A new standard is to be introduced in the next update of the Supported Standards (due to be published later this year):
“Child Contact Centres should have a staff member / volunteer who is Paediatric First Aid Trained. Centres will then make independent decisions about the levels of training required for other staff / volunteers.”
This isn’t to say that the first aid trained person will always be onsite, just that you will have someone (with appropriate knowledge) who will be able to advise about what is right for your service. Paediatric first aid courses can cover the following subjects:
- First Aid Priorities
- Dealing with an Emergency
- Choking – Child and Baby
- Resuscitation (CPR) – Child and Baby
- Anaphylaxis
- Bleeding and Shock
- Burns & Scalds
- Eye & Ear injuries
- Fractures
- Childhood illnesses including Meningitis and Febrile Convulsions
Many centres already have first aid trained staff and volunteers. Marion, Project Leader from Exmouth Child Contact Centre told us “Our contact centre is one of the community projects of Open Door Exmouth which is an independent charity, and we have accessed our first aid training along with other project workers through them. Consequently, we have not had to raise specific funding ourselves, but it is paid for by the mother organisation. We have access to it every 3 years and it is delivered by an independent trainer. Our latest training was a day’s course covering general first aid, some specifically relevant to children, the use of a defibrillator and managing catastrophic bleeds.” She went on to tell us “It certainly has given me more confidence about managing the need for general first aid although I have to say I have not had to put it to the test!”
Your centre may already have someone who has received this training but wants to raise awareness amongst your volunteers. There may be some free training available in your area or they could give the ‘Baby and Child First Aid’ free app from Red Cross a go? https://www.redcross.org.uk/first-aid/first-aid-apps##
