Sleep policies and supervision
 33.1 (1) Every licensee shall ensure that a child who is younger than 12 months who receives child care at a child care centre it operates or at a premises where it oversees the provision of home child care is placed for sleep in a manner consistent with the recommendations set out in the document entitled “Joint Statement on Safe Sleep: Preventing Sudden Infant Deaths in Canada”, published by the Public Health Agency of Canada, as amended from time to time, unless the child’s physician recommends otherwise in writing. O. Reg. 126/16, s. 23. (2) Every licensee shall ensure that, if child care is provided for a child who regularly sleeps at a child care centre the licensee operates or at a premises where it oversees the provision of home child care, (a)  an employee or the home child care provider periodically performs a direct visual check of each sleeping child who is in a licensed infant or toddler age group, is in a licensed family age group and is younger than 24 months, or is at a home child care premises and is younger than 24 months, by being physically present beside the child while the child is sleeping and looking for indicators of distress or unusual behaviours; (b)  there is sufficient light in the sleeping area or room to conduct direct visual checks; and (c)  there are written policies and procedures at the child care centre or home child care premises with respect to sleep, and the policies and procedures, (i)  provide that children will be assigned to individual cribs or cots in accordance with this Regulation, (ii)  provide that parents will be consulted respecting a child’s sleeping arrangements at the time the child is enrolled and at any other appropriate time, such as at transitions between programs or rooms or upon a parent’s request, (iii)  provide that parents of children younger than 12 months will be advised of the licensee’s obligation under subsection (1), (iv)  provide that parents of children who regularly sleep at the child care centre or home child care premises will be advised of the centre’s or agency’s policies and procedures regarding children’s sleep, (v)  provide that the observance of any significant changes in a child’s sleeping patterns or behaviours during sleep will be communicated to parents and will result in adjustments to the manner in which the child is supervised during sleep, and (vi)  include details regarding the performance of direct visual checks, including how frequently direct visual checks will be performed and how direct visual checks will be documented. O. Reg. 126/16, s. 23; O. Reg. 174/21, s. 19. (3) In determining the matters described in clause (2) (c) (vi) in respect of children who are enrolled with a home child care agency and who receive child care at a home child care premises, the licensee shall consider parents’ input, the sleep environment at the premises and the proximity of the sleeping area or room to the child care provider when the child is sleeping. O. Reg. 126/16, s. 23. (4) Every licensee shall ensure that in each child care centre it operates that has a separate area or room for sleeping, there is a system in place to immediately identify which children are present in the area or room. O. Reg. 126/16, s. 23. (5) Every licensee shall ensure that if electronic sleep monitoring devices are used at a child care centre it operates or at a premises where it oversees the provision of home child care, (a)  each electronic sleep monitoring device is able to detect and monitor the sounds and, if applicable, video images, of every sleeping child; (b)  the receiver unit of the electronic sleep monitoring device is actively monitored by employees at the child care centre or the home child care provider at all times; (c)  each electronic sleep monitoring device is checked daily to ensure it is functioning properly; and (d)  electronic sleep monitoring devices are not used as a replacement for the direct visual checks required under clause (2) (a). O. Reg. 126/16, s. 23.