Unintentional suffocation is a leading cause of injury and death in infants and toddlers. Most infant deaths due to suffocation are directly related to unsafe sleep practices. These practices include: 

• The child becoming wedged against bumper pads, pillows, & comforters. 
• Adults sleeping with infants or toddlers and rolling over on them. 
• Unaccustomed tummy sleeping (the infant being placed on or rolling into the tummy position when this is not a position in which the infant typically sleeps.) 

The Children’s Division is adopting the Safe Sleep recommendations as identified by the American Academy of Pediatrics and will discuss Sleep information that is listed on the Safe Sleep Practices form with resource parents during the initial home visit with the resource parent applicants. All resource parents, including respite providers, will be asked to review and sign the Safe Sleep Practices form, CD-117. Staff need to have all currently licensed resource parents sign the form at their next quarterly home visit and place it in the forms section of their case file. Staff will ensure that the CD-117 is signed and placed in the case file by June 30, 2009. 

A Safety Tip regarding Safe Sleep was issued September 18, 2008. There are two new links on the CD intranet page: 

• PowerPoint training 
• An instructional page addressing Safe Sleep.

Staff should remember to share this information with parents with whom they work who are expecting a child or have infants or very young children. Additional information on safe sleep may be reviewed at the Children’s Trust Fund web site and their web Brochure.