Health and safety is a key part of providing safe, high-quality care in Early Years settings. Practitioners have an important role in identifying hazards, managing risks, following procedures, and helping to create environments where children can learn, play, and develop safely.
This CPD-accredited course on Health and Safety in Early Years is designed specifically for Early Years practitioners, nursery staff, managers, and childminders working across the UK, including Scotland. It provides the knowledge, confidence, and practical awareness needed to understand health and safety responsibilities, recognise common risks, and respond appropriately to accidents, incidents, and emergencies.
Learners will explore key areas including roles and responsibilities, hazard identification, risk assessment, high-risk activities, accident reporting, and emergency procedures. The course includes interactive activities, scenario-based learning, reflection tasks, downloadable resources, and knowledge checks to help practitioners apply their learning to real Early Years practice.
Practitioners will also develop confidence in using risk assessments, recognising when control measures are needed, reporting concerns, and promoting a positive health and safety culture. The course supports safe, consistent, and reflective practice aligned with Early Years expectations, Care Inspectorate guidance, Ofsted requirements, and UK health and safety principles.
Why This Course Matters
Safe sleep practice is an essential part of protecting babies’ safety, wellbeing, and development within Early Years settings.
Babies rely on adults to provide safe sleep environments, appropriate supervision, and consistent care practices during sleep routines. Understanding safer sleep guidance helps practitioners reduce avoidable sleep-related risks and support babies’ safety while they are in their care.
Sleep routines form part of everyday practice within many Early Years settings, particularly within baby rooms. Practitioners must be able to recognise potential hazards, maintain safe sleep environments, and follow consistent procedures that support babies’ wellbeing.
This course focuses on practical, real-world safer sleep practice, helping practitioners develop confidence in applying current guidance and supporting safe, consistent care across their setting.
The course is aligned with current UK safer sleep guidance and best practice, including:
- The Lullaby Trust safer sleep guidance
- NHS safer sleep recommendations
- Care Inspectorate expectations
- Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) safeguarding and welfare requirements
- Getting It Right For Every Child (GIRFEC)
- Health and Social Care Standards
- National Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland
By completing this course, you will be better equipped to support safer sleep routines, contribute to safeguarding responsibilities, and help create environments where babies can sleep safely and comfortably.
What You Will Learn
This course will give you the knowledge and practical skills to confidently support safer sleep practice within Early Years settings.
You will learn how to:
- Understand the importance of safer sleep practice in Early Years environments
- Recognise common sleep-related risks and hazards
- Identify unsafe sleep practices and sleep environments
- Create and maintain safe sleep spaces for babies
- Understand safe sleep positioning and current safer sleep guidance
- Recognise overheating risks and how to reduce them
- Monitor and supervise sleeping babies appropriately
- Carry out and record sleep checks effectively
- Understand the importance of accurate recording and reporting
- Communicate professionally with parents and carers regarding safer sleep
- Follow safer sleep policies, procedures, and safeguarding responsibilities
- Promote safe, consistent sleep routines across your setting
By the end of this course, you will feel more confident in supporting babies during sleep routines, recognising potential risks, and applying safer sleep guidance within your everyday Early Years practice.
Designed for Early Years Professionals
This course is suitable for anyone working in Early Learning and Childcare settings who has a responsibility for supporting babies during sleep routines and promoting safer sleep practice. It is particularly relevant for:
- Early Years practitioners
- Nursery and preschool staff
- Baby room staff
- Childminders
- Playworkers
- Teaching assistants
- Early Years students and trainees
- Room leaders and managers
The course is designed to support both new and experienced practitioners by providing practical, real-world guidance that can be applied during everyday sleep routines within Early Years settings.
No prior training is required to complete this course.
Interactive and Practical Learning
Interactive and Practical Learning
✔ Short lesson videos with clear, practical guidance
✔ Real-life Early Years scenarios to support understanding and application
✔ Interactive activities, including drag-and-drop exercises, knowledge checks, and scenario-based tasks
✔ Reflective activities linked to everyday practice
✔ Downloadable resources, templates, and practical guides
✔ Final 10-question assessment (80% pass mark)
✔ Instant CPD certificate on successful completion
The course is fully online, mobile-friendly, and self-paced — allowing you to complete your training at a time that suits you.
Throughout the course, the focus remains on practical, child-centred strategies that can be applied immediately within Early Years settings.
Accreditation and CPD
Interactive and Practical Learning
✔ Short lesson videos with clear, practical guidance
✔ Real-life Early Years scenarios to support understanding and decision-making
✔ Interactive activities, including multimedia tasks, drag-and-drop exercises, knowledge checks, and scenario-based learning
✔ Reflection activities linked to everyday sleep routines and professional practice
✔ Downloadable resources, templates, and practical safer sleep tools
✔ Final 12-question assessment (80% pass mark)
✔ Instant CPD certificate on successful completion
The course is fully online, mobile-friendly, and self-paced — allowing you to complete your training at a time that suits you.
Throughout the course, the focus remains on practical, safeguarding-focused strategies that can be applied immediately to support safer sleep practice within Early Years settings.
Protect Children. Protect Yourself. Protect Your Setting.
Supporting babies to sleep safely requires knowledge, confidence, and a commitment to following safer sleep guidance consistently within Early Years settings.
Enrol today and strengthen your understanding of safer sleep practice, sleep-related risks, supervision responsibilities, and safe sleep environments.
Develop the practical skills needed to recognise potential hazards, create safe sleep spaces, monitor sleeping babies appropriately, communicate effectively with parents and carers, and support babies’ safety and wellbeing during everyday sleep routines.
