In 2023, more than half of Canadian children (up to five years old) were in child care and more than 25% of young children were on a wait list. Many children are in child care for several hours per day and multiple days per week. Parents control children's nighttime sleep but rely on early learning and child-care providers to help children safely meet sleep needs during the day.
But what direction are Canadian licensed childcare facilities receiving from government statutes and regulations about young children's sleep? Evidence indicates no guidance from statutes, and inconsistent and lacking sleep regulations for licensed child care in Canada, resulting in neglect of children's sleep needs . Adequate sleep improves children's attention , behavior, learning, memory, emotional regulation, quality of life, and mental and physical health. Canadian 24-hour movement guidelines for healthy development include children's needs for physical activity, sedentary time and sleep.
They recommend naps for infants and children under two years, and nap options for ages three to four. Two authors of this story have doctoral degrees in nursing. One author has a doctoral degree in psychology.
Our fourth author is a team member for the Canadian Child Care Federation. We are all engaged in promoting children's and parents' health and well-being. As a nurse researcher, Wendy Hall has worked with parents and community and professional institutions to promote children's healthy sleep.
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