Childcare CPR & first aid requirements
First Aid & CPR California
If you work in childcare in California — 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 California requires
California's child care regulations — Title 22 of the Code of Regulations and the Health and Safety Code, enforced by the Department of Social Services' Community Care Licensing and the state's Emergency Medical Services Authority — require that at least one staff member trained in pediatric CPR and pediatric first aid be on hand at all times children are present, including during offsite outings. Newly licensed programs complete a longer sixteen-hour course, and certification is refreshed every two years through an eight-hour renewal covering pediatric first aid and pediatric CPR with an AED. The renewal must include a hands-on skills evaluation, which an approved blended course provides.
Anaphylaxis and medication administration
Under Title 22, trained non-medical staff may give both routine medications and an emergency epinephrine auto-injector as an Incidental Medical Service, provided the family has given written authorization and the child's physician has signed off. Medications must be kept in locked containers, and staff typically complete medication administration training before they administer anything. That preparation matters most in the minutes of a severe allergic reaction, when a caregiver must recognize anaphylaxis and act without delay.
How our courses meet these requirements
A recognized, standards-based certification — online theory paired with a hands-on skills check — meets California’s requirement and keeps your team ready to act.
Don't wait for renewal day
When a child stops breathing or chokes, the first few minutes belong entirely to the adult standing closest, long before paramedics arrive. Certification keeps those seconds in trained hands and keeps your program license-ready, while families quietly notice that their children are cared for by people prepared for the worst day. A recognized, standards-based course that blends online learning with a hands-on skills evaluation meets the state's requirement and fits around a working schedule.