Have you ever wondered what is taught in a first aid course? There are set standards and topics that must be covered in a paediatric first aid course to be in line with the Ofsted syllabus for child first aid courses. This is a requirement for all childminders, nursery practitioners and nannies (who wish to register on the Voluntary Childcare Register) to learn.
Completing a first aid course is a necessity for all early years workers. Whether you work as a nanny, nursery practitioner or childminder. By completing a paediatric first aid course, each individual should understand what to do in any given emergency and will need to keep updated in their knowledge by refreshing their paediatric first aid course every 3 years.
But did you know that it is an Ofsted requirement to refresh your first aid every 3 years and that you need to learn a certain syllabus every time? What is taught in a first aid course matters as certain criteria is expected from the Ofsted syllabus.
Legal Requirements for First Aid
Under the Childcare Act 2006, the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) was introduced and is the statutory framework which sets out requirements for learning and development, and safeguarding and welfare that all early years providers must meet. This ensures all children learn and develop well and are kept healthy and safe, regardless of which setting they attend. The current legal requirements for paediatric first aid are set out in the safeguarding and welfare section of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).
It is a legal requirement for at least one person to hold a valid full 12 hour paediatric first aid certificate and to be available at all times within all professional childcare settings. This includes cover for sickness, annual leave, maternity leave and for trips and outings.
To achieve the Millie’s Mark status, introduced in 2016, all staff need to be trained in paediatric first aid.
When a nursery setting gains the Millie's Mark accreditation, it shows that you provide reassurance for your parents that all childcare practitioners know what to do in a first aid situation.
It is also a requirement that all newly qualified practitioners at a Level 2 and 3 must either hold the full 12 hour paediatric first aid course, or the 6 hours emergency first aid certification before they can be allocated into the adult/child ratios for the setting.
Paediatric first aid training must be relevant for workers caring for young children and where relevant, babies. Providers should take into account the number of children, staff and layout of premises to ensure that a paediatric first aider is able to respond to emergencies quickly.
What is Taught in a First Aid Course?
You can choose which organisation you wish to provide paediatric first aid training, but the training must cover the course content as for St John Ambulance or Red Cross paediatric first aid training, in line with the Ofsted syllabus for child first aid courses, and must be renewed every three years.
Little Ones Training and Education is a member of the First Aid Industry Body. A regulatory body ensuring a high quality of service and standard from its members. What is taught in a first aid course is highly important to us and we seek to provide the full Ofsted syllabus for child first aid courses within our 12 hour paediatric first aid course.
Little Ones Training and Education meets the requirements set out by the Ofsted syllabus for child first aid courses for the Early Years and Voluntary Childcare registers, and covers the following subjects:
Accident prevention
Planning for emergencies
Appropriate contents of First Aid kits
Basic life support for babies, children and adults using life sized mannequins
Resuscitation
Bleeding
Bone injuries
Burns and scalds
Choking
Febrile Convulsions
Head injuries
Meningitis
Seizures
Eye injuries
Foreign bodies in eyes, ears and noses
Effects of extreme heat and cold
Chronic medical conditions such as epilepsy, asthma,sickle cell and diabetes
Anaphylaxis
Allergies, bites and stings
Poisoning
Electric shock
To have these skills that comply with the Ofsted syllabus for child first aid courses, will not only give the parents reassurance that you are capable of keeping their children safe, but will also improve your practice to be able to assess risks, provide a safe environment, and know exactly what to do in any emergency situation where first aid may be required.
In the event of an accident happening, by following and learning the Ofsted syllabus for child first aid courses, you will be prepared and will know exactly what to do in any circumstance. That is the best practice you can provide as a nanny or childminder or within a nursery setting.
So What is the Ofsted Syllabus for First Aid?
As set out by the Ofsted syllabus for child first aid courses, Little Ones paediatric first aid (PFA) courses for nannies, childminders and nursery practitioners are designed for early years workers caring for young children in the absence of their parents and are appropriate to the age of the children that you will be caring for. This gives parents the reassurance that you are complying to legal standards and are providing a safe and caring environment for their children.
What is taught in paediatric first aid (PFA) and emergency first aid courses give you the skills and hands on learning, via resuscitation dummies and equipment to practice on different sizes and ages of baby, infant and child to comply with Ofsted syllabus for child first aid courses. What is taught on a first aid course must be a combination of practical, real life simulation, as well as theory based information. This is why providing resuscitation dummies to fit within the different age groups of children you will be working with, is imperative due to different techniques need to be practiced dependant on the size and age of the infant.
