To allow for greater flexibility and provide support to those working longer hours or doing shift work to help meet the needs of their family, overnight care for children is a service that is growing in demand.
The overnight care that a family day care service provides may be limited in the number of children that it can cater to, but when factoring in the flexible opening hours and homely and less formal environment that they provide, family day care services offer a more economical approach to overnight care for children aged from six weeks through to 12 years.
As part of your services’ safe sleep practice, a risk management plan should be prepared to show how you have identified and manage the risks for the children in your care. You need to be able to show how you have considered each individual child and that you have tailored your sleep and rest practices to accommodate their needs.
This detailed multi-page Risk Assessment Template and Guide aims to provide educators with information on how to identify and manage the risks associated with the provision of overnight care in a family day care service. It includes references and information for your general knowledge, as well as identified risks and ways that you can manage these.
Information about the importance of sleep and having a safe sleep environment within a childcare setting
What to consider for assessment and rating
Completing a risk assessment form
Identified risks and management:
educator preparedness
preparing the environment - sleep area setup and safety checks
furniture and furnishings
preparing an overnight care routine
preparing the child for sleep
during sleep time
cleaning and storing bedding
first aid and medical assistance
emergency situations
after the activity
References and articles of interest
Since overnight care can be provided to children of varying ages, this document includes information that is relevant to all age groups - newborns (0-3 months), infants (4-11 months), toddlers (1-2 years), and pre-schoolers (3-5 years). When working through this document, you may also be required to cross-reference and obtain additional information from our other Guides for safe sleep, which incorporate more details specific to the various age groups.