Health and Safety
This course is designed for individuals who have responsibility for the care, supervision or welfare of infants and children and who may be required to provide first aid in response to illness, injury or a medical emergency. It is particularly relevant to those working within early years, childcare, education and other environments where infants and children are present, including nursery and pre-school personnel, childminders, nannies, before and after-school personnel and others with responsibility for children.
Learners will develop the knowledge, practical skills and confidence required to assess paediatric emergency situations, protect themselves and others from further harm, obtain appropriate assistance and provide effective first aid to an infant or child until professional medical assistance is available.
The course develops competence through tutor-led learning, practical demonstration, supervised skills practice, scenario-based activities and assessment. Learners will practise and demonstrate appropriate responses to unresponsiveness, respiratory and cardiac emergencies, choking, external bleeding, shock, injuries, burns and scalds, poisoning, bites and stings and other paediatric first aid situations. The course also addresses significant childhood illnesses and medical emergencies including asthma, allergic reactions and anaphylaxis, diabetes, meningitis, febrile convulsions and sickle cell crisis.
Workplace application includes recognising and responding to emergencies, completing appropriate casualty assessments, performing infant and child cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), using an automated external defibrillator (AED) where appropriate, managing airway obstruction and positioning casualties safely. Learners will also consider communication with emergency services, infection prevention, consent, first aid equipment, monitoring casualties and the accurate recording and reporting of illnesses, injuries and emergency incidents.
Effective paediatric first aid provision is particularly important because infants and children may deteriorate rapidly and may be unable to communicate clearly about their symptoms, injuries or needs. Incorrect or delayed intervention may increase the severity of an injury or illness. Training therefore emphasises early recognition, appropriate decision-making, safe intervention and prompt escalation to emergency medical services.
Select a county from the drop down box to find your nearest UKRS accredited training provider delivering this course.
