Childcare CPR & first aid requirements
First Aid & CPR Washington
If you work in childcare in Washington — whether at a daycare, preschool, home-based care, or camp — first aid and CPR certification is not optional. It's a licensing requirement, and for good reason: children are among the most vulnerable to choking, allergic reactions, and injuries. Being prepared to respond can mean everything.
What Washington requires
Washington's Department of Children, Youth, and Families requires under the Foundational Quality Standards (WAC 110-300-0106 and 110-300-0230) that all providers counted in the staff-to-child ratio hold current adult and pediatric first aid and CPR certification before they are ever alone with children. At least one provider per group must carry the applicable adult, pediatric, and infant certificates. Notably, WAC 110-300-0106(11)(c) expressly allows the live hands-on skills demonstration to take place before a certified instructor either in person or remotely — a real convenience for busy programs.
Anaphylaxis and medication administration
Under WAC 110-300-0215, Washington bars staff from giving any medication without written, signed parental consent and requires completion of the department's standardized medication-administration training, including a competency assessment. Medication must be kept inaccessible to children, with controlled substances locked, and special medical procedures such as administering epinephrine must follow the child's individual care plan. For a child at risk of anaphylaxis, that individual plan is what tells trained staff exactly when and how to use the auto-injector.
How our courses meet these requirements
A recognized, standards-based certification — online theory paired with a hands-on skills check — meets Washington’s requirement and keeps your team ready to act.
Don't wait for renewal day
In a choking, drowning, or allergic emergency, the provider watching the group is the first responder — and Washington requires certification before that provider is ever alone with children for exactly that reason. Certification turns training into instinct and gives every parent the confidence that the people caring for their child are ready for the worst moment. A recognized, standards-based course with a live skills check — which the state allows in person or remotely — meets the requirement and keeps your program license-ready.