This qualification provides an in-depth understanding of:

• The role and responsibilities of the paediatric first aider
• The legal and regulatory context, including Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) requirements
• Assessing an incident involving an infant or child
• The management of an unresponsive infant or child who is breathing
• Paediatric CPR and the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED)
• The management of a choking infant or child
• The control of bleeding and the management of shock
• The management of common childhood illnesses, including febrile seizures
• The treatment of injuries, including burns, fractures and head injuries
• Recording and reporting, and communication with parents and carers

• Adult first aid technique applied at reduced force is not the same as correct paediatric technique, and the difference can affect outcome.
• Children can compensate for a deteriorating condition for longer than adults, then decompensate suddenly and steeply.
• Choking response differs materially between infants and children old enough for abdominal thrusts to be used safely.
• Common paediatric emergencies such as febrile seizures and anaphylaxis require specific, age-appropriate recognition and response.
• Early years settings carry specific staffing ratio requirements for paediatric first aid cover.
• Correct incident recording and escalation is expected in childcare and education settings, not just clinical response.

• Level 3 qualification covering paediatric first aid knowledge for infants and children
• Delivered entirely online through the Britsafe learning management system (LMS) no physical classroom attendance is required
• Course materials are provided digitally (soft copy) via the LMS
• Assessed via an online examination through the Britsafe Examination Management System (EMS), with a minimum pass mark of 70%
• Certification issued with an anti-counterfeit hologram security seal, available both as a physical copy and as a soft (digital) copy
• Covers infant and child technique as distinct from adult first aid, not a scaled-down version of it
• Addresses recognition of deterioration as well as response to collapse

Knowledge developed:

• Infant and child anatomy and physiology as it relates to first aid technique
• Age-appropriate basic life support and choking response
• Common paediatric emergencies and their recognition
• Wound, burn and injury management for infants and children
• Reporting, record-keeping and regulatory context in childcare settings

Skills developed:

• Applying correct age-appropriate technique rather than reduced-force adult technique
• Recognising early signs of deterioration before a collapse occurs
• Responding correctly to a choking infant versus a choking child
• Managing a febrile seizure safely
• Recognising anaphylaxis quickly and using an auto-injector correctly
• Recording a paediatric first aid incident to the standard expected by a childcare or education setting

This Certificate is designed for those responsible for the welfare of infants and children, including:

• Nursery and early years practitioners
• Childminders
• Teaching assistants and school staff
• Sports coaches and activity leaders working with children
• Holiday club and out-of-school-club staff
• Health visitors and community childcare workers
• Parents, grandparents and carers wanting a thorough understanding of paediatric first aid

No prior qualification is required.

There are no formal academic prerequisites for this Level 3 Certificate. It is open to learners aged 18 and above with a reasonable standard of spoken and written English, sufficient to engage with course materials and complete the assessment.

Course content is structured around progressive learning blocks covering primary assessment and basic life support for infants and children; choking response by age group; recognising deteriorating illness; febrile seizures; anaphylaxis and auto-injector use; asthma attacks and croup; wound, bleeding and burn management; head injury and suspected fractures; and reporting, record-keeping and the regulatory context for paediatric first aid in childcare and education settings.

Assessment is conducted through an online examination via the Britsafe Examination Management System (EMS). Learners must achieve a minimum score of 70% to pass. On successful completion, learners receive a certificate, available both as a physical copy and as a soft (digital) copy. Results and certificates are typically issued promptly following successful completion.

This Level 3 Certificate supports roles including:

• Nursery or Early Years Practitioner
• Registered Childminder
• Teaching Assistant or School Support Staff
• Holiday Club or After-School Club Supervisor
• Sports Coach or Activity Leader
• A supporting credential alongside broader childcare and education-sector qualifications

• Early years and nursery education
• Primary and secondary education
• Childminding and home-based childcare
• Out-of-school and holiday club provision
• Sports coaching and activity leadership for children
• Community and family support services
• Paediatric healthcare support roles
• Any setting responsible for the welfare of infants and children

• Supports staffing ratio requirements for paediatric first aid cover in early years settings
• Improves staff confidence and readiness to respond to common paediatric emergencies
• Strengthens incident recording and escalation practice
• Reduces reliance on assuming adult first aid knowledge transfers safely to children
• Supports safeguarding and welfare obligations expected of childcare and education providers
• Provides documented evidence of staff competence for inspection and parental assurance

• A recognised, portable credential in paediatric first aid knowledge
• Understanding of why children require different first aid technique from adults
• Flexible online delivery that fits around shift and childcare patterns
• Practical ability to recognise early signs of deterioration in a child
• Confidence in responding to common paediatric emergencies
• A foundation for further practical, in-person paediatric first aid training where required

Learners can apply this qualification directly to:

• Applying correct age-appropriate basic life support and choking response
• Recognising early signs of deteriorating illness in a child
• Responding safely to a febrile seizure
• Recognising anaphylaxis and understanding auto-injector use
• Managing wounds, bleeding and burns in infants and children
• Recording and escalating a paediatric first aid incident correctly
• Supporting a setting's staffing ratio and regulatory requirements for paediatric first aid cover

This Certificate is best positioned as knowledge-based paediatric first aid training. Learners often progress into:

• Practical, in-person paediatric first aid training where a hands-on component is specifically required
• Adult first aid qualifications
• Safeguarding and child protection training
• Early years and childcare qualifications
• Britsafe Level 2 Award in Managing Safely

• Early years and childcare careers
• Education and school support roles
• Health and social care roles involving children
• Sports coaching and activity leadership progression
• Professional membership routes with relevant early years and education bodies

Britsafe Qualifications UK Limited delivers this qualification fully online, making it accessible to learners across the UK and internationally without the need to attend a physical training centre. The underlying paediatric first aid principles are widely applicable across settings. Paediatric first aid staffing requirements for childcare and education settings are set nationally, so learners should confirm the specific requirement that applies in their country and setting.

