‘Experts warn against an increase in the number of child sleep coaches’

Pointer has researched how many child sleep coaches there are now and counts at least 100 via the Chamber of Commerce and Instagram, but adds: “In reality there are more.” This number is expected to rise considerably due to the arrival of two Dutch study programmes. By way of comparison: in 2016 there was one child sleep coach in the Netherlands.

Mostly mothers

Most child sleep coaches are mothers who also have a child who slept very poorly. Their courses vary greatly: from a course of a few days in the Netherlands or abroad to a part-time course of about a year. Anyone who wants to can call themselves a child sleep coach. There is no national registration and no quality requirements are set for either the coaches or the training courses.

Orthopedagogues, youth doctors and somnologists (sleep doctors) warn that this entails risks. And also child sleep coach from the very beginning Susanne Willekes argues for regulation and vocational training that looks at the background, training and quality of child sleep coaches.

Greater impact on the family

About 10 percent of Dutch six-month-old babies have sleeping problems, according to Pointer. Because parents themselves are becoming increasingly busy and often both work, the impact on a family is greater. Parents also often feel that they are not heard because the environment downplays the problems and they do not find the advice of the regular social services sufficient.

It only gives advice that has been scientifically proven, such as letting a child cry in a controlled manner. According to pediatric neurologist and somnologist Sigrid Pillen, this is a method that many parents find ‘very intense and not pleasant’.

Not scientifically proven

Parents therefore turn to child sleep coaches who recommend methods that have not yet been scientifically researched, but which, according to Pillen, ‘may be more in line with what parents like to do’. For example, she experienced that parents had been advised to put a child to bed too early, which actually made the sleeping problems worse.

The GGDs tell Pointer that they are investigating how they can guide parents ‘even more and better’.

Pointer’s broadcast can be seen tonight at 10.10 pm on NPO2.