Sharon has 21+ years of experience as a qualified Emergency Care Nurse registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (APHRA) and 12+ years as a First Aid Trainer.
She takes pride in FirstAidPro making first aid training available, comprehensive and affordable to everybody.
If you run or work in an education and care service in Western Australia, the childcare first aid rule is short and strict. Under Regulation 136 of the WA regulations, your service must have qualified people on site at all times. Between them, they must hold a current approved first aid qualification, anaphylaxis management training and emergency asthma management training.
To find the rule, open the current version on the WA legislation site and go to regulation 136 (Part 4.4, staffing).
This guide is for centre directors, educators, outside school hours care (OSHC) coordinators and family day care (FDC) educators across Perth and regional WA. It also explains the legal change on 1 May 2026, when WA moved to applied National Law. Everything here is current as at October 2026.
I’ve worked as an emergency care nurse for more than 21 years, and I know how much the first few minutes matter. Here we answer one question: what do you actually have to have in place? For course basics, start with our childcare first aid explainer.
Key Takeaways
- Regulation 136 requires approved first aid, anaphylaxis and asthma training on site at all times children are in care.
- First aid, anaphylaxis and asthma training stay current for 3 years, but CPR must be within the previous year (ACECQA).
- In family day care, every educator and educator assistant must hold all three qualifications.
- ECRU at the Department of Communities regulates WA services, while ACECQA publishes the approved course list.
- The WA regulations set a $2,200 penalty for the approved provider if the rule is breached. Penalty amounts can change, so check the current WA regulations.
- ACECQA’s approved list shows HLTAID012 under First Aid, Asthma and Anaphylaxis, covering all three in one course.
What Regulation 136 Requires in Western Australia
Regulation 136 of the Education and Care Services National Law Regulations (WA) sets the childcare first aid requirements in WA. The duty sits with the approved provider, the person or organisation that holds the provider approval. As director, you’re usually the one who makes it work on the roster.
For a centre-based service, at least one staff member or nominated supervisor must hold each of the following:
- A current approved first aid qualification.
- Current approved anaphylaxis management training.
- Current approved emergency asthma management training.
ACECQA’s first aid guidance says these people must be “in attendance at all times… and immediately available in an emergency”. One staff member may hold one or more of the qualifications. A single educator with all three can meet the rule, but only while they’re on the premises.
That means your cover has to hold up at opening, at closing, during lunch breaks and when someone calls in sick. Check the edges of the day first, because that’s where cover is easiest to miss.
The WA regulation states a $2,200 penalty for a breach of reg 136(1), payable by the approved provider. A compliance direction may also be issued, and reg 136 appears in Schedule 3 as a compliance-direction provision. Penalty amounts can change, so check the current WA compilation.
This table summarises reg 136 by service type, based on ACECQA’s summary and the WA regulations.
| Service type | Who must hold it | Qualifications |
|---|---|---|
| Centre-based (long day care, kindergarten) | At least one staff member or nominated supervisor per qualification, present and immediately available at all times | First aid, anaphylaxis management, emergency asthma management |
| Service on a school site (such as OSHC) | As above, or qualified school staff present at the school site and immediately available | First aid, anaphylaxis management, emergency asthma management |
| Family day care | Every educator and educator assistant | All three qualifications |
How the National Law Applies in Western Australia Since 1 May 2026
On 1 May 2026, Western Australia moved from “corresponding” to “applied” legislation for services under the National Quality Framework. The laws are now the Education and Care Services National Law (WA) and the Education and Care Services National Law Regulations (WA). They apply under the Education and Care Services National Law Application Act 2026.
The old 2012 WA instruments are repealed, so update any policy that still cites them. Some section and regulation numbers also changed. ECRU links a renumbering table from its latest updates page, so check it before you rewrite policy references.
