Pae­diat­ric First Aid

Every early-years setting must have at least one person with a current full paediatric first aid certificate on the premises whenever children are present and on outings, and a full-certificate holder should be in the room while children eat. Staff who gained a level 2 or level 3 early-years qualification since 30 June 2016 must get the certificate within three months of starting work to count in the staff:child ratios, and childminders must hold one to register with Ofsted.

EYFS Annex A sets a minimum of 6 hours face-to-face for the emergency course (assessing an emergency, the unresponsive baby or child, CPR, seizures, choking, bleeding and shock) and at least 12 hours for the full course, which adds anaphylaxis, electric shock, burns, fractures, head and spinal injuries, poisoning, foreign bodies and eye injuries, bites and stings, heat and cold, medical conditions such as asthma, allergic reactions, diabetes, meningitis and febrile convulsions, and the first aider's responsibilities including the first aid box and accident records. Only the full course satisfies the requirement to have a paediatric first aider on the premises.

Regulated awarding organisations list the Level 3 Award in Paediatric First Aid (RQF) as 12 guided learning hours assessed by a multiple-choice examination and practical demonstration, graded pass or fail. PassNova's questions practise the knowledge paper; the practical skills are assessed on the course with baby and junior manikins.

Three years. The EYFS requires the certificate to be renewed every three years to keep counting in ratios, and suggests providers consider annual refresher training in between so skills stay current.

Yes. Resuscitation Council UK's 2025 paediatric guidelines start with five rescue breaths, then compressions at 100–120 a minute to at least one third of the chest depth, using the two-thumb encircling technique on a baby; trained paediatric first aiders use a 15:2 ratio (30:2 if only adult-trained). For choking, a baby gets back blows then chest thrusts — abdominal thrusts are only used from one year old.

The EYFS requires a paediatric first aider on the premises whenever children are present; staff qualified since 30 June 2016 need the certificate to count in ratios. Nursery practitioner / early years educator: EYFS 3.39: staff qualified at level 2 or 3 since June 2016 need a PFA certificate within three months to count in the staff:child ratios. Childminder: EYFS: childminders must hold a paediatric first aid certificate to register with Ofsted and keep it current while registered. Nanny: Ofsted's voluntary Childcare Register asks for a first aid certificate suited to the children cared for; agencies expect a current paediatric one. Early years teacher / reception teaching assistant: School nurseries and reception classes follow the EYFS, so a paediatric first aider must be available whenever the children are present.

Yes — Paediatric First Aid practice on PassNova is 100% free. There's no paywall and no sign-up needed to start. A free account is optional and only saves your progress and badges.

No. You can start practising Paediatric First Aid instantly with no account, no email and no card. 104 courses are fully free; every Premium question bank has a free 15-question taster.

PassNova has 150 exam-style Paediatric First Aid questions and 6 timed 25-question practice tests, each with a clear explanation, plus topic-by-topic study mode.

Paediatric first aid is a statutory early-years requirement rather than a single national exam. The EYFS statutory framework (Department for Education, version in force from 1 September 2026) requires at least one person with a current full paediatric first aid certificate on the premises and available whenever children are present and on every outing, and says a full-certificate holder should be in the room while children eat; the certificate lasts three years, staff qualified at level 2 or 3 since 30 June 2016 need it within three months of starting to count in ratios, and childminders need it to register. Annex A sets the course criteria: emergency PFA at least 6 hours face-to-face, full PFA at least 12 hours. You gain the certificate through a regulated Level 3 Award in Paediatric First Aid (RQF) from an Ofqual-recognised awarding organisation — 12 guided learning hours, assessed by a multiple-choice paper plus practical demonstration, pass/fail — or through a Voluntary Aid Society or trade-body-approved trainer. Clinical content follows Resuscitation Council UK's Paediatric Life Support Guidelines 2025 (published 27 October 2025): call 999 on speakerphone first, five initial rescue breaths, then 15:2 if trained in paediatric life support (30:2 otherwise), 100–120 compressions a minute at least one third of the chest depth, two-thumb encircling technique for a baby, back blows then chest thrusts for a choking baby and abdominal thrusts only from one year old. Check that any course you book teaches this 2025 sequence. Checked against the DfE, RCUK, NHS and the Ofqual register in September 2026.