Safer Sleeping for Babies: SIDs Training Online

Greater awareness of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is one of the most effective ways to reduce cases. This course is designed to do just that, whilst ensuring learners gain knowledge on practical and effective ways to reduce the risks.

Following changes to the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) in April 2026 staff who work in those settings must complete safer sleeping training that specifically refers to the NHS guidance and Lullaby Trust advice from September 2026. This information is included in our CPD approved course.

This course, Safer Sleeping for Babies, gives up-to-date information on how to make sleeping safer for babies and gives advice on lowering the chance of SUDC (Sudden Unexpected Death in Childhood).

This safe sleep course gives a wide range of information and guidance, and is aimed at health workers, nursery workers, and those working with babies and new parents.  

A wide range of topics are covered throughout this SIDs training, including:

• The definitions of SUDI, SIDS and SUDC and how they differ
• Tackling unexplained deaths, and reducing their number
• The agencies and individuals who can help reduce the risk
• The triple risk model  
• Descriptions of environmental risks and how to avoid or reduce them
• Advice to give to parents on how to avoid SIDS 
• Strategies for safer sleeping
• SIDS and Smoking
• How to regulate babies’ temperature
• The dangers of co-sleeping and bed-sharing

The safe sleep training course also covers up-to-date statistics, facts and figures to help learners understand the current levels of (SIDS).

It provides links to organisations that can provide information and help, such as the Lullaby Trust, the Baby Sleep Information Service, and the NHS. This course contains challenges for learners to check their understanding as the course proceeds.

Testing and certification

At the end of our The Essentials of Safer Sleeping for Babies e-learning course, there is a test consisting of 15 multiple choice questions, for which a pass mark of at least 75% is required.

Learners can have as many as six attempts at the test at no extra cost, and further tries can be arranged by contacting the Virtual College team.

After achieving a pass mark of 75% or above, learners will be able to download and print a Virtual College certificate for their records.

Course duration

The Safer Sleeping for Babies course should take one to two hours to complete, but this depends on how quickly each individual absorbs the study material.

Progress is recorded and automatically saved throughout by the Virtual College Learning Management System, meaning learners can take as long as they need to complete the training.

Entry requirements

There are no specific entry requirements for this Safer Sleeping for Babies course.

What training can I do next?

If you are a professional working with babies, children or young people, we have a wide catalogue of online safeguarding courses suitable for your role.

These include Safeguarding Children and Young People Level 3, Safeguarding Children and An Introduction to the Autism Spectrum.