Frequently Asked Questions

Below are some of the frequently asked questions. The majority of these are also answered in our brochure.

What does it cost?
The class is two hours long and costs £270 for up to six people. If you have 6 people in your group, this works out at £45 per person. The price includes support material and a certificate after the class. We have found that once you start asking around amongst friends and family, the group fills up pretty quickly. So many people have been meaning to go on a First Aid course but have not got round to it.

When do you run the classes?
We run classes at anytime to fit in with your schedule, we do them in the evenings, at weekends (Sat and Sun) as well as mid week.

When do you have availability? How far in advance do I need to book?
It depends on where you live as we have more trainers in some areas than others, and also when you would like to hold the class. The more flexible you are about when you would like your class to take place the quicker it will be to organise it. Most classes can be organised within three weeks and our record is one day. However weekends are the most popular time to hold the class so it may be up to 6 weeks.

How do I organise it?
To book a class we need to know the address of where you will hold the class and your preferences for when you want to have it (evenings, weekdays, weekends…). We can take this information over the phone or you can email it to us. We will then assign a nurse local to you, who will contact you directly and give you some options on dates. Most of our nurses work in hospitals and know their work schedules up to 4 weeks ahead so they have specific dates that they know they are available. Once you have confirmed the date and time with the others in your group, we send you a confirmation and an invoice.

What happens if I have more than 6 people?
The ratio of 1 trainer to 6 people works well to ensure that each person is properly observed and truly gets it. However we will train up to 8 people provided we allow more time to ensure each participant has ample time to practice what we teach them and to address their particular concerns.

For each extra person over 6 the class is extended by ½ an hour and there is an additional charge of £45. Therefore a 7 person class would last 2 ½ hours and cost £315. An 8 person class, 3 hours and £360.

What happens if I have less than 6 people?
The minimum fee is £270 because even if there are less than 6 people, the class will take the same amount of time. So the £270 fee will be the same whether there is one person or six. A class of six tends to work better than smaller classes, particularly with Basic Life Support because you learn from watching others as well as practicing yourself. Repetition is key.

I don’t have a group of 6 people. Can I join someone else’s group?
The majority of our classes are held privately in people’s homes and we cannot invite other people in to their home. We find that once you start asking people involved with children e.g. parents, grandparents, other parents, nannies, carers you invariably end up with 6 people. So many people have been meaning to do a class and have not got around to it and will appreciate the offer of a class to attend.

We also run public classes on which you can book individual places. These are held on the first Wednesday of every month in the O2 centre, Finchley Road, north London from 8:00-10:00pm. Places cost £45

This class is expensive compared to other First Aid companies I have looked at?
Our prices are not that different to most First Aid training providers. In fact we are sometimes cheaper. However we are a little different to other First Aid companies because our classes are developed and run by medical professionals rather than First Aid Trainers. The advantage of this is that you are being trained by people who work in hospitals or clinics, and with parents and children in their daily lives. They have first hand experience of treating childrens’ medical emergencies and are familiar with the day to day accidents and injuries. They are involved in teaching through their work and the classes that they teach for The Parent Company are an extension of this. Also the small group size ensures individual care and attention.

Why is the BLS certificate only valid for one year when other company’s have certificates valid for three years?
A three year certificate implies that the participant should only refresh their knowledge about BLS every three years. However we feel that it is not responsible to suggest that refreshing BLS skills every three years is adequate for parents or carers of children and babies. In our view, a person is unlikely to be able to remember exactly what to do in the case of an emergency relating to Basic Life Support, one year after the class. This is not a reflection on the quality of our class but rather due to the fact that most people who take the class are unlikely to have had a chance to apply it (if they are lucky). If there is a need for BLS there is not time to look it up in books or call a friend, you have to be ready and able to apply your knowledge immediately.

With Accident and Injury this is not the case. It is not as specific and a lot of it will be remembered and is common sense. We aim to build confidence and an awareness of risks.

Is the class certified for nannies?
We are approved under the DFES childcare approval scheme for nannies. If a nanny completes both classes which takes a total of four hours and submits the certificates it complies with the paediatric first aid requirements.

Is the class certified for individuals?
For individuals there is no formal approval scheme. Our classes comply with the European resuscitation council guidelines and the curriculum developed by Dr. Peter Thompson when he was the the lead paediatric emergency doctor at Kings College hospital, London. Our certificates have the NHS logo as a result of this.

Is the class certified for childcare centres, nurseries, childminders etc?
The DFES requires organisations that look after children where parents are not present to have one person on site at all times who has completed an approved first aid course. This course must be a minimum of 12 hours and covers the medical aspect of first aid as well as procedural aspects such as first aid kits and emergency procedures. Our classes do not meet the 12 hour minimum requirement; however, for most individuals working with children our classes cover all relevant paediatric first aid topics. Therefore we recommend that organisations send a certain number of staff on the DFES approved and teach the remainder through us.