Daycare and childcare facilities are charged with incredible responsibility – from watching over little ones and making sure that they are safe to providing mental and social enrichment. However, mishaps can happen under even the most watchful eyes, which means a competent child care provider should be able to recognize when CPR is needed, and to perform CPR correctly.
Learn more about the requirements for First Aid, AED & CPR certification for daycare and childcare workers – then get started with your certification online!
Daycare and childcare workers must be CPR certified for infants, children, and adults in order to maintain their facility's license.
Daycare and childcare facilities must employ individuals who have earned their CPR certification, which may include additional requirements for First Aid and AED use depending on the state. Most states require that workers earn certifications in infant, child, and adult CPR to be prepared for any emergency situation. Having these certifications is essential in order to ensure the safety of children under their care.
Daycare and childcare workers take on a wide variety of responsibilities, including watching over several children at once, providing enriching activities, and handing out snacks or meals. Whether you are responsible for one child or twenty, being a daycare or childcare worker is a demanding job.
Given that children tend to be energetic, curious, and prone to getting swept up in their play time, they can also be more susceptible to injuries or exposure to new substances that may cause allergic reactions or toxicity. If something goes wrong, a competent daycare or childcare worker should know how to handle an emergency and sustain life until emergency personnel arrive.
There is no national requirement for daycare or childcare workers to be CPR certified, but every state does have strict requirements for daycare and childcare facilities to maintain their licenses. Each state is different, but most agree that in order to be licensed as a daycare or childcare facility, that facility can only employ individuals who have earned their CPR certification. Some states may also have requirements regarding certification for First Aid and AED use, as well.
Because CPR and First Aid skills vary depending on the age of the victim, most daycare or childcare facilities will require you to be certified for infants, children, and adults.
As the watchful eyes of children when their parents are away, daycare or childcare workers are expected to be vigilant observers and confident rescuers. To be a proficient rescuer in any situation – whether it be cases of choking, allergic reaction, head injury, or something else entirely – daycare or childcare workers must earn their infant, child, and adult CPR certifications.
Daycare and childcare workers are not considered emergency responders, even if they are the first person to notice a problem, but they still need to be trained in proper CPR and First Aid so that they can sustain life until emergency personnel arrive. Because of this, you will likely be asked to complete a CPR and First Aid course specific to children and infants. This is your course content requirement. Be sure to select a CPR certification for daycare or childcare workers that specifically includes infant, child, and adult CPR and First Aid skills training.
Most likely, as a daycare or childcare worker your requirements for learning and performing CPR for infants and children will state that you need to complete a CPR certification program, but that a hands-on portion is not required. This is your course delivery modality requirement. If you do not need to complete a hands-on portion, you can complete a fully online CPR program.
Finally, your employer may have specific course brand requirements. Some employers require that your CPR training for daycare or childcare workers come from a specific brand; others don’t have brand-specific requirements and allow you to complete your training with flexible online providers like ProTrainings.
There may be specific CPR certification requirements and special considerations for Daycare & Childcare performing CPR according to your state. To learn more about which requirements impact you, select your state on the map below.