If you're a nanny registering with Ofsted on the Voluntary Childcare Register, you need a paediatric first aid certificate. Certificates are typically valid for three years, after which you re-take the course. It must be a paediatric course — a general workplace first aid certificate is not the same thing, and won't be accepted.
Babyem no longer runs paediatric first aid training. We've kept this page because the question comes up constantly and the guidance below still holds. For where to train now, see finding an approved provider.
Table of contents
Why the requirement exists
The requirement isn't box-ticking. Childhood accidents in the home are common, and they happen fast — usually with one adult present, and often that adult is the nanny.
- Around 120 children under 14 die each year as the result of an accident in the home
- Around 25,000 under-fives attend A&E each year after being accidentally poisoned
- A hot drink can still scald a small child up to 15 minutes after it's made
- More accidents happen in the living room than anywhere else in the home
- Every year more than 4,200 children are involved in falls on the stairs, and 4,000 under-15s are injured falling from windows
Source: RoSPA
The point of the certificate is that the person alone with the child knows what to do in the minutes before an ambulance arrives.
Who needs a certificate
Paediatric first aid is required for nannies registering on Ofsted's Voluntary Childcare Register, and it's standard practice for anyone working professionally with babies and young children — nannies, maternity nurses, au pairs and newborn care specialists.
Many families and agencies also require it as a condition of employment, whether or not you're Ofsted registered. In practice, if you want to be taken seriously as a professional, you need it — alongside a current DBS check and references.
Ofsted's requirements are updated from time to time. Always confirm the current criteria on GOV.UK before you book a course, so you don't pay for something that isn't accepted.
What a compliant course covers
A paediatric course is specifically about infants and children — their anatomy, their physiology, and the emergencies that actually happen to them. That's why a general workplace first aid certificate doesn't substitute.
Expect it to cover resuscitation for infants and children, choking, unconsciousness and the recovery position, bleeding and shock, burns and scalds, head injuries, febrile convulsions, allergic reactions and anaphylaxis, and when and how to call for help.
Good courses are practical, not just a slideshow — you should be handling manikins and rehearsing the sequences, because that's what makes it stick under pressure. Expect a handbook to take away, and a certificate valid for three years.
Finding an approved provider
Look for a provider whose paediatric first aid course is recognised for Ofsted registration, and check before booking that the certificate will be accepted for the register you're joining.
Well-established routes include British Red Cross and St John Ambulance, both of which run paediatric courses nationally. Many local training providers also deliver Ofsted-recognised courses, often more cheaply and closer to home.
Two things worth checking: that the course is paediatric rather than general first aid, and that the certificate lasts three years.
The rest of Ofsted registration
First aid is one piece. The others are the application itself, a DBS check, and public liability insurance.
We have a step-by-step guide to the application form: how to complete the Ofsted CR1 application form. There's also what the DBS is and how it works, and registering as a childminder if that's the route you're taking instead.
Common questions
How long does a paediatric first aid certificate last?
Typically three years, after which you re-take the course.
Is workplace first aid enough for Ofsted?
No. It must be a paediatric first aid course, covering infants and children specifically.
Do nannies legally need paediatric first aid?
It's required to join Ofsted's Voluntary Childcare Register, and most families and agencies expect it regardless. Check the current criteria on GOV.UK before booking.
Does Babyem run paediatric first aid courses?
No, not any more. Try the British Red Cross, St John Ambulance, or a local Ofsted-recognised provider.
Once you're registered, what next?
First aid and a DBS make you employable. Accredited maternity nurse training is what moves you into specialist newborn work — and a considerably higher day rate.