Qualification Focus - First Aid
Building Skills, Confidence and Safer CommunitiesWorld First Aid Day – 12 September 2026World...
Building Skills, Confidence and Safer Communities
World First Aid Day – 12 September 2026
World First Aid Day shines a spotlight on a skill that could one day save a life: knowing how to respond when an emergency happens. The day is an opportunity to recognise the importance of first aid education and encourage more people to develop the knowledge, skills and confidence to act in an emergency. Celebrated annually, the day was established by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to promote the importance of first aid and help build safer, more prepared communities.
First aid is one of those essential life skills that can make a critical difference in the moments before professional medical help arrives. In the UK, there are more than 40,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests each year, with fewer than one in 10 people surviving. Early CPR and defibrillation can more than double the chances of survival.* This highlights why accessible, high-quality first aid education matters, whether in the workplace, in an early years setting or within the wider community.
LASER’s four regulated First Aid qualifications are the perfect addition to any centre's portfolio, offering flexible options for different sectors and learner groups while equipping individuals with essential first aid skills and confidence.
What Learners Will Gain
World First Aid Day reminds us that being prepared can make a difference. First aid training is about more than completing a qualification; it gives learners the knowledge and skills to respond appropriately when someone is injured or becomes ill.
Across the LASER First Aid suite, participants develop confidence and competence alongside an understanding of the responsibilities of a first aider. Depending on the qualification chosen, this can include responding to an unresponsive casualty, CPR, choking, bleeding, shock, burns, musculoskeletal injuries, head and spinal injuries, anaphylaxis and sudden illness.
For learners working with children, the paediatric qualifications provide sector-specific knowledge and skills. They cover emergencies involving infants and children, alongside childhood illnesses, injuries, anaphylaxis, burns, poisoning, bites and stings.
These qualifications also provide opportunities for progression. LASER’s credit-based approach enables achievement to be recognised and supports learners in continuing to develop their first aid training.
Practical assessment is at the heart of the learning, combining the demonstration of first aid skills with theory assessment. This helps ensure achievement reflects both knowledge and the ability to apply skills confidently in practice.
World First Aid Day: A Chance to Be Prepared
World First Aid Day provides a valuable opportunity for individuals, employers and organisations to think about first aid and preparedness.
For employers, ensuring appropriate first aid provision is a legal responsibility. World First Aid Day can be a useful reminder to review workplace first aid arrangements, including first aid equipment, facilities, risk assessments and the availability of appropriately trained first aiders.
For individuals, it is a chance to refresh existing knowledge or consider learning first aid for the first time. Even basic first aid knowledge can help someone feel more prepared to respond while professional help is on its way.
At LASER, we’re regularly reviewing our units to ensure they remain relevant, current and responsive to learner and industry needs. As part of this commitment, we’re excited to announce that a NEW Outdoor First Aid Qualification is coming soon! This will add even more flexibility and choice to our First Aid portfolio, helping centres meet the needs of a wider range of learners and sectors.
By making first aid education more accessible, we can help build confidence and encourage more people to take action when it matters most.
Explore Our First Aid Qualifications
LASER is a member of the First Aid Awarding Organisation Forum (FAAOF), which brings awarding organisations and bodies together to share best practice, maintain quality and help ensure regulated First Aid qualifications remain current and meet the needs of the sector.
Our four regulated Level 3 First Aid qualifications are valid for 3 years from the date of the award. Registrations can be made at any time during the year.
Find out more about LASER First Aid qualifications here - Explore the LASER First Aid qualification suite. Full specifications for each qualification can be found below:
If you would like to be added to our mailing list and be among the first to hear about our NEW Outdoor First Aid Qualification, please email your request to development@laser-awards.org.uk.
Why Add First Aid to Your Centre’s Portfolio?
Meet workplace and sector requirements: Support employers and learners in meeting relevant workplace and early years first aid requirements.
Offer regulated qualifications: Four Ofqual-regulated Level 3 qualifications cover emergency, workplace and paediatric first aid.
Provide progression: Centres can offer qualifications suited to different learner needs, from emergency first aid through to broader workplace or paediatric training.
Develop practical skills: Assessment combines theory with practical demonstrations, giving learners the opportunity to demonstrate their first aid skills in practice.
How to Offer These Qualifications
To deliver these qualifications, your organisation must be a LASER Approved Centre. If you are not yet approved, we welcome new applications, visit our Becoming a LASER Centre page. If you're already an Approved Centre, simply submit a New Course Notification Form before delivery.
📞 If you have any questions or would like any further information, please get in touch and together we can help your learners be ready when it matters most.
Don’t forget to check back next month for our next Qualification Focus feature!
*British Heart Foundation – December 2025
