General Tips
You used to be able to find First Aid Courses (free through the NHS) through your health visitor, but due to funding cuts I am not sure if they still run. Check with your health visitor.
The first ever first aid course I went to, I brought my daughter along to. I would recommend you NOT to bring your child. As we weren’t allowed to bring the buggies into the room, most of the time was spent taking care of my daughter who was barely two months old, and I took pretty much nothing in. When we were practicing on the training dolls, most of the children were on the floor and within seconds a cacophony of wailing started. The majority of mothers there (including myself) were pretty stressed. Even if we had been allowed to bring buggies, I would recommend doing it on your own. Please remember, that your partner/husband can also request to go. My husband did.
The brilliant paramedic Norman Abbott in action.
I used to host first aid courses with paramedic Norman Abbott about four times a year. However, due to funding cuts the London Ambulance Service stopped doing them. I still live in hope so you could always contact Norman on norman.abbott@lond-amb.nhs.uk to see if they have started doing them again.
Below are details of first aid courses provided by private companies.
- St John Ambulance – Paediatric First Aid Courses
- British Red Cross – First Aid for child-carers
- Daisy First Aid – Paediatric First Aid Courses
Baby Resuscitation & First Aid Workshop
This essential workshop in First Aid for babies will ensure that you know how to resuscitate a baby or young child in the event of an emergency. It is very rare for babies to need emergency first aid yet, when a child chokes or has trouble breathing, effective resuscitation can save a life and prevent brain damage. It is surprising how few parents, baby sitters, grandparents and child minders have been taught how to deal with such a situation, yet just one day could make the difference to a life, and a family¹s future.
Even if you forget what you learn in this workshop ¬ you would find that it is exactly in line with what the emergency services tell you to do when you ring them, and having done the workshop, it will all come back to you exactly when you need it most. You will be given an opportunity to practice during the workshop.
The class is taught by Bernadette Rae who is an Advanced Nurse Practitioner and qualified as a first aider through St John Ambulance. Bernadette has been teaching at the Active Birth Centre for over ten years and also works in a North London GP practice.
To enquire about future courses, please email helen@helenbenigson.com
I know the dates on this photo have already passed, but do contact them to find out when the next course takes place.
