First Aid Essentials for Those Who Care for Children
1Summary
When the person needing help is a child, every second and every decision carries extra weight. A first responder is entrusted with someone else's life, and when that someone is a child, the responsibility doubles — care must be swift, but also calm enough not to frighten a conscious child further.
This training course from the Arab British Fellowship Training Academy equips childcare workers — in schools, nurseries, and similar settings — with the core first-aid knowledge and confidence needed to respond correctly until professional medical help arrives.
2Objectives and target group
By the End of This Course, Participants Will Be Able To:
- Assess a situation calmly and check for danger before acting.
- Check a child's responsiveness and determine their level of consciousness.
- Open the airway correctly and check breathing before proceeding.
- Perform age-appropriate chest compressions and rescue breaths.
- Recognise and respond to choking and airway obstruction in babies and young children.
- Reassure and follow up with an injured child throughout the process.
Who Should Attend?
- Nursery and kindergarten staff.
- School teachers and supervisors responsible for young children.
- Childcare centre employees and nannies.
- Parents and guardians who want stronger emergency preparedness.
- Anyone working in child-focused institutions.
3Course Content
Module 1: Before You Act — Scene Safety and Initial Assessment
- Staying calm and checking for danger to yourself or the child
- Why the approach with children differs from adults
Module 2: Checking Responsiveness and Airway
- Determining if a child is conscious or unconscious
- Opening the airway safely
Module 3: Breathing and Circulation Checks
- Checking for breathing and signs of life: coughing, movement, colour
- Re-checking every minute while waiting for help
Module 4: Chest Compressions and Rescue Breaths
- The right technique for babies versus older children
- The five-compressions-to-one-breath rhythm, and when to repeat it
Module 5: Responding to Choking and Airway Obstruction
- Recognising choking caused by food or small objects
- Back blows, chest thrusts, and when to escalate to emergency services
Module 6: Calm, Reassurance, and Ongoing Follow-up
- Keeping a conscious child calm throughout first aid
- Following up until professional medical help arrives