If you are a registered childminder in Crewe, or you are thinking about becoming one, first aid training is one of the non-negotiables. Ofsted requires you to hold a current paediatric first aid qualification before you can look after children in your home, and that certificate needs to stay valid for as long as you are registered. If it lapses, you are not compliant, and that could cause problems at your next inspection.
The rules are clear, but the details can be confusing. Which course do you actually need? How long is the certificate valid? What does the training cover? And where can you do it without taking too much time away from the children you look after?
We are PCT Services, and we deliver accredited paediatric first aid training from our training centre at First Floor, 2 Queen Street in Northwich, about a 25 minute drive from Crewe. We train childminders from across Cheshire, and we know exactly what you need to stay compliant and confident.
What Ofsted requires
As a registered childminder, you must hold a valid paediatric first aid qualification at all times. This is part of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory requirements, and Ofsted inspectors will check it. They will look at your certificate, confirm it is from an approved training provider, and check the expiry date.
If your certificate has expired, or if the course you completed does not meet the EYFS requirements, that is a compliance issue. It will be flagged in your inspection report and could affect your rating. In the worst case, if something happened to a child in your care and you did not have a valid first aid qualification, the consequences could be serious.
The good news is that meeting the requirement is straightforward. You need to complete a recognised paediatric first aid course, keep your certificate up to date, and make sure the training gives you the practical skills to actually handle an emergency. That last point matters more than you might think. A certificate on the wall is one thing. Knowing what to do when a toddler chokes on a grape is another.
Which course is right for you?
We offer two paediatric first aid courses that meet Ofsted requirements for childminders.
Emergency Paediatric First Aid (1 Day)
This is the course most childminders in Crewe choose. It is a one day, seven hour course that covers the core paediatric emergencies you are most likely to encounter, including choking in infants and children, infant and child CPR, managing an unconscious child, burns and scalds, febrile convulsions, allergic reactions, bleeding, and head injuries.
It costs £75 plus VAT, the certificate is valid for three years, and groups can be up to 12. You get a Qualsafe Awards accredited qualification that meets EYFS and Ofsted requirements.
This course is practical and hands on. You will practise the techniques on infant and child manikins, not just listen to a presentation. By the end of the day, you will have the skills and the confidence to respond if something happens in your setting.
Emergency Paediatric First Aid
The Qualsafe Level 3 Award in Emergency Paediatric First Aid (RQF) is a regulated and nationally recognised qualification. Your trainer is a Registered Nurse with many years of clinical experience within Emergency Departments who trains Advanced Paediatric Life Support to medical and nursing staff in acute hospital environments.
Combined Emergency First Aid at Work and Paediatric First Aid
If you also want to be covered for adult first aid, which is useful if parents, grandparents, or other adults are regularly on your premises, the combined course is worth considering. It covers both adult workplace first aid and paediatric first aid in a single package, with pre-course e-learning and one day of classroom training.
It starts from £95 plus VAT, the certificate is valid for three years, and groups can be up to 12. This gives you dual certification from one course, which is practical and cost effective.
Combined EFAW & Paediatric First Aid
This combined Qualsafe Level 3 Award in Emergency First Aid at Work (RQF) and Emergency Paediatric First Aid (RQF) is a regulated and nationally recognised qualification and is HSE, OFSTED and EYFS compliant. Your trainer is a Registered Nurse with years of experience in Emergency Departments who trains Advanced Life and Advanced Paediatric Support to medical and nursing staff in acute hospital environments.
What you will actually learn
The paediatric first aid scenarios you need to be prepared for as a childminder are specific to the age group you look after. Babies and toddlers face different risks from older children, and the techniques for managing emergencies are different too.
Choking is the most common serious emergency for childminders. Small children put everything in their mouths, and the back blows and chest thrusts you use on an infant are completely different from what you would do for an older child or adult. Getting this wrong could make things worse, so it is essential that you learn and practise the correct technique.
Infant CPR is another critical skill. If a baby stops breathing, you need to know exactly what to do without hesitation. The course teaches you the correct ratio of rescue breaths to chest compressions for infants, how deep to compress, and how to manage the airway.
Febrile convulsions are frightening to witness but are something childminders may encounter, especially with children between six months and five years. The course teaches you how to recognise what is happening, keep the child safe, and manage the situation calmly.
Burns and scalds are common in home environments where children are around hot drinks, radiators, and kitchen equipment. You will learn how to assess the severity, how to cool the burn properly, and when to call for emergency help.
Planning your certificate renewal
Your certificate is valid for three years, so it is easy to forget about it until it is nearly expired. Our advice is to put a reminder in your diary for three months before your expiry date. That gives you plenty of time to find a course date that works for you and book your place without any last minute panic.
Some childminders in Crewe tell us they book their next course as soon as they finish the current one, so it is always in the diary. That is a good approach if you are the organised type.
If you are part of a childminder network or group in Crewe, it might be worth coordinating your training together. We can accommodate groups of up to 12, so if several childminders book onto the same course, you get to train alongside colleagues who understand the challenges you face. And it is more sociable than turning up on your own.
Easy to get to from Crewe
Our training centre at First Floor, 2 Queen Street in Northwich is about a 25 minute drive from Crewe, with easy parking nearby. We run scheduled paediatric first aid courses throughout the year with live dates you can book directly on our Emergency Paediatric First Aid page or our Combined Emergency First Aid at Work and Paediatric First Aid page.
If you have a group of childminders who want to train together, we can also discuss delivering the course at a venue in the Crewe area. Give us a call and we will arrange it.
Book your training
If you are a childminder in Crewe and your certificate is due for renewal, or if you are new to childminding and need to get your first qualification, check the upcoming dates on our course pages and book your place directly. Or give us a call on 07958 915146 and we will help you find the right course and the right date.
Do not leave it until the last minute. Get it booked, get it done, and then you can focus on what you do best, looking after the children in your care.
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