First Aid FAQs

First Aid FAQs

Approvals and requirements

  • Is there such a thing as “Ofsted Approved” for the Child Carers course?
    • No, OFSTED does not ratify either Trainers or Companies. Provided that the syllabus conforms to the EYFS syllabus and takes 12 contact hours then ANYONE can deliver the course. You need to satisfy yourself that the Trainer or Training Company delivers the course that you need and is sufficiently qualified to do so.
  • What about HSE Approved courses?
    • In 2013, the HSE stopped approving courses and Providers. The onus is now on you, the organisation to ensure that you have adequate First Aid facilities and personnel. It (the HSE) does provide a suggested list of questions that you should ask an organisation delivering First Aid. Here are 4 Minutes’ answers
  • What Provisions do I need to make? What is the right First Aid Kit for me / my Organisation?
  • Ofsted guide to registering as a child carer. Annexe A contains First Aid Training requirements. Click here

Pre-course information

  • General information
    • Minimum age is listed for each course type.
    • The Family Courses can take anyone of any age and we will make it age-appropriate, however please let us know in advance if there will be anyone under 16 actively taking part.
    • You will need some form of ID for the certified course – Driving Licence, passport, Credit card etc. Please bring this with you on the day.
    • Refreshments (tea, coffee, squash) are normally provided for public courses, but not lunch. For bespoke courses at your location we would expect you to cater.
  • English Comprehension
    • You must have a good understanding of spoken and written English. If you do not then it will not be possible to teach you sufficiently well and/or you will not understand the written questions (or be able to answer them) in the test at the end. You will not be allowed to participate if this is the case. We are not assessing your spelling or Grammar, just your understanding of the topics.
  • What should I wear?
    • Please wear loose-fitting, comfortable clothes appropriate for kneeling, lying on the floor and being rolled – jeans and a polo top for instance. For outdoor courses, please bring all-weather clothing and appropriate footwear.
  • Mobile ‘phones, food, drink? etc.
    • No food and drink to be consumed during the course. It is distracting to the rest of the class. Mobile ‘phones – either turn off or put on mute. There will be ‘comfort’ breaks as appropriate for you to do as you wish.
  • I have an issue that you should be aware of. (e.g. allergy, epilepsy, waiting for a ‘phone call concerning something serious, e.g. a relative’s hospital visit)
    • Please make the Trainer aware prior to the class commencing. If you wish to discuss it before booking, please call us directly in confidence on 01628 56 99 22
  • Attendance
    • Please be prompt. The courses are timed to deliver the requisite training. If you are late, you will miss out on some training and it is also inconsiderate and distracting to the rest of the class and the Trainer. If you know that you are going to be late or need to leave early, please discuss it with us in advance or with the Trainer prior to the class. If you arrive more than 15 minutes after the start of the course, or are late back after a break you will not be able to participate and therefore cannot pass.
  • Can I bring my children along
    • Only to your own private courses. There, they are more than welcome. All we ask is:
      • They are your responsibility. We are not a creche
      • Please let us know numbers and ages in advance to make sure that there is enough room.
      • If they become distracting / noisy / need feeding or changing, please take some Time Out with them outside the room in consideration of the other attendees.
      • If they are old enough, encourage them to join in. You never know when it may come in handy!
  • What Personal information do you hold?
  • What are your payment Terms?
    • Cleared payment must be made prior to the start of the course. This can be made by Bank Transfer, cheque or Credit / Debit card. Credit / Debit Card Payments are made via PayPal. You do not need a PayPal Account to pay, although you do need an email address.

General First Aid Questions

  • I’ve seen the Vinnie Jones ‘Hard and Fast’ video. Why are you teaching us to breathe for the casualty, whereas Vinnie does not?
    • Studies have found that lay people attempting resuscitation are understandably squeamish about mouth to mouth on strangers and that they often choose to do nothing at all. By teaching lay members of the public to just do chest compressions, this is better than doing nothing at all. Obviously full CPR is the ideal basic treatment for a cardiac arrest victim but the Ambulance Service would prefer something rather than nothing. If we teach you full CPR, then you have the choice. You have seen the video, haven’t you? http://youtu.be/ILxjxfB4zNk
  • If I do something wrong, can I get sued
    • Although often quoted, in the UK there is no such thing as the “Good Samaritan Act” protecting you. We do have the SARAH Act that says that provided that you stick to what you have been trained in, there is no reason why a Court would uphold a complaint against you. No First Aider taking reasonable actions has been successfully sued to date.

Acronyms

EYFSEarly Years Foundation Stage. Sets standards for childcare
HSEHealth and Safety Executive – oversees and sets standards for Health and Safety within the workplace.
DCSFThe Department for Children Schools and Families The department for children, schools and families [sic] (DCSF) was a department of the UK government, between 2007 and 2010, responsible for issues affecting people in England up to the age of 19, including child protection and education. The DCSF was replaced by the Department for Education after the change of government following the General Election 2010. (Source: Wikipedia)
OfstedThe Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills Ofsted is the non-ministerial government department of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Schools In England