Criterion PF127
All-day services only
There are suitable furniture or items (such as beds, stretchers, or mattresses) and space for children aged 2 and older to sleep or rest.
If the sleep or rest area is part of the activity space, alternative activity spaces are available for children who are not sleeping or resting.
Guidance
How to show you are complying
You need to have furniture or items intended for sleep or rest available for children aged 2 and over. The specific furniture or items you choose may vary, but as a general guide you may want to consider beds, stretchers and/or mattresses.
Space must be available to support children’s sleep or rest
There should be a suitable space available for children aged 2 or older to sleep and/or rest, while still enabling other children to play, access the curriculum, or take part in other experiences in the service.
The best way to support children’s sleep or rest is to provide a separate space (designated sleep room). This allows children to rest when they need to, without affecting other children’s ability to take part in other activities. Having separate areas for rest and play can also help children develop healthy sleep and rest habits.
If it is not possible to have a separate sleep space, you can create a quiet area within the activity space where children can rest or sleep as needed. If the same space is used for both activities and rest, it is important to make sure the environment is suitable for both purposes.
Consider:
how to minimise noise to support restful and undisturbed sleep or rest
creating some kind of barrier between the sleep or rest space and the area used for other activities
what alternative activity space is available for children who are not sleeping or resting. Does this alternative activity space support children’s play, exploration, and a range of curriculum activities?
When assessing whether you comply with PF127
Questions we are likely to ask
Can you show me the sleep or rest space that you use for children aged 2 and above?
What furniture and/or items children sleep on?
How do you make sure that children who are not sleeping or resting have access to alternative activity or play spaces?
If you use a single space for both activities and sleep or rest, what steps have you taken to support children’s ability to rest, play, and access the curriculum?
What spaces are available to children not sleeping at that time of day and why they have been chosen?
If you have a set rest time, how do you respond to a child that does not want to rest and is not tired?
We are likely to look at, measure or count
Look at your service sleep or rest and activity areas.
Observe how sleep or rest periods run at your service.
Look at the furniture or items used to support sleep and/or rest for children aged 2 and above.
Providing suitable furniture and space for children aged 2 and over to rest or sleep supports their wellbeing. When rest areas share space with activities, it’s important to offer alternative spaces so all children can rest or play without disruption.
Doing more than the minimum can shape better outcomes for children. Here are some ideas or examples you might like to consider.
If you schedule a daily rest or sleep time for all children aged 2 or above, you might choose to convert part of the activity space into a sleep or rest area during that period. It’s important that children who do not wish to sleep or rest still have access to alternative space for play or activities both indoors and outdoors.
If the activities offered are limited during this time, you should clearly communicate the reasons for these arrangements so that children, parents and adults in the service understand your approach. You are encouraged to discuss and agree on a reasonable sleep or rest duration with each child’s parents, taking into account individual needs and parents’ preferences.
When using any space for sleeping, you must comply with HS107 requirements for monitoring sleeping children.