Childcare CPR & first aid requirements

If you work in childcare in Germany — 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 Germany requires

In Germany, pedagogical staff in nurseries and kindergartens (Kita) must complete an 'Erste Hilfe am Kind' (first aid for children) course under the statutory accident-insurance rules (DGUV Vorschrift 1). The course runs to nine teaching units (9 × 45 minutes, one day), with a mandatory refresher every two years, covered by the accident insurer. The detailed Kita rules are set by the federal states, and in practice the whole supervising team is trained.

Anaphylaxis and medication administration

Under the accident-insurance guidance, giving an adrenaline auto-injector during anaphylaxis counts as a first-aid act and is legally protected when a physician-signed emergency plan, written parental authorisation (Ermächtigungsbescheinigung) and staff training are all in place. The emergency medication is kept centrally and always within reach, not locked away. In a severe allergic reaction, a matter of seconds can decide the outcome.

How our courses meet these requirements

A recognized, standards-based certification — online theory paired with a hands-on skills check — meets Germany’s requirement and keeps your team ready to act.

Don't wait for renewal day

When a child chokes, has a seizure or reacts severely to an allergen, the first minutes matter — and they belong to whoever is in the room, not to the ambulance arriving later. A recognised, standards-based certification gives your team the assurance of knowing exactly what to do, and gives parents the confidence that their child is in good hands. Training does more than tick a regulatory box: it prepares you for the day it genuinely counts.