Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing mandatory safe sleep training for all early years staff working in nurseries.

The early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework, which all early years providers are required to follow, includes a requirement for babies to be placed down to sleep in line with the latest government safety guidance, which can be found here: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sudden-infant-death-syndrome-sids/.

Departmental officials recently met with The Lullaby Trust to discuss the lessons that can be learned from previous serious incidents and to ensure that children are kept as safe as possible.

The 'Early years qualification requirements and standards' document sets out the minimum qualification requirements that staff must meet to be recognised as level 2, level 3 or level 6 members of staff for the purpose of working within the EYFS staff:child ratios. Both the level 2 and level 3 criteria include knowledge of rest and sleep provision, with level 3 also including the safe use of equipment, furniture and materials with regard for sleep safety.