Pediatric First Aid, CPR, & B.E.S.T.

Pediatric First Aid & CPR

• Before licensure and caring for children, a license holder, an adult caregiver, or substitute must be trained in pediatric first aid and CPR.

  • Training must be received from an approved First Aid and CPR instructor.  

  • CPR training curriculum must be developed by the American Heart Association or the American Red Cross that includes CPR techniques for infants and children and in the treatment of obstructed airways.  The training must incorporate psychomotor skills to support the instruction. 

  • Pediatric First Aid and CPR must be repeated at least once every two years.

• When children are present in the home, at least one caregiver must be present who has been trained in First Aid. This training may be less than 8 hours, and must have been provided by an approved First Aid instructor. First Aid must be repeated every two years.

Basic Education for Safe Travel (B.E.S.T.) 

• Before a license holder, caregiver or helper transports a child or children under age nine in a motor vehicle, the person transporting the child must satisfactorily complete training on the proper installation of child restraint systems in motor vehicles. The Department of Public Safety must approve this training. They are currently approving training that is three hours in length. Training must be repeated at least once every five years. Child passenger restraint training may be used to meet initial or ongoing training requirements. 
• B.E.S.T. follows a hybrid format with two steps:
  • An online course that covers essential car seat safety.
  • An in-person, hands-on skills evaluation to practice proper car seat installation and child harnessing techniques.

• The Minnesota Safety Council provides further information about the B.E.S.T. Program along with the additional child passenger safety resources.  https://buckleupmn.org/information-for-caregivers/#licensed