Why a First Aid Certificate Gets You More Babysitting Work

If you babysit regularly, you have probably noticed the question coming up more often. Do you have first aid? For a lot of families it is now the first thing they ask after availability, and answering yes puts you ahead of most other candidates.

Why parents care so much about it

Leaving a child with someone else is an act of trust, and parents cope with that by looking for evidence. A certificate is concrete proof, unlike a general assurance that you are good with kids. It tells them that you have physically practised what to do if their child chokes at dinner or stops breathing, rather than simply hoping you would work it out.

It changes what you can charge

Certified babysitters can generally ask for a higher hourly rate, and they get offered the jobs that pay best. Families with babies, with a child who has a diagnosed allergy or asthma, or who need someone for a full day rather than a couple of hours in the evening will nearly always choose the candidate with current training.

It is quicker and cheaper than people expect

The CPR unit takes about ninety minutes in person. The full first aid certificate takes about three hours. In both cases you complete a short theory component online beforehand, attend one practical session and receive your certificate the same day. There is no multi day commitment and no waiting weeks for paperwork.

What to put on your profile

• The unit code and the full unit name, for example HLTAID012 Provide First Aid in an Education and Care Setting
• The date you completed it
• The registered training organisation, in our case CBD College, RTO 91399
• Your working with children check number if you have one

Listing the unit code rather than just the words first aid signals that your certificate is nationally recognised rather than an online only course.

Not sure which one to book? Our guide to choosing a course compares the three units, or you can check dates near you and book straight away.