Accidents involving children can happen anywhere, at any time — from playground bumps and falls to choking incidents at mealtimes or allergic reactions on a school trip. In these moments, knowing how to respond confidently and correctly can make all the difference. That’s why Paediatric First Aid training is not just helpful — it’s essential.
Whether you're a parent, teacher, nursery practitioner, childminder, or youth worker, having the right knowledge and skills can help keep children safe and even save a life.
What Makes Paediatric First Aid Different?
You might be thinking: “I’ve done a First Aid course before — do I really need a separate Paediatric First Aid course?”
The answer is yes. While some techniques overlap, Paediatric First Aid is tailored specifically to meet the needs of babies, toddlers, and young children. Children are not just small adults — they require a different approach.
Here’s why:
1. Children Face Different Risks
Young children are naturally curious and love to explore, which means they're more prone to a different set of accidents to adults, for example, falls, burns, and accidental poisoning.
2. Higher Risk of Choking
Choking is much more common in babies and toddlers, who often explore objects with their mouths. See our blog for more info. https://helpfirstaidtraining.co.uk/news/what-to-do-when-someone-is-choking-first-aid
3. Smaller, More Fragile Bodies
Children's bones are softer and more delicate than those of an adult, so some first aid responses need to be adapted to allow for these differences.
4. Different CPR Requirements
Babies and young children have smaller airways and faster heart rates, meaning that they need a different approach to rescue breaths and gentler chest compressions.
What Are the Benefits of Paediatric First Aid Training?
There are countless reasons to complete a Paediatric First Aid course — both for your peace of mind and professional development:
Learn Life-Saving Skills
Our training covers everyday situations you may face at home, school, or out in the community.
Meet Your Setting's Legal Requirements
Our course is ideal for early years workers who need to meet national registration standards. In England and Wales, all childminders and staff working in Early Years Foundation Stage need a valid Paediatric First Aid qualification, preferably upon registration, but definitely within six months of receiving their registration certificate.
Recognise Signs of Potential Illness
Your skills can help you to recognise signs and symptoms of potential illness.
We recently received this message from Claire Budge of the Outdoor Pre-School, Darlington, a Help First Aid Training customer.
‘I just wanted to say what a fantastic paediatric first aid course this was. I’ve just attended 2 days with Graham and can honestly say this was the best one I’ve been on in the 20 years I’ve owned daycare settings. Prior to the one I attended; I sent all of my staff to Graham over the last few months and each of them reported back how brilliant it was too. Not only was it enjoyable, but also informative and Graham has a way of explaining things in a very clear way that makes things easy to understand.'
'I also wanted to pass on my heartfelt thanks, because due to Graham’s training, two of my staff were able to recognise the first signs of a potentially life-threatening illness - type 1 diabetes - in a little girl in our care. Thankfully they picked up on the symptoms she was presenting very early indeed, spoke to mum and dad, who then took her to the GP, and she was then diagnosed. I truly believe that this would not have been possible had they not recently attended the course.'
'Once again, thank you. We can’t recommend this course enough.’
Be Prepared for Emergencies
Gain the confidence to stay calm and act quickly when it matters most.
Boost Your Employability
A recognised Paediatric First Aid certificate can make you more attractive to employers and give parents peace of mind.
What’s Included in Our Paediatric First Aid Course?
At Help! First Aid Training in Shildon, County Durham, our 12-hour Paediatric First Aid course meets the requirements set by OFSTED, Childminding UK, and SureStart — making it ideal for anyone working with children in a professional or voluntary role.
Our course covers a wide range of essential topics, including:
- The role of a Paediatric First Aider and how to manage an emergency.
- CPR and the recovery position for babies and children (following Resuscitation Council UK guidelines).
- How to treat head injuries, bleeding, burns, shock, and soft tissue injuries.
- Managing allergic reactions, including how to use an EpiPen.
- Assisting with poisoning, bites, stings, eye/nose/ear injuries.
- How to respond to asthma attacks, diabetic emergencies, seizures, and other childhood illnesses.
Read more about our full Paediatric course content on our website; https://helpfirstaidtraining.co.uk/courses/paediatric-first-aid-12-hours
Book Your Paediatric First Aid Training in County Durham
At Help! First Aid Training, we deliver high-quality Paediatric First Aid courses from our training centre in Shildon, County Durham, and offer on-site training across the North-East for nurseries, schools, and childminding teams.
Whether you’re a parent, carer, or childcare professional, our expert trainers are here to make sure you leave feeling confident and capable — and maybe even enjoy yourself along the way!
We cover Newcastle to Newton Aycliffe, Darlington to Durham, Middlesbrough to Murton and everywhere in between.
🌐 Website: www.helpfirstaidtraining.co.uk
📧 Email: info@helpfirstaidtraining.co.uk
📞 Call us: 01388 417303
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