Childcare First Aid ACECQA and National Regulation Requirements

Childcare First Aid Training: Meeting ACECQA and National Regulation Requirements

The Importance of Approved First Aid Training in Early Childhood Settings

Every approved early childhood education and care service in Australia is legally required to ensure the health, safety, and wellbeing of the children in its care.
This includes ensuring that appropriately trained staff are always in attendance and immediately available to respond to medical emergencies such as injury, asthma, anaphylaxis, or cardiac arrest.

These obligations are not optional — they are defined under the Education and Care Services National Law and Regulations, administered nationally by the Australian Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority (ACECQA).

The National Standard: Regulation 136(1)

Under Regulation 136(1) of the Education and Care Services National Regulations, every approved provider of a centre-based service must ensure that the following qualified people are in attendance at all times and are immediately available in an emergency:

1. At least one staff member or nominated supervisor who holds a current approved first aid qualification
2. At least one staff member or nominated supervisor who has undertaken current approved anaphylaxis management training
3. At least one staff member or nominated supervisor who has undertaken current approved emergency asthma management training

These requirements apply to all areas where children are being cared for or educated — not just in the main centre building.
For example, they also apply to outdoor play areas, excursions, and any location where children are under supervision by the service.

Approved Qualifications Recognised by ACECQA

The ACECQA-approved qualification list identifies which nationally recognised units of competency satisfy these obligations.
Staff may meet the requirements in one of two ways:

Option 1 – Combined Qualification (Preferred)

• HLTAID012 – Provide First Aid in an Education and Care Setting

This single qualification integrates:

• HLTAID009 – Provide Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
• HLTAID010 – Provide Basic Emergency Life Support
• HLTAID011 – Provide First Aid
• As well as the specific childcare components for managing asthma and anaphylaxis emergencies.

Holding HLTAID012 therefore meets all three training obligations under Regulation 136(1).

Option 2 – Separate Qualifications

Alternatively, a staff member may hold:

• HLTAID011 – Provide First Aid
• 22556VIC – Course in the Management of Asthma Risks and Emergencies in the Workplace (or equivalent nationally recognised asthma unit)
• 22578VIC – Course in First Aid Management of Anaphylaxis (or equivalent nationally recognised anaphylaxis unit)

This combination is equally valid, though completing HLTAID012 is generally more efficient, especially for compliance management and renewals.

Current and Ongoing Training Obligations

To remain compliant, all qualifications must be current.
ACECQA and Safe Work Australia recommend — and many regulatory authorities require — the following renewal schedule:

Services must maintain a register of staff training and expiry dates, ensuring that qualifications are renewed before they lapse.
Failure to do so may place the service in breach of the National Regulations and can result in non-compliance under Quality Area 2 (Children’s Health and Safety) during assessment and rating.

Understanding the “Immediately Available” Requirement

One of the most commonly misunderstood aspects of Regulation 136(1) is the phrase “immediately available in an emergency.”

This means that the trained staff member must be:

• On site and within direct physical reach in the event of an incident, and
• Not engaged in duties that would prevent them from responding immediately to another area of the service.

For example:

• If a first aid-trained educator is working in a toddler room and counted in that room’s ratio, they may not be considered immediately available to assist in the baby’s room or outdoor yard.
• Similarly, if that educator is on lunch break, performing office duties, or supervising a separate excursion, their availability is compromised.

To address this, most childcare centres now adopt the best-practice standard of training all educators and staff in first aid, CPR, asthma, and anaphylaxis management.

This ensures:

• There is always someone immediately available, regardless of rosters or staff absences.
• Coverage extends across all rooms and outdoor areas.
• The service maintains compliance even when staff leave, start early, finish late, or move between rooms.
• Relief and casual educators can contribute to a safe environment without relying solely on nominated supervisors.

How Many Staff Should Be Trained?

While Regulation 136(1) only requires at least one qualified staff member in each area, ACECQA’s guidance and sector best practice strongly encourage multiple staff members to hold the required qualifications.

In practice, this means:

• Each room or age group should have at least one qualified educator who is not counted solely toward that room’s ratio.
• All room leaders, directors, and nominated supervisors should maintain current HLTAID012 certification.
• Where possible, all educators should be trained to ensure coverage across early starts, late finishes, and absences.

This approach ensures the service meets both the letter and the intent of the law — providing reliable, immediate emergency response capability at all times.

Record-Keeping and Compliance Management

The National Regulations (Regulation 147) also require that services maintain accurate records of:

• Each staff member’s first aid, asthma, and anaphylaxis qualifications
• The expiry dates of these qualifications
• Evidence of current certificates or statements of attainment

Services partnering with Australian Pacific Training Solutions (APTS) benefit from access to the Training Desk Client Portal, which simplifies compliance management by allowing:

• Secure storage of staff certificates and statements
• Automatic expiry alerts for CPR and first aid renewals
• Real-time compliance reports for ACECQA or authorised officer audits
• Easy rebooking for refresher sessions or group renewals

This system eliminates manual tracking and ensures that your service remains audit-ready at all times.

Why Most Services Now Train All Staff

Beyond compliance, many early childhood providers have made the strategic decision to train all staff in HLTAID012.

This proactive approach:

• Guarantees full compliance during any regulatory visit
• Improves response times in emergencies
• Reduces reliance on specific individuals
• Builds confidence and safety awareness across the team
• Minimises the risk of non-compliance due to staff turnover

From a management perspective, this also simplifies rostering, as any educator can move between rooms without impacting emergency preparedness.

The APTS Solution: HLTAID012 – Provide First Aid in an Education and Care Setting

Australian Pacific Training Solutions (APTS) delivers the nationally recognised course HLTAID012 – Provide First Aid in an Education and Care Setting, specifically designed for early childhood and childcare workers.

This course equips educators with the skills and knowledge to respond to:

• Asthma and anaphylaxis emergencies
• Cardiac arrest and CPR incidents
• Choking, fractures, bleeding, and allergic reactions
• Common childhood illnesses and injuries

Training can be delivered onsite at your service for group bookings or at APTS public venues across Melbourne, Geelong, and regional Victoria.

Learn more here:
APTS HLTAID012 – Provide First Aid in an Education and Care Setting

Final Thoughts

Under the National Regulations, first aid preparedness in childcare is not a matter of convenience — it’s a legal requirement that ensures the safety of every child, educator, and visitor.
By maintaining current qualifications and ensuring trained staff are immediately available at all times, services demonstrate both regulatory compliance and a strong commitment to best practice.

Partnering with APTS provides a reliable, compliant training solution supported by Training Desk, giving approved providers and nominated supervisors peace of mind that their service is covered — every day, in every room.