Childcare CPR & first aid requirements
First Aid & CPR British Columbia
If you work in childcare in British Columbia — whether at a daycare, preschool, home-based care, or camp — first aid and CPR certification is not optional. It's a licensing requirement, and for good reason: children are among the most vulnerable to choking, allergic reactions, and injuries. Being prepared to respond can mean everything.
What British Columbia requires
In British Columbia, the Child Care Licensing Regulation requires that children always have immediate access to an employee holding a valid first-aid and CPR certificate. The qualifying course runs at least eight hours, with a minimum of three and a half hours delivered in person, and licensing is administered through the Ministry of Education and Child Care together with the regional health authorities. In effect, no group of children should ever be without a trained responder close at hand.
Anaphylaxis and medication administration
Under the regulation, a facility may give prescribed or parent-supplied medication only under a prior written agreement with the parent, and only through an employee competent to administer it. Medication must be kept inaccessible to children, apart from what a child is specifically authorized to self-administer, and provincial guidance encourages a clear plan for every child with a known allergy. The emphasis is on preparation: knowing the child, the plan and the response before a reaction ever happens.
How our courses meet these requirements
A recognized, standards-based certification — online theory paired with a hands-on skills check — meets British Columbia’s requirement and keeps your team ready to act.
Don't wait for renewal day
For a small child who has stopped breathing, help measured in minutes can still arrive too late — which is why the person already present matters most. A recognized certification built to current standards turns a frightening moment into a set of practised steps, and it satisfies the province's expectation that a trained responder is always within reach. Parents notice that assurance, and they remember it.