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.
Key Takeaways
- HLTAID012 Provide First Aid in an Education and Care Setting is the nationally accredited childcare first aid course for people who work with children.
- It covers first aid for infants, children and adults, including CPR, emergency asthma management and anaphylaxis management.
- HLTAID012 is ACECQA-approved first aid, asthma and anaphylaxis training under the National Quality Framework.
- It supersedes HLTAID004 — the older code is not equivalent, so previous holders should renew into HLTAID012.
- Your Statement of Attainment is valid for 3 years, and CPR should be refreshed annually.
- Under regulation 136, centre-based services must always have qualified staff in attendance — HLTAID012 covers all three required areas in one course.
What HLTAID012 Means
HLTAID012 is a nationally recognised unit of competency called Provide First Aid in an Education and Care Setting. It is listed on the national training register at training.gov.au, where every accredited qualification in Australia is published. The unit has been current since 16 October 2020, with Release 2 current from 7 December 2021.
In plain terms, it is the childcare-specific and education-specific first aid qualification. It teaches the same core first aid skills as general courses, then tailors the content, scenarios and legal components to the environments where you care for children.
One important point for anyone with an older certificate: HLTAID012 supersedes HLTAID004, and according to training.gov.au the two are not equivalent. If you hold HLTAID004, you should renew into HLTAID012 rather than assume the old code still counts.
HLTAID012 is designed for people who supervise or care for children, including childcare educators, early childhood teachers, OSHC staff, family day care providers, teacher aides, nannies and sports coaches.
What Does HLTAID012 Include?
HLTAID012 covers first aid response to infants, children and adults, including CPR, anaphylaxis and asthma, in line with Australian Resuscitation Council (ARC) and ANZCOR guidelines. According to the unit document on training.gov.au, this paediatric focus is what sets the course apart from general first aid.
Here is what a childcare first aid course teaches you to manage:
- Infant, child and adult CPR, with age-appropriate modifications, plus AED (defibrillator) use with child pads.
- Anaphylaxis management, including using an adrenaline auto-injector such as an EpiPen.
- Emergency asthma management for children and adults.
- Choking, allergic reactions and febrile convulsions or seizures.
- Common childhood injuries and illnesses, including burns, fractures, playground injuries, poisoning and dehydration.
- The DRSABCD action plan, plus incident reporting and communicating with young children during an emergency.
When you complete the course with us, you receive a Statement of Attainment for HLTAID012, and the bundle also covers HLTAID011, HLTAID010 and HLTAID009. That means one course gives you the education-and-care qualification alongside the general first aid and CPR units.
Is HLTAID012 ACECQA Approved?
Yes — HLTAID012 is ACECQA-approved first aid, emergency asthma and anaphylaxis training under the National Quality Framework. The Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) publishes the approved training lists that education and care services rely on, and HLTAID012 meets these requirements.
This matters because of regulation 136 of the Education and Care Services National Regulations. Under this rule, a centre-based service must have, in attendance at all times that children are being educated and cared for, at least:
- one educator with current approved first aid qualifications,
- one educator with anaphylaxis management training, and
- one educator with emergency asthma management training.
The helpful part for staffing is that one person can hold all three areas — and HLTAID012 covers all three. So a single educator with a current HLTAID012 qualification satisfies each of the regulation 136 requirements at once. This qualification ties directly to the Education and Care Services National Law and National Regulations, which is why it is the standard qualification for the sector.
How Long Is HLTAID012 Valid? Renewal and CPR Refresh
Your HLTAID012 Statement of Attainment is valid for 3 years. The industry standard published by ACECQA is that first aid, anaphylaxis and emergency asthma management qualifications are renewed every 3 years.
CPR should be refreshed annually. This is a separate, more frequent cycle, because CPR skills fade and guidelines are reviewed regularly. Keeping your CPR current each year is the single most important thing you can do to stay ready for an emergency.
The Safe Work Australia First Aid in the Workplace Code of Practice also recommends regular refresher training so your skills stay sharp between full requalifications. When your three years are approaching, book your renewal early so there is no gap in your certification — and slot in your annual CPR refresh alongside it.