In WA, the Department of Communities approves and monitors services through ECRU, the Education and Care Regulatory Unit. ECRU monitors and enforces compliance, including first aid cover. You can contact ECRU on Freecall 1800 199 383, (08) 6277 3889 or ECRU@communities.wa.gov.au.
Some WA services, such as occasional care and mobile services, fall under the Child Care Services Act 2007 instead. If that describes your service, confirm your first aid obligations with ECRU directly.
ACECQA’s Role: Approved First Aid, Anaphylaxis and Asthma Training
ACECQA is the national authority that decides which courses count. It publishes the NQF approved qualifications list, covering first aid, anaphylaxis management and emergency asthma management.
On that list, HLTAID012 Provide First Aid in an Education and Care Setting sits under the combined level “First Aid, Asthma and Anaphylaxis”. It’s accepted for any date awarded. The same list notes HLTAID012 superseded HLTAID004 on 15 October 2020.
The HLTAID012 unit on training.gov.au covers first aid emergencies, including asthma and anaphylaxis. It names early childhood workers and OSHC educators among the workers it applies to. Approval itself comes from ACECQA’s list, which is why that list is the one to check.
ACECQA lists HLTAID011 Provide First Aid under “First Aid only”. A staff member with HLTAID011 still needs separately approved anaphylaxis and asthma training to cover those parts of reg 136.
Approval dates change, so treat the list as the final word on childcare first aid courses. Always check the live ACECQA list before you book a course or accept a new staff member’s certificate. For unit content and how it compares with HLTAID011, read our HLTAID012 unit guide.
How Often Must Childcare First Aid Be Renewed?
Under reg 136(4A) of the WA regulations, first aid, anaphylaxis and asthma training are current if completed within the previous 3 years. CPR and emergency life support must be completed within the previous year.
ACECQA confirms both currency periods and adds that they apply to each individual unit of competency. So an educator with a two-year-old HLTAID012 still needs CPR completed in the last 12 months.
Here’s the cycle we recommend to centres. The law sets the time limits, and this plan keeps you inside them:
- At month 0, complete HLTAID012, which includes HLTAID009 Provide CPR in the Statement of Attainment.
- At month 12, complete a CPR refresher before the 12-month mark.
- At month 24, complete another CPR refresher.
- At month 36, renew HLTAID012 and start the cycle again.
Book refreshers a few weeks early so a cancelled class doesn’t leave you exposed. For more on CPR timing, see how often to renew CPR.
Rules by Service Type: Long Day Care, OSHC and Family Day Care
Centre-Based Services (Long Day Care and Kindergarten)
Reg 136(1) applies in full. You need at least one person with each qualification, present and immediately available whenever children are in care.
In a larger centre, think about how fast a qualified educator can reach every room and outdoor area. “Immediately available” is the test. Make sure no qualified person is tied up where they can’t respond straight away.
OSHC on a School Site
Under reg 136(2), a service on a school site can rely on qualified school staff. Those staff must be in attendance at the school site and immediately available in an emergency.
Check your actual arrangements before relying on this, especially after school hours when teachers leave. The HLTAID012 unit applies to educators in outside school hours care and vacation programs, so it suits OSHC teams well.
Family Day Care
Family day care has the strictest rule. Under reg 136(3), the approved provider must ensure every educator and educator assistant holds all three qualifications. The $2,200 penalty applies here too. Penalty amounts can change, so check the current WA regulations.
Under reg 153, the FDC register must include evidence of each educator’s current approved first aid, anaphylaxis and asthma training. Keep copies current as certificates renew.
Related Obligations: Kits, Policies and Incident Records
Several other duties in the WA regulations sit alongside reg 136. None of them sets staff qualification rules. Reg 136 does that.
- Reg 85 requires policies and procedures for incidents, injury, trauma and illness.
- Reg 86 requires you to notify a parent or emergency contact within 24 hours.
- Reg 87 requires the incident record to be completed within 24 hours.
- Reg 89 requires an appropriate number of first aid kits for the number of children.
