Case No. EWFC-57

83. A told me that she and the father would always put B to sleep on her back, but she would prefer to roll slightly onto her side, with her arm above her head. She told me that she never put B to bed in any other way than on her back. 84.The local authority has sought to rely on an observation from a video which shows B being put to bed on her front, and not with her feet at the bottom of the bed. There are also videos of B in the middle of the cot rather than at the foot. 85.The parents assembled B’s cot (which had four sides) in a way that left one side open, in the manner of a ‘next to me’ cot, although because not specifically designed, their cot did not have straps or any other means of attaching the cot to the parents’ bed to avoid it becoming separated, posing the obvious risk of the child falling out. Of course, that is exactly what the father says happened on the night of the Jubilee, if that is a truthful account. But I accept the mother’s evidence that, at all other times, she ensured that the cot was pushed up against her own bed whenever B was in it to go to sleep. 86.I accept the mother’s evidence that she had been advised about safe sleeping, and the risks of SIDS and that she applied it to the extent that she would put B to sleep on her back. I also accept that foot to feet is only significant in the event that a baby is sleeping underneath a blanket, which is tucked into the side of the cot, whereas B was being swaddled. I am not persuaded that there is evidence that the parents wilfully failed to accept sleeping advice. 87.I remind myself that society must accept diverse and varying standards of parenting. Some parents will read every book available to them in relation to the care of their child, seek professional support and advice on every issue and implement every bit. Some parents will never allow their child a sweet (or refined sugar), whilst others may not place strict limits. The parents would have been cautioned against using a cot without a side had the health visitor seen it, but it was not neglectful in and of itself, given the age of B and the way in which I accept that the mother arranged the room.