Sleep is a big part of nursery life, especially in our Baby Rooms.
For some children, a nap is a peaceful pause in a busy day. For others, sleep takes time, comfort, reassurance and a familiar routine. As parents, it is completely normal to want to know where your child will sleep, how they will be checked, and how their nursery team will help them feel safe and settled.
From today (1st September 2026), safer sleep requirements for early years providers have been strengthened through the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework.
The updated safer sleep guidance, written by the Department for Education (DfE) in collaboration with The Lullaby Trust, is designed to make expectations for safer sleep clearer and more consistent across early years settings.
Quick Summary: What has Changed?
From 1st September 2026, early years sleep guidance has been strengthened through the EYFS. For parents, the main change is that babies aged 12 months and under must now be placed to sleep in a cot, carry cot, Moses basket, or travel cot. Sleep spaces should be clear, flat, firm, and separate, with babies placed down on their backs and monitored while they sleep.
Why Does Safer Sleep Guidance Matter?
Safer sleep guidance is designed to help lower the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) in babies under 12 months, as well as sudden unexpected death in children over 12 months.
Thankfully, these situations are uncommon, but safer sleep guidance is there because there are known steps that help reduce risk. All Ofsted-registered early years providers and schools in England must follow the EYFS statutory framework and therefore also adhere to the safer sleep guidance.
What are the Changes to the Safer Sleep Guidance?
The new guidance says babies aged 12 months and under must only be placed to sleep in a cot, such as:
- Cot
- Carry cot
- Moses basket
- Travel cot
The guidance goes further and states that:
- Sleep spaces should be clear, firm, flat and separate
- Babies are placed down on their backs
- The cot should only contain what is needed for safer sleep
- Staff continue to monitor children while they sleep
At Tommies, safely placing babies down to sleep and checking on children while they sleep have long been part of our nursery practice. The main change parents may notice is not the care and attention around sleep, but the type of sleep space used for babies aged 12 months and under.
It may be important to remember that when they gain the strength, some babies will naturally roll from their back to their front and back again on their own. Babies, like adults, will naturally develop preferred sleeping positions.
Why Has Safer Sleep Guidance Changed?
The updated safer sleep guidance has been introduced to make expectations for safer sleep clearer and more consistent across early years settings.
For parents, this means that it should be easier to understand what safe sleep looks like in nurseries, what type of sleep space babies should use, and what questions to ask when choosing a childcare provider.
What Does the Updated Safer Sleep Guidance Mean for Different Ages?
The DfE guidance says children under two should be placed on their backs in their own separate sleep space on a clear, flat, firm surface, while babies aged 12 months and under must be placed to sleep only in a cot. It also says comforters may be used for babies and children aged over 12 months only.
Safer sleep means keeping sleep spaces clear. That means avoiding extra items in cots such as pillows, loose bedding, cot bumpers, wedges, toys or straps, unless guidance says otherwise. The NHS also recommends a firm, flat mattress and a clear cot for babies.
We know some items can feel comforting or familiar, so our team will talk to you about what can be safely used in the nursery and how we can help your child settle.
Why You May See More Cots in Baby Rooms
Some nurseries, including some Tommies nurseries, have separate sleep rooms or cot-based sleep spaces. Others may have used different sleep arrangements in the past where space, room design and children’s routines varied.
With the new guidance, however, there is a clearer expectation, especially for babies aged 12 months and under, which means nurseries must ensure they have the number of cots they need for the children in their care.
Some families may notice more cots in baby rooms than they expected. We understand that, at first glance, this can feel different from the cosy nursery environment people often picture.
But cots do not make a room less nurturing. They simply provide a clear, separate sleep space for babies aged 12 months and under, in line with the updated guidance.
At Tommies nurseries, we use specially designed bunk cots to reduce the number of individual cots in our baby and sleep rooms while ensuring that there are enough safe cots for children to sleep in. You can learn more about the bunk cots we use here.
The warmth of the room still comes from the people in it: the practitioner who knows how your baby settles, the familiar routine before bedtime, the gentle reassurance when they wake, and the care taken to make sure every child feels safe and comfortable.
What Will Sleep Feel Like at Tommies?
We will get to know your child
At Tommies, we want to reassure you that even with the updated sleep arrangements, the care and attention your child receives remains as warm and attentive as ever.
