ITS-SIDS Projects

Background Information

On December 1, 2003, the NC SIDS Law 2003-407 (House Bill 152) went into effect. It aims to lower the risks of SIDS in child care. The NC SIDS Law requires that:

child care providers caring for children ages 12 months or younger, develop and maintain a safe sleep policy.

child care providers inform parents about their safe sleep policy before enrollment.

that parents and child care providers sign a statement confirming the policy was reviewed.

that parents are to be given a copy of the signed statement.

child care providers receive training on safe sleep practices within four months of assuming caregiving responsibilities and every three years from the completion of previous ITS-SIDS training.

Law and Rules

NC SIDS Law – General Statute 110-91(15)

Child Care Center Licensing Rule .0606

Family Child Care Home Licensing Rule.1724

Safe Sleep Policies and Sleep Charts

Safe Sleep Policy Sample (Revised) – This template shows providers what to include and how to organize their own safe sleep policy. This sample policy is a word document that should be changed to include the specifics of your facility’s safe sleep policy. Click here for Spanish.

Sleep Chart Samples – Any of these sample sleep charts can be used to keep a daily record of how sleeping babies are visually checked.

Sample 1

Sample 2

Sample 3

Sample 4

Waiver

An infant who has a medical condition may be exempt from the back to sleep position requirement. In this case, the Alternative Sleep Position Waiver – Physician Recommendation (medical waiver) must be used. Click here for Spanish.

An infant older than six months of age may be exempt from the back to sleep requirement if a health care provider, a parent, or legal guardian completes a written waiver requesting an alternative sleep position. In this case, the Alternative Sleep Position Waiver – (parent request) must be used. Click here for Spanish.

Follow these guidelines when using a medical waiver:

Give the parents the official DCD form to be completed by the child’s health care provider, parent, or legal guardian depending on the type of waiver used.

Tell the parents to return the completed medical waiver form.

Check the returned form for inclusion of the medical condition, recommended sleep position, doctor’s contact information and appropriate signatures.

Keep a copy of the medical waiver in the child's file for the duration of care.

Post a notice next to the infant's crib that states an alternative sleep position waiver is in effect and where the original waiver is located.

ITS-SIDS In-service Training Requirements

All NC child care providers and personnel licensed and responsible for providing care for infant’s 12 months of age or younger are required to receive Infant/Toddler Safe Sleep and SIDS Risk Reduction in Child Care (ITS-SIDS) training at least every three years.

Child care centers licensed to care for infants 12 months and younger must:

Have the center director and any child care providers scheduled to work in the infant room, including volunteers counted in staff/child ratios trained in ITS-SIDS risk reduction.

Complete training within 4 months of the individual assuming responsibilities in the infant room or as an administrator.

Complete training no more than 3 years from each individual’s completion of the previous ITS-SIDS training.

Family child care home operators licensed to care for infants 12 months and younger must:

Complete training within 4 months of receiving their family child care home license.

Complete training no more than 3 years from the completion of previous ITS-SIDS training.

On July 1, 2006, the ITS-SIDS train-the-trainer curriculum moved from the North Carolina Healthy Start Foundation to the North Carolina Child Care Health and Safety Resource Center. The 5th Edition ITS-SIDS curriculum is now a web-based train-the-trainer module. The web-based training is available to child care health consultants, regional infant toddler specialists and child care professionals who meet eligibility requirements. Certified ITS-SIDS trainers DO NOT have to become recertified. They must use the 5th edition (November 2005) when providing training to child care providers.

Current ITS-SIDS Trainer List

Prospective ITS-SIDS Trainers

The NC Child Care Health and Safety Resource Center is offering the ITS-SIDS Online Training Course as a distance learning web-based train-the-trainer course. In selecting participants, priority is given to child care health consultants and regional infant toddler specialists. If a county has a need for additional trainers, applicants must meet eligibility criteria or be approved by the NC Division of Child Development to become an ITS-SIDS trainer. The expectation for all ITS-SIDS trainers is that they take what they learn and the materials provided to them and offer ITS-SIDS training to child care providers in their counties and communities. Request for Approval and Application.

Resource Links

www.nchealthystart.org - The North Carolina Healthy Start Foundation works to reduce infant death and illness and to promote the health of young children.

www.nichd.nih.gov/sids/sids.cfm - The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) provides information about the National Back to Sleep Campaign (BTS). The Back to Sleep Campaign sponsored by the National Institutes of Health and Human Services and was established to increase awareness about SIDS and ways to reduce the risk.

www.firstcandle.org - The First Candle/SIDS Alliance is a national organization with state affiliates that provides grief and bereavement support to families that have lost a child to SIDS or from another cause of death, and promotes education and advocacy around SIDS risk reduction.

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