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Registered childminders need to undertake a first aid course as part of their registration conditions and renew their training regularly throughout their childminding career.

The requirement for first aid training is set out in the Safeguarding & Promoting Children’s Welfare section of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Statutory Framework, which states:

“At least one person who has a current paediatric first aid certificate must be on the premises at all times when children are present. There must be at least one person on outings who has a current paediatric first aid certificate.”

This means you cannot start childminding prior to attending training and if you allow your certificate to expire without renewing you will be breaching your registration to care for children. Not having an up to date first aid certificate may also invalidate your insurance.

If you employ a childminding assistant they are not required to attend a first aid course unless you want to leave them in sole care of the children for short periods, which would also require a variation to your registration. However, it is certainly useful training for anyone working with children to have.

Paediatric First Aid Courses

As a childminder you must attend a first aid course that is specifically aimed at people looking after children. These courses are usually called either ‘First Aid for Childcarers’ or ‘Paediatric First Aid’. It must be approved by the local authority in the area you work in and also meet the criteria set out in Practice Guidance for the Early Years Foundation Stage, which states the training must:

• be designed for childcare workers
• a minimum of 12 hours long
• include resuscitation and other equipment for practicing skills on children
• be appropriate to the age of the children being cared for
• cover:
  • appropriate contents of a first aid box
  • recording accidents and incidents
  • planning for first aid emergencies
  • dealing with emergencies
  • resuscitation for children
  • shock
  • anaphylactic shock
  • electric shock
  • bleeding
  • burns and scalds
  • choking
  • fractures
  • head, neck and back injuries
  • poisoning
  • foreign bodies in eyes, ears and noses
  • eye injuries
  • bites and stings
  • extreme heat and cold
  • febrile convulsions
  • the emergency needs of children with chronic medical conditions, including epilepsy, asthma, sickle cell anaemia, diabetes
  • meningitis and other serious sudden illnesses

First Aid Course Format

First aid training is a practical course so you cannot undertake it online. The 12 hours training required may be completed over two days (such as a weekend) or a series of evening sessions. During the training the instructor will discussing various aspects of providing first aid along with demonstrations and sometimes video examples. You will also have practical lessons on first aid skills such as bandaging and resuscitation.

Most first aid training does not include an exam; instead your instructor will monitor your progress throughout the course to decide if you have successfully learnt the skills and knowledge required to be certified.

First Aid Certificate Renewal/Re-Fresher

First aid training needs to be renewed a minimum of every three years. You should be issued with a certificate on completion of the course which will include an expiry date. Renewing first aid certification is important to refresh your memory of how to deal with emergencies but also because the recommended ways to treat injuries can also change. Resuscitation in particular has changed several times in the past few years.

Although first aid refresher courses are available, as a childminder your renewal course must be the same length (a minimum of 12 hours) and contain the same content as the initial training. This means in practice you will need to take the same course as someone completing training for the first time.

Finding a Local First Aid Course

Your Local Authority, Family Information Service or Childminding Association are good sources of information on courses in your area. Some colleges also run courses but check that these are the correct type of first aid course for childminders.

Each training course usually only accepts around twelve students so spaces are quite limited. Try to plan booking a course 3-6 months ahead of when you need it to allow for finding a course in your area with places available.