EDM: Safe sleep standards in early years settings

Safe sleep standards in early years settings

Tabled by Tom Morrison (Liberal Democrat) 52 signatures

The motion

That this House expresses its heartfelt condolences to the family of nine-month-old Genevieve (Gigi) Meehan, who tragically died in May 2022 while in the care of a nursery in Cheadle, Greater Manchester; pays tribute to her mother Katie Wheeler and father John Meehan for their courage and determination in campaigning for change to prevent further tragedies; acknowledges the vital support and expertise of the Lullaby Trust in championing safer sleep guidance; notes with serious concern the failings in nursery safety standards and oversight that led to Gigi’s death, including dangerous sleep practices and a lack of proper monitoring; also notes with concern that there have been 5,795 allegations of children being harmed in nursery settings in the last five years; believes urgent reform is needed to ensure consistent, enforceable safer sleep standards across early years settings; calls on the Government and Ofsted to conduct a full review of current guidance and practice; and further calls for mandatory safer sleep training for all early years staff and inspectors, compulsory installation of CCTV in all nurseries and early years settings, routine review of CCTV footage during inspections, regular genuinely unannounced Ofsted visits where concerns have been raised, and clear, statutory guidance on safe sleep practices and products for babies under two.

Signatories (52)