Being a childminder in Nantwich means running your own business, managing your own registration, and meeting your own regulatory requirements. Unlike nursery staff who have a manager to handle compliance, you are responsible for everything, including making sure your paediatric first aid training is current and correct.
Getting this wrong can affect your Ofsted registration. Getting it right is straightforward once you know what is needed. This post gives you a clear, step-by-step checklist so you can be confident that your first aid training meets all the requirements.
We are PCT Services, and we deliver Qualsafe Awards accredited paediatric first aid training from our training centre at First Floor, 2 Queen Street in Northwich, about a 15 minute drive from Nantwich. We also deliver on-site training for groups.
Your paediatric first aid checklist
1. Do you hold a current paediatric first aid certificate?
The Early Years Foundation Stage framework requires that at least one person with a current paediatric first aid certificate must be on the premises at all times when children are present, and must accompany children on outings. As a childminder, you are usually the only adult present, which means you must hold the certificate yourself.
A general first aid at work certificate does not meet this requirement. It covers adult emergencies but does not include the child-specific techniques that Ofsted and the EYFS framework require. You need a paediatric-specific qualification.
Check your certificate right now. Is it current? When does it expire? If it has lapsed or is expiring in the next few months, book your training immediately.
2. Is your certificate from an approved provider?
Your paediatric first aid certificate must be from a provider whose qualifications are listed on the Ofsted-approved list of qualifications. Our courses are accredited by Qualsafe Awards, which is an Ofqual-regulated awarding body and is recognised by Ofsted. When you complete one of our courses, your certificate meets the requirements.
3. Which course do you need?
As a childminder, you have three options.
Paediatric First Aid (2 Day) is the full Level 3 Award. It combines one day of e-learning with one day of practical training. It covers infant and child CPR, choking for babies and children, burns and scalds, febrile convulsions, allergic reactions and anaphylaxis, meningitis, head injuries, fractures, bleeding, asthma, seizures, and much more. It costs £95 plus VAT per person, the certificate is valid for three years, and groups can be up to 12. This is the most comprehensive option and the one we recommend for childminders because it gives you the broadest range of skills for the widest range of emergencies.
Emergency Paediatric First Aid (1 Day) covers the core life-threatening emergencies in a single day. It costs £75 plus VAT per person and the certificate is valid for three years. This meets the EYFS requirements and is suitable if you need a quicker route to compliance, though it covers fewer topics than the two day course.
Combined EFAW and Paediatric First Aid gives you both a workplace first aid qualification and a paediatric qualification in a single training package. Starting from £95 plus VAT, this is ideal if you want dual competence so that you are trained to respond to emergencies involving both the children in your care and any adults on your premises, such as parents during pick-up or maintenance workers.
Paediatric First Aid (2 Day) *OFSTED & EYFS*
This Qualsafe Level 3 Award in Paediatric First Aid (RQF) is a regulated and nationally recognised qualification which is OFSTED and EYFS compliant. 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.
Northwich Training Centre, Northwich
3 spots left · 4 dates available
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 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.
4. Is your first aid kit properly stocked and accessible?
Having a trained first aider is only part of the equation. You also need a suitably stocked first aid kit that is accessible, clearly marked, and checked regularly. Your kit should include items appropriate for children as well as adults, including smaller bandages and plasters, and you should know exactly where it is at all times, including when you are out on trips.
Check the contents quarterly and replace anything that has been used or has passed its expiry date. Keep a record of when you check it.
5. Do you have written emergency procedures?
Ofsted expects childminders to have clear, written procedures for managing emergencies, including medical emergencies. This should cover what you do if a child is injured, who you contact, how you manage the other children while dealing with the emergency, and where your first aid kit and emergency contacts are located.
If you work with an assistant or co-childminder, your procedures should also cover roles and responsibilities so that both of you know who does what.
6. Are your parents informed?
Parents should know that you hold a current paediatric first aid certificate. Many childminders include a copy of their certificate in their registration pack and display it in their setting. Parents should also be aware of your emergency procedures, your first aid arrangements, and how you will communicate with them if their child is involved in a first aid incident.
7. Do you record first aid incidents?
Every first aid incident, no matter how minor, should be recorded. The record should include the child's name, the date and time, what happened, what first aid was given, and whether parents were informed. This protects you, demonstrates your professionalism, and is something Ofsted inspectors will ask to see.
8. When is your renewal due?
Paediatric first aid certificates are valid for three years. Set a reminder in your phone or diary for three months before the expiry date so you have time to book and attend a course before your certificate lapses. A lapsed certificate means you are technically not meeting EYFS requirements, which can be raised at your next Ofsted inspection.
Training at our Northwich centre
We run scheduled paediatric first aid courses throughout the year at our training centre at First Floor, 2 Queen Street in Northwich. It is about a 15 minute drive from Nantwich and provides a dedicated, professional environment with all the equipment needed for practical training.
Check the live dates on our Paediatric First Aid page, our Emergency Paediatric First Aid page, or our Combined EFAW and Paediatric page and book your place.
Training with other childminders
If you are part of a childminder network or group in Nantwich, booking as a group can work well. You learn together, you can discuss shared challenges and scenarios, and the training becomes a CPD event as well as a compliance requirement. For groups, we can also discuss on-site delivery at a venue that works for everyone.
Book your training
If you are a childminder in Nantwich and any item on this checklist is not ticked, now is the time to sort it out. Check the upcoming dates on our course pages and book your place. Or give us a call on 07958 915146 and we will help you work out which course you need and when.
Your Ofsted registration depends on it. More importantly, the children in your care depend on it.
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