Emergency Paediatric First Aid
This element covers the immediate and critical care provided to infants and children in emergency situations before professional medical help arrives. It equips learners with the skills to assess scenes safely, manage life-threatening conditions such as unresponsiveness, choking, severe bleeding, and shock, and to deliver appropriate first aid for common minor injuries. Practical application ensures learners can competently respond to real-life paediatric emergencies in various settings, from nurseries to family homes.
Assessment criteria
Topic Overview
The Highfield Level 3 Award in Paediatric First Aid (RQF) is a regulated qualification designed for individuals working with or caring for children, such as early years practitioners, childminders, and nursery staff. It covers essential first aid skills specific to infants and children up to the age of puberty, focusing on emergency situations like choking, bleeding, and anaphylaxis. This qualification meets the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and Ofsted, making it a mandatory requirement for many roles in childcare settings.
The course combines theoretical knowledge with practical skills, ensuring learners can confidently assess and manage emergencies. Key topics include the roles and responsibilities of a paediatric first aider, primary and secondary surveys, resuscitation (CPR) for children and infants, and the management of common injuries and illnesses. Understanding this content is crucial for safeguarding children and providing immediate care before professional medical help arrives.
This award fits into the wider Health & Social Care curriculum by emphasizing the importance of safety, risk assessment, and emergency response in childcare environments. It builds on basic first aid principles and applies them to the unique anatomical and physiological needs of children. Mastery of this topic not only prepares students for assessment but also equips them with life-saving skills that are directly applicable in real-world settings.
Key Concepts
Core ideas you must understand for this topic
- →Primary Survey (DRABC): Danger, Response, Airway, Breathing, Circulation – the systematic approach to assessing an unresponsive child or infant.
- →Paediatric CPR: Chest compressions at a rate of 100-120 per minute with a depth of 4cm for infants (2 fingers) and 5cm for children (one hand), combined with rescue breaths at a ratio of 30:2.
- →Choking Management: Back blows and chest thrusts for infants (5 back blows, 5 chest thrusts) and abdominal thrusts (Heimlich manoeuvre) for children over 1 year.
- →Recovery Position: Placing an unconscious but breathing child or infant in a side-lying position to maintain an open airway and allow fluids to drain.
- →Anaphylaxis: Recognition of severe allergic reactions (e.g., swelling, difficulty breathing) and administration of an adrenaline auto-injector (e.g., EpiPen) into the outer thigh.
Learning Objectives
What you need to know and understand
- 1. Understand the role and responsibilities of a paediatric first aider2. Be able to assess an emergency situation safely3. Be able to provide first aid for an infant and a child who are unresponsive4. Be able to provide first aid for an infant and a child who are choking5. Be able to provide first aid to an infant and a child with external bleeding6. Know how to provide first aid to an infant or a child who is suffering from shock7. Know how to provide first aid to an infant or a child with bites, stings and minor injuries
- 1. Understand the role and responsibilities of a paediatric first aider2. Be able to assess an emergency situation safely3. Be able to provide first aid for an infant and a child who are unresponsive4. Be able to provide first aid for an infant and a child who are choking5. Be able to provide first aid to an infant and a child with external bleeding6. Know how to provide first aid to an infant or a child who is suffering from shock7. Know how to provide first aid to an infant or a child with bites, stings and minor injuries
Assessment Criteria
Key criteria assessors look for in your portfolio
- Demonstrate a systematic approach to an emergency scene, including dynamic risk assessment, calling for help, and maintaining personal safety while prioritising immediate care for the casualty.
- Correctly perform infant and child CPR sequences for both single and team rescuer scenarios, including appropriate compression depth, rate, and ventilation ratios as per UK Resuscitation Council guidelines.
- Effectively manage severe external bleeding through direct pressure, elevation, and appropriate use of dressings or tourniquets, while monitoring for signs of shock and documenting interventions accurately.
- Award credit for demonstrating a systematic approach to assessing an emergency situation, including checking for danger, response, and sending for help before commencing first aid.
