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?
Private classes are two hours long and costs £300 for up to six people. If you have 6 people in your group, this works out at £50 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.

For the cost of the 12 hour Early Years First Aid course click here >>

When do you run the classes?
We run private 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.

From time to time we run public classes and the dates of these can be found on the classes page>>

When do you have availability? How far in advance do I need to book my private class?
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 my private class?
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 for my private class?
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 £50. Therefore a 7 person class would last 2 ½ hours and cost £350. An 8 person class, 3 hours and £400.

What happens if I have less than 6 people for my private class?
The minimum fee is £300 because even if there are less than 6 people, the class will take the same amount of time. So the £300 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 would like to combine the Basic Life Support and Accident and Injury class into one private class for a group of 6 people. Can I do this?

We can run both classes on the same day with a break in the middle and we have done this many times. For some people this works because they find it easier to get everyone together on one occasion only.

However, if you did want to take both classes in the near future (many start with Basic Life Support and follow up with Accident and Injury six months later) we recommend that you spread the two sessions over two separate days because it allows you time to absorb the information, and fours hours of teaching in one day can be a challenge.

We are often asked if we can combine the classes in to one session. We would love to be able to run a combined class for 6 people in two hours but could not do this without compromising the quality of the training. One of our key objectives is to empower parents and carers so that they leave our classes feeling confident in their ability to manage in an emergency situation. We could not do this by collapsing a four hour curriculum in to half of that time.

When we do a customised class combining both classes we restrict it to 2 – 3 people and commit to covering the Basic Life Support class in full and as much of the Accident and Injury Curriculum as possible in the remaining time. We send you the Accident and Injury wall chart so that you can choose the topics that you want to cover. Therefore even in these classes we do not cover everything but we prioritise based on your requests and the age of the children you look after.

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.

From time to time we run public classes and the dates of these can be found on the classes page>>

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 children's’ 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 for private classes 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.

Certificates for the 12 hour Early Years Paediatric First Aid course are valid for three years. This is consistent with HSE guidelines and Practice Guidance for the Early Years Foundation Stage.

Are your courses suitable for registration on the Early Years Register or General Childcare Register?

For registration on the Early Years Register, our 12 hour Paediatric First Aid course is suitable. Click here for more details. Our other classes are not suitable because it is a requirement that the current paediatric first aid certificate required to register on the Early Years Register must be for a course that is a minimum of 12 hours long.

For compulsory or voluntary registration on the General Childcare Register you can enrol on our 12 hour Paediatric First Aid course (Click here for more details) or complete both the At Home with Accident and Injury and At Home with Basic Life Support classes. The combination of these two classes covers all of the requirements of a First Aid course for registration on the General Childcare Register. Click here for more details.

Please do bear in mind that:
• Nannies and Au Pairs DO NOT need to be on either register. They can choose to register on the General Childcare Register on a voluntary basis. One circumstance where this might be of benefit is when an employer of a nanny wants to claim the cost of child care under the Working Tax Credit scheme.

·       For organisations such as schools and nurseries who are required to register under the Early Years Register, the government require that “At least one person who has a current paediatric first aid certificate is on the premises at all times when children are present. There must also be at least one person on outings who has a current paediatric first aid certificate.” This means that NOT ALL staff need to be First Aid trained through a course that is 12 hours long and therefore our combined At Home with Basic Life Support and At Home with Accident Injury class will be suitable for most staff as long as they are not the designated individual. The curriculum is very similar to the 12 hour Paediatric First Aid course and because of the quality of our trainers and the small size of the group being taught, we are able to teach efficiently and effectively in a shorter period of time.

If you are unsure whether you need to register ring the helpline on 08456 404040 for more information.