Contact Sleeping & Supporting Independent Sleep at Folkestone Street

Sleep support in our infant environment is highly responsive and relational. Contact sleeping is
one of the ways we provide comfort and co-regulation for pēpi who need closer support,
particularly during times of transition, illness, separation anxiety, or disrupted sleep patterns.
Not all children require contact sleeping. Instead, we respond flexibly to individual needs. Some
children need it consistently, others only occasionally. This reflects Mana Whenua | belonging,
where home routines, identities, and rhythms are valued and carried into the centre environment
(MoE, 2017).
We use predictable routines such as nappy changes, sleep sacks, white noise, and familiar
lullabies to create secure sleep associations for tamariki. Comfort items from home are also
encouraged to strengthen continuity between home and the centre. Settling approaches remain
consistent and responsive, including holding and rocking children, patting or gently rocking them
in their cot, sitting alongside them as they settle, and offering touch-based reassurance such as
hand holding or gentle strokes. As children show readiness, physical support is gradually
reduced in line with their cues. We also draw on familiar supports such as weighted blankets or
items from home to maintain emotional continuity. At times, we adapt the environment for
example, bringing a cot mattress into shared infant spaces to reduce separation anxiety and
support a smoother transition into independent sleep.
A successful transition is not measured by speed, but by emotional safety. It often looks like a
child becoming more settled in their cot, accepting reassurance without full physical contact,
and gradually building confidence to fall asleep with a kaiako nearby.
Sleep is one of the most vulnerable times in a child’s day. As highlighted in Te Whāriki (Mo E,
2017), caregiving moments such as sleep are not separate from learning they are central to it.
When tamariki feel safe in these moments, they are more able to regulate emotions, form
trusting relationships, and engage confidently in exploration during their waking hours.
We consistently observe that when children feel secure with kaiako, they settle more quickly,
show reduced distress during transitions, and become more relaxed within their sleep
environment. Over time, many move from needing close physical contact to requiring only
presence and reassurance, and eventually begin developing their own settling strategies.
Research supports this relational approach. Attachment theory highlights that secure,
responsive caregiving supports emotional regulation and safety in times of vulnerability. Children
who experience consistent co-regulation are more likely to develop stable sleep patterns and
increased independence over time (McNab, 2012). Wider early childhood research also
emphasises that secure attachment relationships form the foundation for autonomy rather than
a barrier to it (Du Plessis, 2009).