What is First Aid at Work?

The First Aid at Work (FAW) qualification is a three-day (18-hour) course that covers a comprehensive range of first aid topics including CPR, managing unconsciousness, treating wounds and bleeding, burns, fractures, spinal injuries, and medical emergencies such as heart attacks, strokes, and anaphylaxis. It is one of the two main first aid qualifications recognised by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) for workplace first aid provision.

Under the Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981, every employer must provide adequate first aid equipment, facilities, and personnel. For children's activity businesses, this means having at least one qualified first aider present at every session. The FAW certificate is valid for three years and must be renewed through a two-day requalification course before it expires.

While the FAW qualification covers general first aid, it does not specifically cover paediatric emergencies. For this reason, many children's activity providers also require their staff to hold the Paediatric First Aid qualification, which specifically addresses infant and child emergencies. If your business cares for children under five, or if you are registered with Ofsted, at least one member of staff must hold a current Paediatric First Aid certificate.