- Assess correct technique for infant and child CPR, ensuring appropriate compression depth and rate, and effective rescue breaths with minimal interruption.
- Require effective management of choking in an infant and a child, meticulously performing back blows and abdominal thrusts in the correct sequence for the respective age group.
- Expect proper management of external bleeding, including application of direct pressure, use of a bandage, and strict adherence to universal precautions to minimise infection risk.
Assessment Guidance
Guidance for achieving higher grades
- 💡For practical assessments, verbalise your actions clearly—explain each step as you perform it, including why you chose a particular technique, to demonstrate underpinning knowledge.
- 💡When answering written questions on shock or anaphylaxis, always link the signs and symptoms to the pathophysological process, and describe your immediate and ongoing management priorities.
- 💡Always verbally explain your actions during practical assessments to demonstrate your underpinning knowledge and clinical reasoning.
- 💡When entering a simulated scenario, clearly state 'the scene is safe' and identify any hazards before approaching the casualty to secure early marks.
- 💡Practice the ratios and depths of CPR compressions using manikins to build muscle memory, ensuring you can perform them accurately under pressure during timed assessments.
- 💡Remember to put on gloves immediately for any scenario involving bleeding or bodily fluids, and state this action aloud to meet infection control criteria.
- 💡When answering scenario-based questions, always start with the primary survey (DRABC) and explain your actions in order. Examiners look for a systematic approach, not just isolated facts.
- 💡Memorise the exact compression depths and rates for infants and children – these are frequently tested and easy marks if you get them right.
- 💡For questions on anaphylaxis, mention the importance of calling 999 immediately and using the auto-injector even if you are unsure – it is better to use it than not.
Common Mistakes
Common errors to avoid in your coursework
- Failing to differentiate between infant and child CPR techniques, such as using two fingers for infant compressions but two hands for a child, or neglecting to tilt the head only slightly for an infant’s airway.
- Incorrectly prioritising interventions, for example, treating minor bleeding before addressing an obstructed airway or not recognising the signs of shock early enough to take preventive action.
- Forgetting to call emergency services before starting first aid on an unresponsive casualty.
- Using incorrect hand positioning for CPR on infants, such as placing fingers too low on the sternum, which may lead to internal injury.
- Applying abdominal thrusts to infants when back blows alone would have been the correct first-step technique.
- Failing to reassess the casualty’s condition after each intervention, particularly after clearing an airway obstruction or controlling major 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 child from injury and place them in the recovery position after the seizure stops.
- 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 flowing down the throat.
- Misconception: CPR for children is the same as for adults. Correction: For children, use one hand for compressions (depth 5cm) and for infants, use two fingers (depth 4cm). The ratio of compressions to breaths is still 30:2.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions students ask about this topic
Pass / Merit / Distinction Evidence Checklist
How your portfolio evidence is graded for HIGHFIELD QUALIFICATIONS 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 first aid principles (e.g., from a Level 2 First Aid course).
- •Knowledge of child development stages (infant vs. child) to understand differences in anatomy and physiology.
- •Familiarity with the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) requirements for paediatric first aid.
Coursework AI Review
Paste your assignment brief and check your draft against its P/M/D criteria
Key Terminology
Essential terms to know
- 1. Understand the role and responsibilities of a paediatric first aider2. Be able to assess an emergency situation safely3. Be able to provide first aid for an infant and a child who are unresponsive4. Be able to provide first aid for an infant and a child who are choking5. Be able to provide first aid to an infant and a child with external bleeding6. Know how to provide first aid to an infant or a child who is suffering from shock7. Know how to provide first aid to an infant or a child with bites, stings and minor injuries
- 1. Understand the role and responsibilities of a paediatric first aider2. Be able to assess an emergency situation safely3. Be able to provide first aid for an infant and a child who are unresponsive4. Be able to provide first aid for an infant and a child who are choking5. Be able to provide first aid to an infant and a child with external bleeding6. Know how to provide first aid to an infant or a child who is suffering from shock7. Know how to provide first aid to an infant or a child with bites, stings and minor injuries
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