Do I need a first aid certificate to do this?

[Reastie]

Not really sure where to post and looking for traffic here.

I work in education and I'm going to run a small class with a handful of children in a local hall in a few weeks. Do I need to have a first aid certificate to do this? I've got the insurance/DRB checks etc etc but first aid suddenly popped into my mind this morning and now I'm flustered about if I can't run the session without it (I used to be a first aider at work but my qualification lapsed some time ago). Googling hasn't helped as it's all about employers and work situations - does anyone here know?

What does your insurance say?

Are you charging people?

Does Ofsted stuff apply? (Are parents leaving under 8 yo unaccompanied and / or have you applied for the dispensation as someone who runs less than 10 days per year?)

If parents will be there I wouldn’t worry too much but if children are being left then I think you’d be unwise not to have a first aider on site.

www.gov.uk/government/collections/providing-childcare-services-in-england

apologies it’s just up to 5yo for compulsory registration now. But check the info on that link just in case.

I would want a first aider there if I was running something like that, whether it was me or someone else.

Is your class Ofsted registered or accepting childcare vouchers? Physical activity? Probably not required but it might be reassuring for parents to be able to state you have one. The usual action is to seek medical help anyway and ambulance call operator will talk you through the basics until help arrives. The hall should have a first aid kit, checked regularly.

I home ed and when my dc go to activities where they are dropped off and left I would expect there to be a first aider there,

Regardless of whether or not it's a legal requirement, I think that it is a really good idea for anyone working with children to be first aid trained.

You will need an up to date paediatric first aid certificate. (An adult first aid course or an out of date qualification won't do.)

I do something similar to you and you have to redo the first aid every 2 years.

Good luck finding one, if you can't find a specific course in time, many trainers offer private sessions, I know some people who chose to group together to pay someone to come and deliver the course when it suited them.

Apologies for not updating. I usually do my work online but this is a RL session in a small group. It's a one off for 2 hours. I have insurance (and will call them to see what they say re: first aid - good call). I realise first aid would be beneficial, but for me to run one session with a handful of children, it's not financially viable for me to do. If I need one, then I'll need to make sure something is arranged to make it all legal. I just can't find if I legally need one (the children are approx aged 9-11) anywhere I look.

If you have a friend who has one could you organise for them to be on the premises? They could be in another area catching up on admin/ reading a book etc.

That's my next step if I need one, but I don't have anyone I could ask that has a certificate so would be finding someone to employ to sit there so I'll do it if it's required but it would take a chunk of my profit out.

I wouldn't send my kids to a club or activity where there wasn't a first aider. You just have to be prepared. Why isn't it worthwhile to do a course? I'm presuming you will do this session multiple times within the next 3 hrs so a first aide certification wouldn't be that onerous financially?

The OP has stated it's a one-off.

Now if it's a one-off at the moment and if successful will be repeated then that's different.

So here's what you need to do it properly:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/keeping-children-safe-in-out-of-school-settings-code-of-practice/keeping-children-safe-during-community-activities-after-school-clubs-and-tuition-non-statutory-guidance-for-providers-running-out-of-school-settings#fn:7

And yes, it does say there should be a first aider. Doesn't specifically need to be paediatric assuming there are no under 5s.

HOWEVER, note the legal gymnastics going on. At the top, "this is non-statutory guidance" (ie you don't have to). But then, the law does say you have a "duty of care", which means you have to act reasonably and be able to justify yourself if you don't think the guidance applies to you.

My suggestion for a workaround might be to find out whether any of the children's parents have a first aid or medical qualification, and if so, perhaps their child could have a free session if the parent is able to stay?

Thank you @Magnanimouse - that’s the closest I’ve got to an answer! So, my interpretation of that is that it’s not legally required but I’d need to demonstrate (through risk assessment?) it’s not essential as part of the duty of care? I’ve been on HSE website and it says that low risk workplaces (like offices and shops) just need an appointed person and first aid kit - legally no first aid qualified persons. Presumably they have a duty of care to their employees so the same argument could be said for this one off session fitting the criteria.

It’s definitely just a one-off!