Child care safety issues

Minnesota requires child care providers to attend training on a variety of safety issues, including those listed below. Certain activities require parental consent and forms that are listed here. This also is valuable information for anyone caring for a child, not just child care providers.

Safe sleep position for infants
The latest research shows that laying an infant on his or her back is the safest sleeping position for preventing sudden unexpected infant deaths. Learn more in the videos below.
- Safe Sleep, video produced by Hennepin County
- Safe Sleep Practices, video produced by Eastern Virginia Medical School
- Sleep On It - Preventing Unsafe Sleep Practices, video produced by Dakota County
Note: The videos above include portrayals of infant sleep environments in private, non-licensed, homes that are not subject to the requirements of Minnesota Statutes, section 245A.1435. Licensed child care providers must comply with statutory safe sleep requirements when putting infants to sleep, including allowing nothing in the crib except for an infant's pacifier. In addition, attachments or modifications to the crib are prohibited.

Consent forms to allow deviating from safe sleeping requirements for infants

Child care providers licensed in Minnesota are required to place babies on their backs to sleep. If needed, you and your physician can instruct your child care provider to deviate from this practice using the consent forms below.
Wading and swimming pool safety
Learn about the risks of wading and swimming pools for children. You must sign a consent form for your child to use a pool at a family child care site.
Effects of abusive head trauma, including shaking a baby, and ways to prevent it
The following videos about abusive head trauma provide valuable information for anyone caring for infants and children under school age.
- Never Shake, video produced by The Children's Trust Fund
- Shaken Baby Syndrome, video segment from The Doctors programming
- Forever Shaken, video produced by the Nebraska Brain Injury Association