Source: Commons Library Research published on this website Monday 8 June 2026 by Jill Powell
There will be a debate to be announced, on government regulation of maternity nurses, nannies and the infant sleep industry.
The NHS has produced various webpages on baby sleep advice:
Stakeholder concerns
Various stakeholders have raised concerns about a lack of regulation regarding who can give advice on infants sleeping and misinformation online that could put infants’ health at harm.
In May 2026, a BBC investigation found some “self-described sleep experts” were giving new parents advice that goes against established NHS safe sleep guidelines. In the investigation, stakeholders raised concerns about a lack of support and guidance for parents and a lack of qualifications needed for someone to call themselves a “sleep expert” or “maternity nurse”. Stakeholders called for further regulation of advice being given in the industry to make sure it is evidence-based and safe, and training for people giving advice.
The charity lullaby trust has warned against “misleading marketing” around baby products. Research published in March 2026 by the lullaby trust found that from a survey of 1,000 UK parents and carers, while 95% said they felt confident about baby sleep safety, only 5% were able to correctly identify all safer sleep set-ups when shown a range of sleep environments. The survey found parents and carers reported items that don’t follow NHS safer sleep guidelines, such as cuddly toys or a blanket, present in 9 out of 10 baby sleep spaces, and many parents believed they were harmless “highlighting how easily unsafe practices can become normalised through clever marketing”.
Protected titles
In the UK, some health professions (such as doctors) are regulated by law. This includes the protection of the professional title and the requirement for professionals to be registered with a designated regulator to practise. For example, only those registered with the General Medical Council (GMC) can legally refer to themselves as a “medical practitioner,” and only those on the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) register can use the title “registered nurse.”
Whilst “registered nurse” is currently a protected title, “nurse” is not. Various stakeholders, including parliamentarians, have called for “nurse” to be a protected title to prevent the spread of misinformation and people using the title without registered nursing qualifications.
In May 2025, the government announced plans to introduce legislation in this Parliament to fully protect the title of “nurse”. The government’s press release said “there will be exemptions for relevant professions like veterinary nurse, dental nurse and nursery nurse, where the title ‘nurse’ is legitimately used”.
Regulation of childcare providers
All childcare providers registered with OFSTED on the Early Years Register (providing learning, development and care of children from birth to 5) are required to follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework, which requires babies to be placed down to sleep in line with the latest government safety guidance. There are also minimum qualification requirements that staff must meet in order to be included in the mandatory staff-to-child ratios (see written parliamentary question 103417 [on Pre-school Education: Sleep], 4 February 2026).
Nannies and home carers do not have to register with OFSTED but they can join the voluntary part of the Childcare Register if they wish. They are not able to join the Early Years Register. Childcare providers registered on the voluntary part of the Childcare Register, and not the Early Years Register, such as nannies, do not have to follow the EYFS statutory framework (see written parliamentary question 31566 [on Nannies: Registration].
Reading List
Nursery World, Updates to EYFS framework to strengthen safer sleep requirements after Genevieve Meehan’s death, 31 March 2026
BBC News, Dangerous baby-sleep advice given to parents by self-described experts, secret filming reveals, 5 May 2026
BBC News, Calls for ‘urgent action’ on baby-sleep industry after BBC investigation, 12 May 2026
National Nanny Association, Nanny Regulation in the UK: The Road to Regulation
Parliamentary material
Parliamentary question
Maternity Care (14 April 2026, 783 c675)
Asked: Regulation of infant sleep industry and that ‘maternity nurse’ is not a protected term.
Answered: There will shortly be a review into the title of ‘nurse’, and changes to ensure ‘nurse’ is a professional title.
