Delivering Emergency Paediatric First Aid
This element focuses on the practical application of emergency paediatric first aid, equipping learners to confidently manage a wide range of infant and child medical crises. It covers the immediate assessment of casualties, prioritising life-threatening conditions, and delivering appropriate interventions such as CPR, choking management, and control of severe bleeding. Mastery of this topic ensures the learner can act as a competent first responder in childcare settings, minimising injury severity and potentially saving lives.
Assessment criteria
Topic Overview
The CTQ Level 3 Award in Paediatric First Aid is a vocationally-related qualification designed for individuals working with children, such as early years practitioners, childminders, and nursery staff. It covers essential first aid skills specifically tailored to infants and children, including resuscitation, choking, and managing common childhood emergencies. This qualification is crucial for ensuring the safety and well-being of children in care settings, as it equips learners with the knowledge and practical skills to respond effectively in emergency situations.
The course is divided into two units: Emergency Paediatric First Aid and Managing Paediatric Illness, Injury, and Emergencies. Topics include assessing an emergency situation, performing CPR on infants and children, treating wounds and bleeding, managing fractures, and recognizing signs of serious illnesses like meningitis. Mastery of these skills not only meets legal requirements for many childcare roles but also builds confidence in handling real-life emergencies, making it an essential component of Health & Social Care training.
Key Concepts
Core ideas you must understand for this topic
- →DRSABCD: The primary survey acronym for Danger, Response, Send for help, Airway, Breathing, CPR, and Defibrillation – the systematic approach to any emergency.
- →Paediatric CPR ratios: 5 initial rescue breaths followed by 30 chest compressions to 2 breaths for a single rescuer, with compression depth of 4cm for infants and 5cm for children.
- →Choking management: Back blows and chest thrusts for infants (under 1 year) versus abdominal thrusts for children over 1 year.
- →Recovery position: Modified for infants (cradle hold) and children (standard recovery position with head tilt to maintain airway).
- →Anaphylaxis: Recognition of signs (swelling, breathing difficulty, rash) and use of auto-injector (e.g., EpiPen) in lateral thigh.
Learning Objectives
What you need to know and understand
- 1. Understand the role of the paediatric first aider2. Assess a range of paediatric first aid situations in order to provide emergency first aid3. Provide appropriate paediatric first aid for a range of emergency situations and casualties
- 1. Understand the role of the paediatric first aider2. Assess a range of paediatric first aid situations in order to provide emergency first aid3. Provide appropriate paediatric first aid for a range of emergency situations and casualties
Assessment Criteria
Key criteria assessors look for in your portfolio
- Award credit for demonstrating a systematic primary survey (DRABC) on an infant and child manikin, identifying life-threatening conditions.
- Award credit for correctly performing infant and child CPR, including rescue breaths and chest compressions at appropriate depths and ratios, with minimal hesitation.
- Award credit for effectively managing a conscious and unconscious choking infant and child, using back blows and chest/abdominal thrusts as per current guidelines.
- Award credit for demonstrating the safe application of direct pressure to control severe bleeding, including the use of a trauma dressing and recognition of hypovolemic shock signs.
- Award credit for accurately documenting the incident and casualty condition using an approved record form, emphasising the legal and safeguarding implications.
- Award credit for demonstrating a systematic primary survey (DRABC) when approaching a paediatric casualty, ensuring scene safety and calling for appropriate help.
- Award credit for correctly performing infant and child CPR, including appropriate hand placement, depth, ratio, and use of rescue breaths, adjusting technique for age.
- Award credit for managing an unconscious but breathing infant or child by placing them in the recovery position and monitoring vital signs continuously.
- Award credit for effective management of a choking infant or child, demonstrating back blows and abdominal/chest thrusts as per age-specific protocols.
- Award credit for controlling severe bleeding with direct pressure and appropriate dressing, while treating for shock and minimising infection risk.
Assessment Guidance
Guidance for achieving higher grades
- 💡During practical assessment, verbalise every step—state what you are checking for and why—to demonstrate underpinning knowledge even if the manikin shows no response.
- 💡When managing a choking scenario, clearly differentiate between mild and severe obstruction and recount the current Resuscitation Council UK algorithms aloud to gain full marks.
- 💡Practice the primary survey as a fluid routine; examiners look for confidence and a calm, methodical approach, not speed. If you miss a step, go back and correct it without panicking.