- Reg 90 requires a medical conditions policy covering asthma, diabetes and anaphylaxis risk.
- Reg 168 requires policies and procedures that include the administration of first aid.
The WA regulations set a $2,200 penalty for breaches of regs 86 and 89, and $1,100 for reg 168. Penalty amounts can change, so check the current WA regulations.
A Practical Compliance Checklist for Western Australian Centre Directors
Use this list to test your childcare first aid cover before an ECRU visit. Each item ties back to reg 136 or the evidence you’ll need to show it.
- Check your roster covers all three qualifications for every session, including opening, closing and breaks.
- Keep a qualifications register with each person’s unit codes, completion dates and expiry dates.
- Set CPR reminders at 11 months so refreshers happen before the 12-month limit.
- Check every new certificate against the live ACECQA approved list.
- Store certificate copies so you can show evidence quickly during ECRU visits.
- Update policies that still cite the repealed 2012 WA instruments.
- Record each educator’s training evidence on the FDC register, if you run family day care.
If you find a gap, fix the roster first, then book training. A roster gap is a breach today. An expiring certificate becomes one next month.
Getting Your Team Trained in Perth and Regional Western Australia
We deliver the HLTAID012 Childcare First Aid Course across Western Australia, priced from $119 (prices may vary) at our Perth CBD venue. Completion gives a Statement of Attainment for HLTAID012, which incorporates HLTAID010 and HLTAID009. We’re a Registered Training Organisation (RTO 31124), and our courses are nationally accredited.
You can choose from four childcare first aid delivery modes:
- A fully face-to-face course.
- A blended course with online theory and an in-person practical.
- An express renewal with online theory and an assessment.
- A 100% online course through a Zoom virtual classroom.
Certificates Issued Same Day* (T&Cs Apply), so your register can be updated the day staff finish.
Our WA venues include Perth CBD, Joondalup, Fremantle, Midvale, Rockingham and Wanneroo. Availability varies by venue. For centres anywhere in WA, ask about onsite group training, where our trainers come to your centre and work around your roster.
Book a course at our Perth CBD venue, or Find a course near you across Western Australia.
Frequently Asked Questions
What first aid do you need to work in childcare in WA?
In centre-based care, the legal duty falls on your service rather than on each educator. WA reg 136 requires approved first aid, anaphylaxis and emergency asthma training to be held by staff on site at all times. HLTAID012 is a practical choice because ACECQA lists it under First Aid, Asthma and Anaphylaxis.
Is HLTAID012 approved by ACECQA?
Yes. As at October 2026, the ACECQA approved qualifications list includes HLTAID012 at the First Aid, Asthma and Anaphylaxis level, for any date awarded. ACECQA updates the list, so check the live version before you book.
How often do childcare workers need to renew CPR?
Plan on every 12 months, because reg 136(4A) of the WA regulations requires CPR within the previous year. ACECQA applies this per unit of competency. Your first aid, anaphylaxis and asthma training remain current for 3 years.
Does every educator need a first aid certificate?
Only in family day care, where WA reg 136(3) requires every educator and educator assistant to hold all three qualifications. In centre-based services, ACECQA’s guidance requires at least one qualified staff member or nominated supervisor for each qualification at all times. Training more of your team makes rostering easier and gives you backup when staff are away.
Who regulates childcare services in Western Australia?
The Department of Communities regulates WA services through ECRU, its Education and Care Regulatory Unit. ECRU approves services, monitors them and enforces compliance. ACECQA maintains the approved qualification lists, and you can reach ECRU on Freecall 1800 199 383.
Is HLTAID011 enough for childcare in WA?
It covers the first aid requirement only. The ACECQA approved list shows HLTAID011 under First Aid only, so it doesn’t meet the anaphylaxis or asthma parts of reg 136. Pair it with separately approved anaphylaxis and asthma training, or choose HLTAID012, which ACECQA lists for all three.