Our experienced practitioners continue to provide comfort and support to every child throughout their sleep. Babies and children are closely checked and monitored to ensure they are safe and comfortable at all times.
We understand how important sleep routines are for your child’s wellbeing. That’s why we take the time to discuss sleep patterns, comforters, and settling-in practices with families from the very start and as your child grows.
Cot-based sleep means providing a safe, separate sleep space for your little one. It does not mean less hands-on care. On the contrary, our team is always nearby, ready to respond and support your child’s needs, ensuring their sleep is both safe and nurturing.
Nursery sleep has its own gentle rhythm
Sleep is personal. Every child has their own rhythms, routines and little ways of settling, and we know this is something parents naturally think about when their baby starts nursery.
Before your child starts with us, we will talk to you about their usual sleep routine at home. This includes when they tend to nap, how long they usually sleep for, how they like to be comforted, and anything that helps them feel calm and secure before sleep.
At the same time, nursery life does have its own gentle rhythm. In a busy baby room, other children are sleeping, waking, playing, eating, and taking part in activities throughout the day. Because of this, sleep at nursery may not look exactly the same as sleep at home.
Our team will always take your child’s needs into account, but we also work within a consistent nursery routine that helps the whole room feel calm, settled and predictable. Over time, most children adjust to this rhythm, and our practitioners support them with patience, reassurance and care as they settle into nursery life.
As part of our safer sleep practice, we will follow the latest guidance and make sure babies aged 12 months and under are placed to sleep in an appropriate cot. Sleeping children will continue to be checked regularly by our nursery team, and staff will remain close by to respond if a child wakes, becomes unsettled, or needs comfort.
We also understand that sleep can change, especially when a child is settling into nursery or moving through different stages of development. Some babies sleep differently in a nursery environment at first, while others quickly settle into a new routine. We will keep talking to you, share updates through Famly where appropriate, and let you know if we notice any changes in your child’s sleep pattern.
The guidance may affect the type of sleep space your child uses, but it does not change the care they receive. Our practitioners will continue to get to know your child as an individual, support them with warmth and patience, and work closely with you so their sleep feels safe, settled and well supported.
You are always welcome to ask questions about your child’s sleep arrangements, routine or comfort at nursery. Our aim is to help your child feel secure, while also helping families understand what sleep looks like in a nursery environment.
Settling-in takes time
It is very normal for sleep to look a little different when a child first starts nursery. A new environment, new sounds, new routines and new relationships can all affect naps at first.
That is why settling-in matters. Our teams take time to learn how each child is comforted, how they show tiredness, what helps them relax, and how they usually wake. We will also keep talking to you, because sleep is something nursery and home need to understand together.
Where Parents can Find Trusted Safer Sleep Guidance for Home
We know there is a lot of baby sleep advice online, and not all of it is easy to navigate. For trusted guidance, we would always point families towards the NHS and The Lullaby Trust.
Their advice includes placing babies on their backs to sleep, using a firm, flat mattress, keeping the cot clear, avoiding overheating, and removing babies from car seats once the journey has ended.
Sleep-Related Questions to Ask When Visiting a Nursery
You might want to seek some reassurance around sleep routines and arrangements when researching the best nursery for your child. Some questions you could ask during a visit to a nursery include:
- Where do babies sleep?
- What sleep space will my child use?
- How are children monitored while sleeping?
- How often are sleep checks carried out?
- How do you support my child if they need comfort to settle?
- How will you work with our home routine?
- What bedding or sleep items do you provide?
Other Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. From 1st September 2026, babies aged 12 months and under must be placed to sleep in a cot, carry cot, Moses basket or travel cot in early years settings.
Babies should still be placed down on their back to sleep. If they have the strength to roll onto their belly by themselves, it is safe to let them sleep in that position. Babies who cannot yet roll from their stomach back to their back independently will need gentle help to turn back onto their back.
Not always. Nursery has its own routine, and sleep needs to work safely within the wider rhythm of the room. We will still talk to you about your child’s routine and support them as they settle.
Your nursery team will keep you updated about your child’s sleep, routines and wellbeing, including through Famly where appropriate.
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Safer sleep guidance is one part of the care and safeguarding that happens every day in nursery.
At Tommies, we will continue to follow the latest guidance, review our practice carefully, and work closely with families so every child has a sleep routine that feels safe, settled and well supported.
A cot may be where your baby sleeps, but the care around them is what helps them feel secure. That care remains at the heart of what we do.