Applicants to the FSA Recognised FS Provider scheme must meet our first aid benchmark (taken from band 3 in the Outdoor First Aid Training guide published by the Institute of Outdoor Learning), which is that their course is:
16 hours + with an outdoor element + with a paediatric element covering pre-pubescent children if you work with these groups (and infants if you are responsible for babies).
Covid has resulted in challenges to those of us wishing to renew our first aid qualifications and we have supported members carefully throughout:
- March 2020 HSE stated that they would accept gaps between first aid qualifications.
- April 2020 FSA mirrored the above to accept applications from providers who had Level 3 practitioners with gaps in their first aid qualifications that were due to Covid-19.
- December 2020 IOL amended their own guidance to state that blended courses were temporarily acceptable.
- Jan 2021 FSA mirrored the above by adopting an interim measure to accept qualifications from applicants where the course comprised 8 hours of theoretical study online/virtually and 8 hours face-to-face with a trainer, covering all practical elements and competency assessments.
Having met with Awarding Organisations and First Aid Trainers last week we are now satisfied that there is, once again, widespread provision of face to face first aid courses. We understand that indoor venues are now legally allowed to host first aid courses, in all parts of the UK, and we believe that the vast majority of venues now have the confidence to do so. The FSA are therefore ending our temporary amendment. Our benchmark reverts to 16 hours face to face with a trainer and we are not able to accept any blended learning after today.
