Youth are often an underutilized resource in the SIDS risk reduction and infant safe sleep efforts. A new project in Virginia that involves young women in community service promoting lifesaving safe sleep messages for babies may help change this. In 2009, Merry McKenna, the Consortium Coordinator for Perinatal Region 1 in Virginia and Virginia Perinatal Council State Chair began meeting with staff from the Girl Scout Skyline Regional office to develop a new Lifesaver patch: Safe Sleep for Babies. Girl Scouts can be advocates and role models for safe sleep practices if they are baby sitters, care for younger siblings or become mothers in the future.

With the help of the PSC, an appropriate curriculum and materials for 7-14 year-olds was developed. The curriculum includes a PowerPoint module with a variety of activities and worksheets, as well as a guide for Troop leaders. Once the girls successfully complete this curriculum, they can earn the Safe Sleep Saves Babies’ Lives Patch.

The program is currently being implemented in the Skyline Girl Scout Regional office in Virginia and is being distributed to 26 troop leaders who have a total of 75 girls enrolled. Once they complete the program, copies of evaluations will be analyzed. Next steps will be to make any necessary revisions to the program, place a link online and distribute the program on a national level. Consideration will also be given to including more infant health and development information into the Girl Scout patch programs.

They are looking to partner with other troops to bring this patch to your area. For more information please contact Hanan Kallash at 1-800-221-7437, extension 227, or hanan@firstcandle.org, or Merry McKenna at 276-676-4501 or svpc.merry@comcast.net.