG people with the knowledge, skills, and awareness to keep children safe. Service Practices are continuously reviewed and improved to ensure current legislation is in effect throughout the business. As part of our procedures, communication with families must be upheld to ensure they can be informed and involved in the event of an incident.

4. Key Terms

JAG People:

• Any adult that governs, manages, conducts work for or provides activities to JAG in a paid or unpaid activity spanning all levels of the organisational structure

Service Leader:

• Anyone who oversees the Service in one of the following roles:

  1. The Approved Provider; if the approved provider is an individual, in other cases, a person with management or control of the Service

  2. The Nominated Supervisor of the Service

  3. A Responsible Person who has been placed in day-to-day charge of the Service in the absence of the Nominated Supervisor.

Team Members:

• JAG People that work directly with Children

Safe Sleep:

• A safe sleep environment means that all potential dangers have been removed and the child is sleeping in a safe place.

5. References

Education and Care Services National Law and Regulations

Guide to National Laws and Regulations

Children Education and Care Services National Law Act 2010

Education and Care Services National Law Act 2010

Education and Care Services National Regulations 2011

National Quality Standards for Early Childhood Education and Care and School Care

Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority

Red Nose (Formerly SIDS)

Regulation 81 – Sleep and rest

Regulation 84C - Risk assessment for purposes of sleep and rest policies and procedures

Regulation 87 – Incident, injury, trauma and illness record

Regulation 136 – First aid qualifications

Regulation 137 – Approval of qualifications

Regulation 145 – Staff record

Regulation 146 – Nominated supervisor

Regulation 147 – Staff members

Regulation 161 – Authorisations to be kept in enrolment record

Regulation 168 – Education and care Service must have policies and procedures

Regulation 170 – Policies and procedures to be followed

Regulation 171 – Policies and procedures to be kept available

Regulation 172 – Notification of change to policies or procedures

Regulation 245 – Person to hold approved first aid qualification

Related Policies

Safeguarding Children and Young People

Risk Management

Service Delivery Governance and Management

Related Procedures

01P001 Programming Guidelines

02P006 Health and Hygiene Procedures

Other

Quality Area 2, 3 & 5: Standards 2.1, 3.1, 3.2, 5.1

OCG Guide to Child Safe Standards-- https://ocg.nsw.gov.au/child-safe-scheme

CCYP Child safe Standards - https://ccyp.vic.gov.au/child-safe-standards/

National Principles for Child Safe Organisations - https://childsafe.humanrights.gov.au/national-principles

Red Nose - https://rednose.org.au/

See Appendix in PDF

Version

3.2

Change History

JAG Policy Change Register

Date Approved

13/05/2024

Date Implemented

13/05/2024

Document Owner

Quality Service Development

Document Approvers

CEO / Approved Provider

Next Review

18 Months