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Caring for Children
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Household safety and supervision

All kids should grow up in a home environment that is safe and comfortable. Alongside all the love and emotional support you offer, you’ll be looking after a child or young person’s physical health and security too.

Safe sleeping for babies and toddlers

Reducing the risk of sudden unexpected deaths in infancy

Even the most experienced carers need to keep up to date with information about the safest way for infants to sleep. Safe sleeping practices are vital to protect children, especially infants, from sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI).

The sudden unexpected death of a baby, when there is no apparent cause of death, is now called SUDI and includes sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and fatal sleep accidents. SIDS used to be called ‘cot death’. A baby can die of SUDI at any time of the day or night, but most die quietly in their sleep.

Researchers still do not know what causes SUDI but have identified common risk factors. The best way to provide a safe sleeping environment is to make sure of the following:

  • The baby sleeps alone in a cot and does not share a bed with others (called ‘co-sleeping’), particularly if the adult is a smoker, is affected by alcohol or other drugs or is very tired and likely to sleep very heavily.
  • The mattress is firm, clean, fits the cot and doesn’t leave a gap for the baby to become trapped.
  • The bed is dressed with a single fitted sheet, a single flat sheet and a blanket if some warmth is required.
  • The infant is placed on their back and the feet are positioned at the bottom of the cot to prevent them slipping under bedding.
  • Bedclothes are tucked firmly around the baby.
  • No pillows, quilts or doonas are in the cot or draped over the cot.
  • No cot bumpers are used and no soft toys are kept in the cot.
  • The baby’s face is left uncovered and the baby does not sleep with a hat, beanie or hood.
  • The baby is not at risk of overheating; don’t overdress the baby, don’t use an electric blanket or hot water bottle, and don’t have a heater in the room.
  • The baby is not cold; dress the baby as you would dress yourself to be comfortably warm.
  • The baby is never left to sleep in a sofa, armchair, beanbag, waterbed or other soft surfaces.
  • All family members know about safe sleeping.
  • No-one smokes inside the home, car or near infants and children.

Learn about safe sleeping practices

For more information on safe sleeping, talk to your doctor or early childhood nurse or explore the resources of Red Nose, formerly Sids & Kids.

Reducing the risk of cot-related injuries

A baby or infant’s cot can also be the site of other injuries. Most are related to falls, but children can also be injured by striking sharp edges in the cot, getting stuck between bars, or getting clothes caught on fittings such as bolts, knobs and corner posts, causing strangulation.

All cots sold in this country must comply with the Australian Standard AS/NZS 2172-2003. If you are buying a new cot, make sure it carries this standard.

If your cot is a hand-me-down, make sure it meets legal requirements:

  • The space between bars or panels on the sides of the cot is no less than 50 mm and no more than 95 mm apart; if gaps are smaller, infants may get a foothold and push themselves up and out of the cot. If gaps are wider they can trap a baby’s head, arms or legs.
  • The cot distance between the base of the mattress and the top of the cot should be no less than 600 mm.
  • There are no spaces or gaps between 30 mm and 50 mm that could trap a child’s arms or legs.
  • There are no small holes or openings between 5 mm and 12 mm that could trap a child’s fingers.