The parents of Genevieve Meehan, a nine-month-old girl who died in May 2022 after being placed face down on a beanbag at a nursery in Cheadle Hulme, Stockport, have expressed concerns that unsafe sleeping practices may be prevalent throughout the childcare sector in England. Kate Roughley, the nursery’s deputy manager, was sentenced to 14 years in prison in 2024 for manslaughter related to the incident, which lasted one hour and 37 minutes.
The case has prompted a broader campaign led by Genevieve’s parents, Katie and John Meehan, in partnership with the Lullaby Trust charity, to improve safety standards and regulatory oversight of nurseries. This effort comes amid heightened scrutiny of the sector following several other incidents, including cases involving nursery workers Vincent Chan and Nathan Bennett, who received sentences of 18 and 24 years respectively for sexual assault against children in their care, and Kimberley Cookson, who was imprisoned in connection with the death of 14-month-old Noah Sibanda.
As a result of the campaign, the government has implemented new regulations effective September requiring that babies under 12 months old be placed to sleep exclusively in cots. Ofsted will increase unannounced inspections significantly, adding 3,000 visits annually with £8 million in additional government funding, and will conduct inspections every four years instead of six. Katie Meehan indicated that responses from nurseries regarding these changes revealed concerning practices, including babies sleeping in pushchairs due to space constraints and outdoor sleeping arrangements modeled on forest school or Scandinavian practices.
The Meehan family and supporters continue to advocate for mandatory CCTV installation across all English nurseries, which former early years minister Olivia Bailey reportedly supported. John Meehan expressed concerns that some nursery operators, particularly those backed by private equity investors, may prioritize financial considerations over child safety by admitting excessive numbers of infants. Government and regulatory officials have confirmed that the majority of childcare settings operate responsibly, while emphasizing that the new requirements clarify existing legal obligations to follow NHS safer sleep guidance.
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