Paediatric first aid courses for childminders should be taken face-to-face and follow the Ofsted syllabus for child first aid courses within the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) guidelines, whereby early years workers need to:
Be able to assess an emergency situation and prioritise what action to take
This skill is of utmost importance and will set the pace for the rest of the paediatric first aid course, by emphasising the importance of assessing each emergency situation that may arise in your setting. It is from learning this procedure that you will then be able to use your skills to deal with any emergency.
What is taught in the rest of the Ofsted syllabus for child first aid courses, covered in both the 6 hour emergency first aid course and 12 hour paediatric first aid course, includes learning how to;
Help a baby or child who is unresponsive and breathing normally
Help a baby or child who is unresponsive and not breathing normally
Help a baby or child who is having a seizure
Help a baby or child who is choking
Help a baby or child who is bleeding
Help a baby or child who is suffering from shock caused by severe blood loss (hypovolemic shock)
To develop these skills, you are given plenty of opportunity to practice your readiness within our paediatric first aid course and are made to feel comfortable and confident in all paediatric first aid training given. The Ofsted syllabus for child first aid courses allows for hands on learning so that you feel competent and ready in an emergency situation that may arise.
It is a legal requirement that at least one person within your early years setting needs to complete a full 12 hour Ofsted compliant paediatric first aid course. To comply with the Ofsted syllabus for child first aid courses, in addition to the above criteria, you will also learn how to:
Help a baby or child who is suffering from anaphylactic shock
Help a baby or child who has had an electric shock
Help a baby or child who has burns or scalds
Help a baby or child who has a suspected fracture
Help a baby or child with head, neck or back injuries
Help a baby or child who is suspected of being poisoned
Help a baby or child with a foreign body in eyes, ears or nose
Help a baby or child with an eye injury
Help a baby or child with a bite or sting
Help a baby or child who is suffering from the effects of extreme heat or cold
Help a baby or child having: a diabetic emergency; an asthma attack; an allergic reaction; meningitis; and/or febrile convulsions
Understand the role and responsibilities of the paediatric first aider (including appropriate contents of a first aid box and the need for recording accidents and incidents)
The emphasis of all of these is to 'help' a baby or child in these areas of paediatric first aid. By following the Ofsted syllabus for child first aid courses, you are required to understand and feel confident in all of these areas. What is taught in the first aid course by Little Ones Training & Education covers all of the Ofsted syllabus for child first aid courses, as well as providing a safe, educational environment to develop these skills and build your confidence and expertise in first aid for children.
Why Little Ones Covers the Ofsted Syllabus for Child First Aid Courses
Both Little Ones Training and Education paediatric and emergency first aid courses for nannies, childminders and nursery practitioners follow the Early Years Foundation Stage recommendations set out by the Ofsted syllabus for child first aid courses, making them compliant for all practitioners.
This includes;
The practitioner(s)/childminder(s) who need to hold a valid full 12 hour paediatric first aid certificate
Newly qualified Level 2 & 3 practitioners who must obtain a first aid course certification within 3 months of starting a role within a nursery
Nannies wishing to register on the Ofsted Voluntary Childcare Register
What is taught in the first aid courses is highly important and sets the standards of the practitioners within your setting.
The new legislation from the Department of Education (DofE) which was brought in in 2017, requires all newly qualified level two and three child carers to have either an emergency paediatric first aid (6 hours) or full paediatric first aid (12 hours) certificate. It remains a legal requirement for at least one person with a valid full 12-hour paediatric first aid certificate to be available at all times. This includes cover for sickness and annual leave and to accompany children on trips or excursions.
Making sure that staff are up to date and complete a first aid course which covers the Ofsted syllabus for child first aid courses should be a priority for any setting offering a service to provide care for children.
The Little Ones paediatric and emergency first aid courses are taken face-to-face at our Central London office in Kings Cross and provide the complete Ofsted syllabus for child first aid courses, meaning they are suitable for nannies, childminders and nursery practitioners (including newly qualified).
To book your place on a first aid course that provides the Ofsted syllabus for child first aid courses, then give Little Ones Training and Education a call on 0207 112 8057.
Little Ones have been providing courses for early years workers for over 5 years and have successfully provided the Ofsted syllabus for child first aid courses to nannies, childminders and nursery practitioners. We offer a special group discount* for nursery settings wishing to book their staff onto either the emergency (6 hours) or paediatric (12 hour) first aid course. This way, you can achieve the Millie’s Mark status and have the confidence that all your nursery practitioners comply and understand the full Ofsted syllabus for child first aid courses.
special 10% discount for group bookings of 10+
not all staff have to attend the same course, just the booking needs to be made on the same day
