Assessment of Sleep Patterns and Developmental Outcomes in Children Attending Full-Day Creche Programmes in Lagos

Full-day crèche programmes are increasingly common in urban Lagos as working parents seek extended childcare, and understanding how programme arrangements relate to children's sleep patterns and developmental outcomes is important for quality crèche standards. This study assessed sleep patterns and developmental outcomes among children aged 6 to 30 months attending full-day crèches in Ikeja and Eti-Osa Local Government Areas, Lagos State. A cross-sectional survey gathered sleep data from 180 parents using validated sleep diaries over one week, alongside developmental screenings using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire. Crèche schedule data were collected from 20 crèche managers. Results showed that children attending crèches with scheduled midday rest periods of at least 90 minutes had significantly better sleep duration totals than those without such provisions (p < 0.01). Total daily sleep averaged 12.4 hours, below the recommended 14 to 16 hours for the age group. Children meeting sleep requirements showed higher scores on the ASQ communication and personal-social domains. Only 45 percent of crèches had dedicated sleep spaces with appropriate lighting. The study concludes that sleep provision quality significantly affects developmental outcomes in crèche settings. Recommendations include mandatory rest period provisions in crèche regulations, parent sleep education at enrolment, and minimum physical environment standards for sleep spaces in Lagos crèche licensing requirements. Keywords: sleep patterns, crèche programmes, infant development, Lagos, Ages and Stages Questionnaire