Childcare CPR & first aid requirements

First Aid & CPR Nova Scotia

If you work in childcare in Nova Scotia — 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.

Requirements at a glance

Regulatory frameworkEarly Learning and Child Care Regulations (s. 28(1)) under the Early Learning and Child Care Act (Nova Scotia) — each facility director, agency director, care provider, family home consultant and staff member who works directly with children must hold a valid first aid certificate that includes infant CPR training from a recognized program.
Governing authorityNova Scotia — Department of Education and Early Childhood Development
Min. certified staffEvery director, care provider, family home consultant and staff member working directly with children must hold the certificate (individual requirement; no minimum threshold set by the regulation).
Online training acceptanceOnline courses accepted
Online courses accepted

What Nova Scotia requires

In Nova Scotia, the Early Learning and Child Care Regulations require every facility director, agency director, care provider, family home consultant and staff member working directly with children to hold a valid first-aid certificate that includes infant CPR from a recognized program. Oversight rests with the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, and the requirement is individual — each person on the floor must be certified rather than relying on a single colleague. Caring for young children and being trained to respond are treated as inseparable.

Anaphylaxis and medication administration

Medicine may be given only on prior written instructions signed by the parent, with prescription medicine in a pharmacist's container and over-the-counter products in their original packaging. Medications must be properly labelled and safely stored, and each facility sets its own policy for anaphylaxis and emergency medication such as an auto-injector. That makes a clear, well-understood allergy plan for every at-risk child all the more important — the framework leaves the details to you, so the details have to be right.

How our courses meet these requirements

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

Don't wait for renewal day

For a child who has stopped breathing or cannot clear an airway, the adult already present is the whole rescue for the first crucial minutes. A recognized certification built to current standards replaces panic with practised steps and satisfies the province's requirement in the bargain. It is also, quite simply, what parents hope for every time they hand their child into your care.