HLTAID012 vs HLTAID011 — Which First Aid Course Do You Need?
Choose HLTAID012 if you work with children in a regulated education or care setting, and HLTAID011 if you need general first aid for a broad workplace. Both are nationally accredited, and both teach strong first aid fundamentals — the difference is focus.
- HLTAID011 Provide First Aid is the general first aid qualification suited to most workplaces across many industries.
- HLTAID012 Provide First Aid in an Education and Care Setting builds on that same foundation and adds a paediatric focus, greater emphasis on asthma and anaphylaxis, and alignment with ACECQA requirements for the sector.
A simple rule of thumb: if you are responsible for children in a childcare centre, school, OSHC service or family day care, HLTAID012 is the qualification written for you. If your role sits outside education and care, HLTAID011 is likely the right fit. When you complete HLTAID012 with us, HLTAID011 is included in the bundle, so you are covered for both.
How to Get HLTAID012 Certified With FirstAidPro
You can get HLTAID012 certified with FirstAidPro, a nationally accredited Registered Training Organisation (RTO 31124), and we offer several delivery options to suit your schedule. These include fully face-to-face training, a blended pathway with online theory and a practical session, an express renewal option, and a 100% online class delivered live via Zoom.
We run public classes and onsite group training at schools and centres, with venues available across Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth. Whether you need a single spot in an upcoming class or a whole team trained on site, there is a format that fits.
Certificates Issued Same Day* (T&Cs Apply), so your qualification is ready when you need it. To find a childcare first aid course near me, check our calendar for the next available class, choose the delivery mode that works for you, and book your place.
Disclaimer
This article is general information only and is not medical advice. It does not replace hands-on training or professional clinical guidance. Always complete accredited first aid training and follow current ARC and ANZCOR guidelines when responding to an emergency.
Recent Posts
HLTAID011 Provide First Aid: what the general first aid course covers.
HLTAID009 Provide CPR: the standalone CPR unit and annual refresh.
Childcare First Aid Course (HLTAID012): delivery modes, locations and booking.
Additional Questions About HLTAID012
What Is HLTAID012?
HLTAID012 is the nationally recognised unit of competency called Provide First Aid in an Education and Care Setting, listed on training.gov.au. It qualifies you to provide first aid to infants, children and adults, and it is the standard childcare first aid qualification for the sector.
Is HLTAID012 ACECQA Approved?
Yes. ACECQA lists HLTAID012 among the approved first aid, emergency asthma and anaphylaxis management training under the National Quality Framework. Holding a current HLTAID012 helps your service meet its qualification requirements.
What Does HLTAID012 Include?
According to the training.gov.au unit document, HLTAID012 covers infant, child and adult CPR, anaphylaxis management, emergency asthma management, choking and common childhood injuries, in line with ARC and ANZCOR guidelines. Completing it also bundles the HLTAID011, HLTAID010 and HLTAID009 units.
How Long Is HLTAID012 Valid?
An HLTAID012 Statement of Attainment is valid for 3 years, per the industry standard published by ACECQA. Your CPR component should be refreshed annually, and Safe Work Australia recommends regular refresher training to keep your skills current.
What Is the Difference Between HLTAID012 and HLTAID011?
HLTAID012 is the education-and-care-specific qualification with a paediatric focus and added emphasis on asthma and anaphylaxis, aligned with ACECQA requirements. HLTAID011 is the general Provide First Aid qualification for broad workplaces. People who care for children in a regulated setting need HLTAID012.
Does HLTAID004 Still Count?
HLTAID004 has been superseded by HLTAID012, and according to training.gov.au the two units are not equivalent. If you previously held HLTAID004, you should renew into HLTAID012 to stay current and compliant.
Is There a Free HLTAID012 Course?
Accredited HLTAID012 training is delivered by Registered Training Organisations and is a paid course, because it includes trainer-led practical assessment and a nationally recognised Statement of Attainment. Be cautious of any offer advertising a genuinely accredited HLTAID012 qualification for free.
