Red Nose Urges Mandatory Annual Safe Sleep Training for All Early Childhood Educators

Red Nose Australia is calling on state and federal governments to urgently mandate evidence-based Safe Sleep training for all educators caring for infants and toddlers in early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings, with training to be completed at induction and renewed annually. The call comes amid growing concerns that current safety standards are not being consistently followed.

National regulations do require services to implement safe sleep policies and conduct risk assessments. However, recent reports suggest these protocols are not always being properly enacted, placing the lives of infants and toddlers at risk.

This call follows a clear and urgent recommendation made by the NSW Coroner on 22 December 2021, following the inquest into a sleep-related death in a family day care setting.

The coroner stated:

“Recommendation 1: I recommend that the NSW Government, in consultation with the governments of other jurisdictions under the National Quality Framework, take steps to amend the Children (Education and Care Services) National Law (NSW) (National Law) so that family day care Educators are required to undertake mandatory safe sleep training.”

Red Nose is deeply concerned that nearly four years later, this recommendation has yet to be fully implemented across Family Day Care. The continued delay puts lives at risk.

Since the Coroner’s recommendation, three more infants have died during sleep and rest time or suspected to be during sleep and rest time in early childhood education and care settings. One of these deaths occurred in centre-based services, not family day care. The causes of death are under investigation.

“There is no shortage of evidence or urgency, yet we are still seeing avoidable risks in early childhood education and care settings,” said Amy Cooper, CEO of Red Nose Australia.

“What’s missing is mandatory, nationally consistent and evidence-based Safe Sleep training to support directors, nominated supervisors and educators at all levels caring for infants and toddlers. Without it, even the most well-meaning staff may not fully understand how to implement sleep safety practices or how to apply policies effectively in everyday care.”

“To truly protect little lives, national mandatory training must go further than Family Day Care. Safer Sleep training should be evidence-based and mandatory for every educator working with babies and toddlers and refreshed annually just like First Aid and CPR.”

Red Nose is proud to work alongside the Australian Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) and other regulatory bodies to champion safer sleep practices in early childhood education and care.

But there is more to be done. Red Nose calls for evidence-based training to be nationally mandatory, undertaken on induction and maintained annually by all Early Childhood Educators working with infants and toddlers.

As Australia’s trusted authority on safe sleep, Red Nose already supports thousands of early childhood education and care services through its:

• Free downloadable resources, including Safe Sleep Checklists, Sleep Environment Audits and posters.
• Online professional development modules tailored to the early childhood workforce; and
• National Safe Sleep Advice Line for Parents, Carers and Professionals call 1300 998 698 between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday (AEST) or email education@rednose.org.au

“Every child deserves a safe sleep environment, and every educator deserves the right training and support to deliver it,” said Ms Cooper.

With Red Nose Day approaching on Thursday, 28 August 2025, the organisation is using the national spotlight to raise awareness of the critical role Early Childhood Educators play in preventing sleep-related deaths — and the urgent need to support them with consistent training, tools, and mandatory national standards training that are properly enforced.

Sign our Petition: Every Educator Trained. Every Baby Safer

For media enquiries or to arrange interviews reach out to:

Fiona Jordan

National Marketing and Communications Manager

Red Nose Australia

Ph: 0402 846 867

Email: fionajordan@rednose.org.au

or

Maria Salvador

Public Relations Specialist

Red Nose Australia

Ph: 0402 941 493

Email: mariasalvador@rednose.org.au

About Red Nose

For more than 40 years, Red Nose Australia have been the experts in keeping babies safe. Our safe sleep recommendations are based on evidence and put together by our National Scientific Advisory Group - made up of experts in the fields of pregnancy, infant and child safety.

NOTE: When mentioning the loss of a pregnancy, stillbirth, death of a baby or child Red Nose recommends including support service numbers. Red Nose 24/7 Grief and Loss Support Line – 1300 308 307