Make Sure Your Baby Sleeps Safely This Christmas
Sadly, 300 babies die suddenly and unexpectedly every year in the UK,
in Devon and Cornwall, since 2019, 24 babies have died where unsafe sleeping has been a factor
many of these deaths could be prevented if all parents followed evidence-based safer sleep advice
The festive season brings changes to normal routines; people visit friends and relatives, drink more alcohol, often go to bed at a different time, and it may be more difficult to access safe sleeping spaces for babies.
As we approach the festive season, we would like to remind all professionals – including midwives, health visitors, social workers, Early Help, early years practitioners, housing providers, domestic abuse services, mental health workers, alcohol and substance use services and any other professionals working with families – to reinforce the messages about safer sleeping.
For parents
For professionals
Safeguarding babies and very young children is a high priority for OSCP, please see more information here
Lullaby Trust provide a guide for professionals and their safer sleep training will be launched from January for those who work with families with babies in Cornwall. To express your interest in accessing this training for yourself or your team, please email phdesk@cornwall.gov.uk, and we will send you further information when this is available.
See also this guide on Safer Sleep Awareness for Early Years settings