New Nursery Safer Sleep Rules: What Parents Need to Know

From 1 September 2026, every nursery, pre-school and childminder in England must follow new safer sleep rules written into the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework. The headline change: babies aged 12 months and under may only be put down to sleep in a cot, carrycot, Moses basket or travel cot. Floor beds and sleep pods are out, babies who arrive asleep in a car seat must be moved, and Ofsted will check sleep arrangements at every inspection. If your baby is starting nursery this autumn, here is what actually changes, what to ask your setting, and what it means for the kit you send in.

What the new nursery safer sleep rules say

The Department for Education's guidance for early years providers, written in collaboration with The Lullaby Trust, sets out the requirements. For babies and children under two, providers must place them down on their back, in their own separate sleep space, on a clear, flat, firm surface. For babies aged 12 months and under, that sleep space must be a cot, and "cot" is defined narrowly: a cot, carrycot, Moses basket or travel cot that meets the relevant British Standard.

The other requirements, in plain terms:

• Nothing extra in the cot. The sleep space should contain only a firm, flat, waterproof mattress and lightweight bedding tucked in no higher than the shoulders, or a well-fitted baby sleep bag. No toys, pillows, cot bumpers, wedges or straps for babies under 12 months.
• An adult in the room for under-sixes. Babies under six months must always have an adult with them in the same room for every sleep, and all sleeping children must be frequently checked and stay within sight and hearing of staff.
• No prams or car seats as the main sleep space. If a baby falls asleep while travelling, they must be transferred to their own sleep space as soon as they are back at the setting.
• Room temperature of 16 to 20°C. The guidance repeats the NHS and Lullaby Trust range, and asks staff to check a baby's chest or back of the neck rather than hands or feet.
• Hats and outdoor layers off. Extra clothing should be removed as soon as a baby comes indoors, to reduce the risk of overheating.

Comforters are permitted only for children over 12 months, and there are no planned changes to the use of dummies.

Why this is happening now

These rules are the government's response to the Campaign for Gigi, launched by Katie and John Meehan after their nine-month-old daughter Genevieve died at a nursery in 2022. In June 2026 The Lullaby Trust confirmed that Ofsted will assess safer sleeping arrangements during every early years inspection from September 2026, and that the requirements are being written explicitly into the EYFS framework. The updated framework documents took effect on 1 September 2026.

Until now, safer sleep in childcare relied on guidance and each setting's own policy. The DfE has been clear that providers should already have been following this practice; September is the point at which it became a statutory, inspectable requirement rather than best practice.

What changes in practice for your baby

Floor beds and sleep pods are no longer allowed for under-ones

Some nurseries have used low floor beds or "coracle" sleep pods for babies. The DfE's FAQ states these do not meet the new requirement because of safety concerns around beds with lowered sides for babies up to 12 months. If your setting used them, ask what they have replaced them with.

Your baby will be woken or moved out of the pram

If your baby is used to napping in the buggy on the walk to nursery, expect that to change. The rule that babies asleep on arrival must be transferred to a cot applies even when it means disturbing a sleeping child. This mirrors the NHS and Lullaby Trust advice for home: it is fine for a baby to fall asleep in a car seat while travelling, but take them out as soon as you reach your destination and place them on a firm, flat surface. Our guide to UK car seat law covers the travel side in more detail.

Nap routines may look different for a while

Babies who nap well in a bouncer or on a lap at home may take a few weeks to settle in a nursery cot. This is normal, and a good setting will tell you how it is going. It is worth practising cot naps at home before your start date so the sleep space is familiar. The five core home rules are explained in our guide to NHS safe sleep guidance.

What this means for the kit you send in

The nursery provides the cot and mattress, but parents are often asked to supply the rest. The new rules make this simpler than it used to be, because so much is now off the list.

Item	Allowed for under-12-months?	Notes
Baby sleep bag	Yes	Must be well fitted; staff should check the manufacturer's size and tog guidance. Send one suited to a 16 to 20°C room.
Lightweight blanket	Yes	Tucked in no higher than the shoulders, feet-to-foot at the bottom of the cot.
Comforter or soft toy	No	Only permitted for children over 12 months.
Pillow, wedge, positioner	No	Prohibited at any age under two.
Cot bumper	No	Prohibited.
Swaddle	Not addressed	The guidance does not mention swaddling. Ask your setting for its policy; see our swaddling guide for the home rules.
Dummy	Yes	The DfE FAQ confirms no changes to dummy use.

If you are buying a sleep bag specifically for nursery, one labelled by tog rating makes the staff's job easier because tog maps directly onto room temperature. Follow the manufacturer's tog chart for your baby's weight and the room temperature the setting keeps.

Questions to ask your nursery or childminder

Every registered setting in England should be able to answer these without hesitation. Their answers tell you a lot about how seriously safer sleep is taken.

1. What does my baby sleep in, and does it meet the cot definition in the new EYFS rules?
2. If my baby is under six months, who stays in the room for every sleep?
3. How often are sleeping babies checked, and is it recorded?
4. What happens if my baby arrives asleep in the pram or car seat?
5. What is the sleep room temperature, and how is it monitored?
6. Can I see your written safer sleep policy?
7. When was your last Ofsted inspection, and did it cover sleep arrangements?

Childminders are covered by the same requirements as nurseries, so the questions apply equally. If your childminder uses a travel cot, that counts as a cot under the definition, provided it meets the standard.

Does this apply outside England?

The EYFS framework applies to England only. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own early years regulations and inspection bodies, and the specific cot-only rule is an England change. The underlying safer sleep advice from the NHS and The Lullaby Trust is UK-wide, so it is still reasonable to ask a setting anywhere in the UK the questions above.

What the rules do not change

Nothing here alters the advice for home. The NHS still recommends placing your baby on their back in the feet-to-foot position, in a separate cot or Moses basket in the same room as you for at least the first six months, on a firm, flat mattress, in a room kept between 16 and 20°C. If you are choosing a sleep space now, our comparison of cot, cot bed and Moses basket walks through which one you actually need, and the nursery furniture section covers current options.

The practical upshot for parents is a good one: the setting you leave your baby with is now legally required to follow the same clear, flat, firm, separate sleep-space rules you follow at home, and someone will check.