Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps to ensure that early years staff in all settings read (a) the relevant Early years foundation stage statutory framework, last updated on 1 September 2025, in full and (b) NHS guidance on Sudden infant death syndrome, last updated on 21 October 2021.

Early years providers are legally required to adhere to the requirements with the early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework, which can be read in full here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-framework--2. It is therefore providers’ responsibility to ensure they and their staff are following the current version of the framework and that they understand the requirements within.

Within the framework there is a requirement for providers to ensure that babies are placed down to sleep safely in line with the latest NHS guidance on reducing the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Further information can be found here: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sudden-infant-death-syndrome-sids/.

The department promotes EYFS framework updates and relevant health and safeguarding guidance through a range of communication channels, including emails sent to local authorities for dissemination to all early years settings, and, where appropriate, through webinars and vodcasts hosted on the Foundation Years website, which can be accessed here: https://www.foundationyears.org.uk/.