1. What does this qualification cover?
It covers primary assessment and basic life support adapted for infants and children, choking response for infants and children, recognising and responding to deteriorating illness, common paediatric emergencies including febrile seizures, anaphylaxis, asthma attacks and croup, wound and burn management, and the reporting and record-keeping duties expected in childcare and education settings.

2. Why can't adult first aid technique simply be scaled down for a child?
Because a child's anatomy and physiology are proportioned differently, not just sized differently. An infant's airway is smaller relative to its tongue, its ribs are more flexible, and its circulating blood volume is much smaller, so the same force, hand position or approach that works safely on an adult can be ineffective or actively harmful if simply applied at a smaller scale. Paediatric first aid uses techniques designed specifically for infant and child anatomy, not adult technique performed more gently.

3. What is the difference between infant and child choking response?
For an infant, back blows and chest thrusts are used because the abdomen is too small and the internal organs too exposed for abdominal thrusts to be used safely. For a child old enough to have developed abdominal muscle protection, back blows are followed by abdominal thrusts, similar in principle to the adult technique but adapted in force and hand position. Using the wrong technique for the child's age is a recognised cause of avoidable injury during a choking response.

4. Why is recognising deterioration treated as such an important skill?
Because children can compensate for a worsening condition for longer than an adult would, maintaining near-normal vital signs right up until they decompensate suddenly and steeply. A first aider who is only trained to respond to an obvious collapse can miss the earlier warning signs, such as a change in breathing pattern, skin colour or responsiveness, that would have allowed help to be called sooner.

5. What is a febrile seizure and how should a first aider respond?
A febrile seizure is a convulsion triggered by a rapid rise in body temperature, most common in children between six months and five years. A first aider should protect the child from injury during the seizure, avoid restraining the movements or putting anything in the mouth, time the seizure, and place the child in the recovery position once it ends, seeking emergency medical help if the seizure is prolonged or is the child's first episode.

6. How does responding to anaphylaxis in a child differ from an adult?
The recognition signs and the use of an adrenaline auto-injector follow the same underlying principles, but paediatric auto-injector doses are weight-based and lower than the adult dose, and children can deteriorate from first symptoms to a life-threatening reaction faster than an adult typically would. A first aider working with children needs to recognise the early signs quickly and know which auto-injector dose applies to the child in front of them.

7. What childcare settings require staff to hold a paediatric first aid qualification?
Early years settings in England registered under the Early Years Foundation Stage framework are required to have an appropriate ratio of staff holding a valid paediatric first aid certificate on site and on outings whenever children are present. Requirements outside early years settings, and outside England, vary and should be confirmed against the specific regulatory framework that applies.

8. Is a physical or practical skills assessment included?
No. This Certificate is delivered and assessed entirely online through the Britsafe learning management system and Examination Management System, and develops the underpinning knowledge for paediatric first aid response. It does not itself constitute a hands-on, practical paediatric first aid qualification of the kind some regulatory frameworks specifically require; learners should check whether their setting requires a practical, in-person component in addition to this knowledge-based Certificate.

9. Who is this qualification aimed at?
Nursery and early years practitioners, childminders, teaching assistants and school staff, sports coaches and activity leaders working with children, and parents, grandparents or carers wanting a thorough understanding of paediatric first aid.

10. Are there any entry requirements?
No formal prerequisites are required. Learners should have a reasonable standard of English and be aged 18 or above.

11. How is the qualification assessed?
Through an online examination via the Britsafe Examination Management System, with a minimum pass mark of 70%.

12. What materials are provided with the course?
Learners receive digital (soft copy) course materials via the Britsafe learning management system. The course is delivered entirely online; there is no physical classroom attendance or physical course material.

13. What happens after I pass the exam?
Successful learners receive a certificate from Britsafe Qualifications UK Limited, featuring an anti-counterfeit hologram seal for authenticity. The certificate is available both as a physical copy and as a soft (digital) copy.

14. Is this qualification recognised internationally?
Britsafe Qualifications UK Limited delivers this qualification fully online to learners across the UK and internationally. The underlying first aid principles are widely applicable, but paediatric first aid staffing requirements for childcare and education settings are set nationally, and learners should confirm the specific requirement that applies in their country and setting.

15. Can this qualification lead to further study?
Yes. It provides a foundation for practical, in-person paediatric first aid training where a hands-on component is required, adult first aid qualifications, and further childcare and education-sector safeguarding and welfare training.