First aid qualifications & training

Information about first aid training during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak is available on the ACECQA website.

The National Regulations outline the mandatory requirements for services in relation to first aid qualifications, anaphylaxis management training and emergency asthma management training.

Below is a summary of the different requirements for:

Centre-based services - regulation 136(1)

The approved provider of a centre-based service must ensure that the following qualified people are at all times in attendance at any place children are being educated and cared for by the service and immediately available in an emergency:

at least one staff member or one nominated supervisor of the service who holds a current approved first aid qualification
at least one staff member or one nominated supervisor of the service who has undertaken current approved anaphylaxis management training
at least one staff member or one nominated supervisor of the service who has undertaken current approved emergency asthma management training.

Services must have staff with current approved qualifications on duty at all times and immediately available in an emergency. One staff member may hold one or more of the qualifications.

School based services - regulation 136(2)

If children are being educated and cared for at service premises on the site of a school, the following qualified staff must be in attendance at the school site and immediately available in an emergency:

at least one staff member or one nominated supervisor of the service who holds a current approved first aid qualification
at least one staff member or one nominated supervisor of the service who has undertaken current approved anaphylaxis management training
at least one staff member or one nominated supervisor of the service who has undertaken current approved emergency asthma management training.

One staff member may hold one or more of the qualifications.

Family day care services - regulation 136(3)

The approved provider of a family day care service must ensure that each family day care educator and family day care educator assistant engaged by or registered with the service:

holds a current approved first aid qualification
has undertaken current approved anaphylaxis management training
has undertaken current approved emergency asthma management training.

Each family day care educator and educator assistant must hold all three qualifications.

Further information on first aid qualifications, anaphylaxis management training and asthma management training can be found in regulation 136 Part 4.4.

Approved first aid qualifications list

Under the Education and Care Services National Regulations, ACECQA must publish a list of approved first aid qualifications, anaphylaxis management training and emergency asthma management training. The 'qualifications' on the list are either national or state accredited units of competency, or short courses. If you have completed training and want to know if it is approved, you can search our list of approved qualifications. You will need to know the name of the training course and its code or other unique identifier. This information will appear on your certificate or transcript. Note for registered training organisations Registered training organisations do not need to apply for additional 'approved provider' status with ACECQA, nor do they require separate approval for specific courses. If you are a training provider wanting to add a qualification to the list, apply to ACECQA.

First aid qualification renewal

The industry standard is that first aid qualifications, anaphylaxis management training and emergency asthma management training should be renewed every three years and refresher training in CPR should be undertaken annually.

Regulatory requirement

Regulation 136 requires your first aid qualification, anaphylaxis management training and emergency asthma management training to be current. Your certificate will state the date on which you completed the course/s. It may also include information about the expiry date or requirements for refresher training. Please note that the validity of some first aid and other health and safety training certificates may be subject to specific requirements, e.g. your certificate may state that you must complete refresher training in CPR every 12 months for the qualification to remain valid.

First aid certification

The Safe Work Australia First Aid in the Workplace Code of Practice recommends that first aiders attend training on a regular basis to refresh their first aid knowledge and skills and to confirm their competence to provide first aid. Safe Work Australia recommends that first aid qualifications, anaphylaxis management training and emergency asthma management training should be renewed every three years.

CPR renewal

The Australian Resuscitation Council states in its Guideline 10.1 that repeated CPR refresher training is needed for individuals who are not performing resuscitation on a regular basis. Both the Australian Resuscitation Council and the Safe Work Australia First Aid in the Workplace Code of Practice recommend that all those trained in CPR should refresh their CPR skills at least annually.

Please contact your training provider to check any information about your training and speak to your employer to confirm your workplace requirements.