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Furniture and items intended for children to sleep on, such as cots, beds, stretchers, or mattresses, must be:
- a size that allows children using them to lie flat
- a design that makes sure children are safe.
If they are to be used for more than 1 child over time, they need to be securely covered with or made of a non-porous material. This is material that does not allow liquid to pass through it. This means they are protected from becoming soiled, are easily cleaned and are not a suffocation hazard to children.
Sleep areas for children under the age of 2#
Children must be able to have undisturbed rest or sleep when they need it. Creating safe, calm, and well supervised sleep environments is essential for infants’ and toddlers’ wellbeing. If you have young children under the age of 2 at your service, you must have a designated sleep space for them.
Location#
If a sleep room is positioned close to the infant and toddler play space or spaces, it is easier for teachers to regularly check children. A viewing window between a sleep room and a main play area, or other area where adults will be, can also make supervision easier. It should not be treated as a substitute for regular, physical checks that are required.
If sleep rooms are located near quiet parts of the play area, it will be easier for children to go to sleep and stay asleep.
Consider having more than 1 room for cots and sleep facilities. Children need undisturbed rest and this is very difficult to provide if other children are unsettled.
Furniture and layout#
All-day services need at least 1 cot or sleep furniture item to every 2 children.
Sessional services need at least 1 cot or sleeping furniture item to every 5 children.
The right number of cots or other sleeping furniture will depend on how long children attend and their ages. Allow plenty of space so more cots can be added if needed.
Child-sized stretchers may be suitable for older toddlers.
Space between cots#
The space between cots needs to allow adults to easily check on children, make sure they are not too hot or cold, and check their breathing.
Plenty of space between sleeping children will allow for good air flow, which limits cross-infection and children disturbing others.
Remember to allow space within the sleep rooms for door opening, storage and adult supervision – for example, an armchair for an adult – when you are estimating the space you will need.
It may be useful to work out the size of a cot (or similar) using the scale of your floor plan. Make sure the plan shows doors and windows, then map it out to see how the cots could be organised, and if more space is needed.
Types of cots#
Cots should be sturdy, easily wipeable and allow good air flow. For example, wooden, well painted cots are easy to wipe clean, sturdy and allow air flow.
All cots need to meet New Zealand Safety Standards.
Cots that are very low to the floor can create back problems for adults.
Multi-level cots
Multi-level cots may only be used if specific conditions are met.
Each cot must be well ventilated to prevent the build-up of carbon dioxide, moisture, and heat.
Your local National Public Health Service must have no concerns about airflow, and Fire and Emergency New Zealand must have no concerns about their use.
Cots must:
- be securely fixed to the wall and easily accessible to staff, with sufficient separation to prevent cross-infection
- only be opened from the outside by an adult
- have no gaps, protrusions, or sharp edges, and the sides must prevent climbing
- have mattresses that fit firmly and not be too soft.
Children who can sit or stand must not be placed in the upper level. Children who can sit must be able to do so safely in the lower level. Once children are too large or mobile, they must be moved to a single-level cot, stretcher, mattress or bed.
You can find additional guidance for multilevel cots in licensing criterion PF124.
PF124 Design of sleep provisions
See the other relevant licensing criteria.
Sleep areas for children over the age of 2#
Older children who need to rest during the day will need a quiet space away from other children.
Sleep areas can be a separate room or a quiet part of the play space. If this area is part of the activity space, alternative activity spaces for children who are not sleeping or resting will also be needed.
Things to consider:
- Having a separate space is the best way to allow children to rest, without affecting other children’s ability to take part in other activities.
- Vinyl covered mattresses, stretchers, sleeping mats or child-sized beds work well for older children.
- There must be space down the length of the mattress/cot to allow for adult access.
- As with the younger children, it is important to allow space between sleeping children to prevent cross-infection.
If children are using marae-style sleeping arrangements, remember to:
- still use individual linen for each child
- make sure there is adequate space between children to minimise cross-infection and disturbance.
Sleeping areas for sessional services#
Have a safe and comfortable place for older children to sleep or rest if necessary.
Consider having:
- a bed permanently set up in a convenient place like the office, or
- a stretcher or mattress that can be pulled out and set up as required.
See the relevant regulation and licensing criteria.
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008, Regulation 45 – New Zealand Legislation
PF124 Design of sleep provisions
Sleep supervision#
Any sleeping child must be monitored as required by licensing criterion HS107 sleep monitoring.
Create a space that helps with monitoring.
Depending on the layout of the service, a viewing window into the sleep area may help supervision. Large viewing windows that are about 700mm above the floor allow adults to easily supervise sleeping children and allow adults to be seen.
Looking through the window should not be a substitute for proper monitoring procedures.
Linen and bedding#
Clean bedding such as blankets, sheets, sleeping bags and pillowslips must be provided for sleeping or resting children that is sufficient to keep them warm.
Linen can be washed after every use or stored separately with the child's name on it and washed as required. Some services make cloth bags or use blankets with name tags to store each child's linen. This prevents cross-infection.
Locating stored mattresses and bedding near the sleep area will make it quicker and easier for teachers and children to get ready for sleep and rest times.
Never store bedding on mattresses.
Sick (isolation) area#
All education and care services need an area for sick children to rest.
The area needs to be:
- a safe distance away from other children
- away from where food is stored, prepared or eaten.
Have somewhere for sick children to lie down comfortably and be supervised. Separate linen, and a vinyl sheet that can cover a 2-seater couch in a staff area or quiet corner, may be suitable.
The isolation area cannot be the under 2-year-old sleep room because this needs to remain available for the children needing sleep or rest.
See the relevant regulation and isolation area licensing criterion.
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008, regulation 45 – New Zealand Legislation