- 💡For the documentation task, pre-learn the PEEP (Position, Evaluation, Event, Plan) format for handover; this will help you structure your written record and verbal briefing concisely.
- 💡In practical assessments, narrate your actions clearly to the assessor, explaining what you are checking and why, to demonstrate underlying knowledge.
- 💡Remember the chain of survival: early recognition, early CPR, early defibrillation, and post-resuscitation care; always state the need for an AED when available.
- 💡For scenario-based questions, systematically apply the primary survey (DRABC) even if the scenario focuses on a specific injury, showing your holistic assessment approach.
- 💡When providing first aid, always consider infection prevention: state that you would put on gloves, use barrier devices for breaths, and wash hands after care.
- 💡Always start with DRSABCD in any scenario question – examiners look for a systematic approach. Even if the question is about a specific injury, show you have assessed danger and response first.
- 💡Know the exact ratios and depths for CPR: 5 initial breaths, then 30:2 for single rescuer. For infants, use two fingers for compressions; for children, use one or two hands. Depth: 4cm for infants, 5cm for children.
- 💡For written answers, use the acronyms (e.g., AVPU for level of consciousness, PEARL for pupils) to demonstrate knowledge of assessment tools. This shows depth of understanding.
Common Mistakes
Common errors to avoid in your coursework
- Failing to check for danger before approaching the casualty, compromising personal safety.
- Confusing the CPR sequence for infants versus children (e.g., using two-finger technique on an older child or incorrect compression depth).
- Ineffective back blows and thrusts for choking due to insufficient force or incorrect hand positioning, often stemming from fear of harming the child.
- Applying direct pressure with a non-sterile fabric or removing an embedded object from a wound, increasing infection and bleeding risk.
- Overlooking the need to call for emergency help early or failing to clearly communicate the casualty's condition when handing over to paramedics.
- Failing to check for danger to self, bystanders, and the casualty before approaching, leading to potential further injury.
- Performing adult CPR techniques on a child or infant, such as using two hands for chest compressions on a small child or failing to adjust compression depth.
- Confusing the sequence for choking management: for infants, giving abdominal thrusts instead of chest thrusts, or forgetting to inspect the mouth after each cycle.
- Moving an unconscious casualty without first checking for spinal injury, especially in trauma situations, risking permanent damage.
- Applying a tourniquet as a first response for bleeding instead of direct pressure, or removing embedded objects from wounds, which can worsen bleeding.
- Misconception: You should tilt a child's head back when they are having a seizure. Correction: Do not restrain or put anything in the mouth; instead, protect the head and time the seizure, calling 999 if it lasts more than 5 minutes.
- Misconception: For a nosebleed, tilt the head back. Correction: Lean forward and pinch the soft part of the nose for 10-15 minutes to prevent blood from entering the airway.
- Misconception: CPR for children is the same as for adults. Correction: Children require 5 initial rescue breaths before chest compressions, and compression depth is shallower (one-third chest depth).
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions students ask about this topic
Pass / Merit / Distinction Evidence Checklist
How your portfolio evidence is graded for CERTIFY TRAINING QUALIFICATIONS Delivering Emergency Paediatric First Aid
Every vocational unit is marked against named criteria rather than an exam percentage. Your tutor's brief lists the exact codes for this unit — here is what each band is asking you to do.
Demonstrate baseline knowledge, accurate terminology, and core practical application.
Provide detailed analysis, structured explanations, and clear workplace reasoning.
Deliver thorough evaluation, original problem solving, and fully justified recommendations.
Before You Start
Prior knowledge that will help with this topic
- •Basic understanding of human anatomy, particularly the respiratory and circulatory systems.
- •Familiarity with health and safety legislation in childcare settings, such as the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework.
- •Completion of a basic first aid awareness course is helpful but not mandatory.
Coursework AI Review
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Key Terminology
Essential terms to know
- 1. Understand the role of the paediatric first aider2. Assess a range of paediatric first aid situations in order to provide emergency first aid3. Provide appropriate paediatric first aid for a range of emergency situations and casualties
- 1. Understand the role of the paediatric first aider2. Assess a range of paediatric first aid situations in order to provide emergency first aid3. Provide appropriate paediatric first aid for a range of emergency situations and casualties
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