Education and care services (National Quality Framework)
The following requirements for first aid, anaphylaxis management and emergency asthma management apply under the
Education and Care Services National Regulations 2011 (National Regulations).
Centre-based services
The following persons must be at any place where children are being educated and cared for by the service and immediately available in an emergency and at all times that children are being educated and cared for by the service:
- at least one educator who holds a current approved first aid qualification
- at least one educator who has undertaken current approved anaphylaxis management training
- at least one educator who has undertaken current approved emergency asthma management training (regulation 136).
Note: The same person may hold one or more of the above qualifications. Where children are being educated and cared for on a school site the educators referred to above may be in attendance at the school site and immediately available.
Family day care services
Family day care services need to ensure that each family day care educator and family day care assistant engaged or registered with the service:
- holds a current approved first aid qualification;
- has undertaken current approved anaphylaxis management training; and
- has undertaken current approved emergency asthma management training (not a requirement until 1 January 2013).
Approved first aid, anaphylaxis management and emergency asthma management training and qualifications are available at the
Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) website.
Victorian children’s services
Under the Children’s Services Regulations 2009 (Victorian Regulations) staff within licensed children’ services who care for or educate children at the service and any staff members required to meet minimum staff must complete first aid and anaphylaxis management training approved by the Department at least every 3 years (regulation 63). First aid training and anaphylaxis management training may be undertaken as a combined course.
In addition, all staff on duty whenever children are being cared for or educated must have undertaken training in administration of the adrenaline auto injection device and cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) at least every 12 months. It is recommended that all staff members practise using the adrenaline auto injection devices quarterly, whether or not a child with anaphylaxis is enrolled and attending the service.
The first aid training must include training in the following:
- emergency life support and cardio-pulmonary resuscitation
- convulsions
- poisoning
- respiratory difficulties
- management of severe bleeding
- injury and basic wound care appropriate for children (regulation 63 (2)).
First aid
Accredited first aid courses recognised by the Department which meet the above requirements include:
- Provide First Aid (HLTAID003)
- Apply First Aid (HLTFA301B), (HLTFA301C) or (HLTFA311A)
- Apply Advanced First Aid (HLTFA402B),(HLTFA402C) or (HLTFA412A)
- Provide Advanced First Aid (HLTAID006)
- Provide First Aid in Remote Situations (HLTFA302B), (HLTFA302C) or (HLTAID005)
- Provide an Emergency First Aid Response in an Education and Care Setting (HLTAID004).
Anaphylaxis management training must include training in the following: nature of severe allergic conditions:
- signs, symptoms and management of anaphylactic shock including administration of an adrenaline auto-injection device
- risk minimisation and management strategies for allergic reactions and anaphylaxis appropriate for children.
Anaphylaxis management
Accredited anaphylaxis management courses recognised by the Department which meet the above requirements include:
- Course in Anaphylaxis Awareness (10313NAT)
- Course in First Aid Management of Anaphylaxis (22099VIC) or (22300VIC)
- Apply Advanced First Aid (HLTFA412A)
- Provide an Emergency First Aid Response in an Education and Care Setting (HLTAID004)
- Course in Emergency Asthma and Anaphylaxis Management (80969ACT)
- Course in Anaphylaxis Management (30728QLD)
- Ensure the Health and Safety of Children (CHCCN301B), (CHCCN301C) or (CHCECE002)
- Anaphylaxis E-Training for Australasian Childcare provided by the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA)
- Anaphylaxis training for NSW Childcare or WA Childcare provided by the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA).
- Course in Anaphylaxis Management in WA Education and Care Services provided by the Department of Education WA
- Management and Prevention of Allergy and Anaphylaxis provided by the Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne
- Anaphylaxis E-Learning Program provided by the NSW Department of Education and Communities
External organisations providing training, information and resources
Anaphylaxis, allergies and asthma
For information on external providers that deliver training, see
Health and Wellbeing Training.