Which First Aid Course Do You Need?

A plain map of the options — EFAW, FAW, requalification, paediatric and mental health first aid — with the one sentence that describes your situation.

Updated 15 September 2026 6 min read By The Training Co.

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Quick answer

Pick by setting, not by name. Workplace: Emergency First Aid at Work (1 day, lower hazard) or First Aid at Work (3 days, higher hazard). Childcare, nurseries and schools: Paediatric First Aid. Renewing an existing FAW certificate: FAW Requalification (2 days) — booked before it expires. Mental health: Mental Health First Aid, which is separate from the first aid regulations. Then choose the format: open courses for one or two people, group courses at your premises for four or more.

The names are not self-explanatory, and providers do not always help. This page maps the whole range in one place, so you can find the one sentence that describes your situation and stop reading.

Every course, compared

Course	Length	Who it is for	Valid	Renewal
Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW)	1 day	Lower-hazard workplaces; back-up first aiders anywhere	3 years	Repeat the course
First Aid at Work (FAW)	3 days	Higher-hazard workplaces; lead first aiders	3 years	2-day requalification
FAW Requalification	2 days	Renewing a current FAW certificate	3 years	—
Paediatric First Aid	2 days	Nurseries, childminders, early years, school staff	3 years	Repeat the course
Emergency Paediatric First Aid	1 day	Support staff in childcare settings	3 years	Repeat the course
Mental Health First Aid	Varies	Workplace wellbeing; not a legal requirement	Set by awarding body	Per awarding body

Find your situation

“We’re an office / shop / small business”

Emergency First Aid at Work (1 day). Covers the things that kill quickly — unresponsive casualty, CPR and defibrillator, choking, bleeding, shock, seizures — and produces a qualified first aider for three years.

“We’re a factory / warehouse / site / workshop”

First Aid at Work (3 days). Everything in EFAW plus fractures, spinal and head injuries, chest injuries, severe bleeding, heart attack, stroke, asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, anaphylaxis, poisoning and eye injuries — with the scenario practice that makes it usable under pressure.

The EFAW-or-FAW decision in detail, with a full syllabus comparison: 1 day or 3 days?

“Our first aider’s certificate is running out”

FAW Requalification (2 days) for FAW, booked before the expiry date. EFAW is renewed by repeating the one-day course. Once a certificate has lapsed the shorter route may no longer be open — see how long does a first aid certificate last?

“We work with children”

Paediatric First Aid. Children are not small adults: the choking technique differs, the CPR ratios differ, and the conditions you are looking for differ. Early years settings in England also have their own requirements under the Department for Education’s EYFS statutory framework, which is what you should check rather than the workplace regulations.

“We want to support staff mental health”

Mental Health First Aid. Worth being clear: this is not required by the Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981, and no UK law requires a mental health first aider. What is a legal duty is assessing and managing the risk of work-related stress. See is mental health first aid a legal requirement?

“I just want to learn first aid for myself”

An open EFAW place is usually the right answer. It is a recognised qualification rather than an informal session, it takes a day, and it is as useful at home as at work — see five good reasons to train in first aid.

“We’re a care home / supported living service”

Usually FAW, because of the resident profile rather than the building. Choking, falls, seizures and medical emergencies are all more likely where you support older adults or people with complex needs, and the three-day course covers the medical conditions the one-day course does not.

“We’re a sports club, gym or leisure venue”

At least EFAW, and seriously consider an AED. See sports injury first aid.

Then pick the format

Format	Best for	How it’s priced	Where
Open course	One to three people	Per person	Our training venues
Group / company course	Four or more, or a whole team	Per course, up to 12 people	Your premises
Online	Awareness-level topics and theory	Per person	Anywhere

Group courses are delivered at your own premises, so there is no travel time and the scenarios can use your actual workplace, equipment and layout. For a team, that is normally both cheaper and more useful.

One limitation to be aware of: practical qualifications cannot be completed entirely online. EFAW and FAW involve practical assessment, because you cannot assess someone’s chest compressions through a screen. Online has a real place for awareness-level training and theory, but not as a substitute for the hands-on part.

Everything we currently run

Deals

Emergency First Aid at Work Group Course – Sale: £295.00 for up to 12 people Excluding Vat View course →

First Aid at Work Courses

Emergency First Aid at Work Group Course £495.00 Excluding Vat View course →

Emergency First Aid Open Course £85.00 Excluding Vat View course →

First Aid at Work Group Course Excluding Vat View course →

First Aid at Work Open Course £165.00 Excluding Vat View course →

First Aid at Work ReQual Open Course £95.00 Excluding Vat View course →

Paediatric First Aid Group Course Excluding Vat View course →

Paediatric First Aid Open Course £105.00 Excluding Vat View course →

Also available: Mental Health First Aid, health and safety and food safety courses.

How many people should we train?

There is no legal ratio — HSE is explicit that there are no hard and fast rules on numbers. What decides it is your first aid needs assessment, and in practice, whether you still have cover when someone is on leave or off sick. The full method is in how many first aiders does my workplace need?

How to choose a provider

HSE stopped approving first aid training providers in October 2013, so checking one is now the employer’s own job. The short version: ask which awarding organisation is behind the certificate, who the individual trainer will be, what the group size and equipment will be, and what happens if someone cannot attend. The longer version, with HSE’s own guidance: how to choose a first aid training provider.

Frequently asked questions

Which first aid course should I do?

For a lower-hazard workplace, Emergency First Aid at Work (one day). For a higher-hazard workplace or a lead first aider, First Aid at Work (three days). For childcare, Paediatric First Aid. To renew a current FAW certificate, the two-day FAW Requalification. Your first aid needs assessment should decide which is appropriate.

What is the shortest first aid course that gives a qualification?

Emergency First Aid at Work, at one day. It produces a workplace first aid qualification valid for three years, covering CPR and defibrillator use, choking, bleeding, shock, seizures and the unresponsive casualty.

Is Paediatric First Aid different from First Aid at Work?

Yes, substantially. Techniques for infants and children differ from adults — including the choking sequence and CPR — and the conditions covered are different. Childcare settings need Paediatric First Aid, not EFAW or FAW.

Can first aid training be done online?

Online courses suit awareness-level topics and theory. Workplace qualifications like EFAW and FAW involve practical assessment, which is why they are delivered in person — you cannot assess someone’s chest compressions through a screen.

How much does a first aid course cost?

It depends on the course and the format. Open courses are priced per person; group courses are priced per course for up to 12 people, which is why groups of four or more are usually cheaper trained together. Current prices are shown against each course above.

Do we need a mix of course types?

Often, yes. A common pattern is FAW for one or two lead first aiders, EFAW for the wider group to maintain cover across shifts and absence, and Paediatric First Aid where there is an on-site nursery or childcare provision.

What course does a care home need?

Usually First Aid at Work, because the resident profile makes medical emergencies, choking, falls and seizures more likely — and those are covered on the three-day course rather than the one-day one. Choking training in particular is worth prioritising where residents have swallowing difficulties.

How long are the certificates valid?

Three years for EFAW, FAW and Paediatric First Aid. Mental Health First Aid certification periods are set by the awarding body, because MHFA sits outside the first aid regulations.

Can one person hold more than one first aid qualification?

Yes, and plenty do — for example FAW for the workplace plus Paediatric First Aid for an on-site nursery. Each has its own three-year validity and its own renewal.

Tell us your situation

Describe your workplace and how many people need training, and we will tell you which course fits — and if a shorter or cheaper one would do, we will say so. Call 0845 838 4643 or use the enquiry form on this page.

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