Connecticut Child Care CPR and First Aid Requirements
Do daycare staff in Connecticut need CPR certification? Not every worker, but every licensed program needs certified staff. Licensed centers and group child care homes must have at least one staff member with current CPR certification and one with current first aid certification present at all times. Family child care providers must hold both. Training must fit every age served and include hands-on skills.
What this guide is: a plain-language summary of the first aid and CPR rules for child care programs licensed in Connecticut, based on the Connecticut General Statutes, the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies, and Office of Early Childhood (OEC) guidance. Connecticut sources last checked: . It covers Connecticut only.
What it is not: hands-on training, a certification, legal advice, or a promise that a specific card will be accepted. Confirm the course and card your employer, school or program, licensing board, or state rules require before you register. Rules can change, so confirm current requirements with the OEC Licensing Help Desk or by calling 860-500-4450 or 800-282-6063.
Do Daycare Staff Need CPR Certification in Connecticut?
Not every worker, but every licensed program needs certified staff on site, and the training must match the children it serves.
In Connecticut, child care programs are licensed by the Office of Early Childhood (OEC). State law directs the OEC to set staffing requirements for employees certified in CPR (Connecticut General Statutes section 19a-79(a)(5)), and the OEC's regulations set the first aid and CPR rules for each type of program.
The rules in brief
- Child care centers and group child care homes: at least one staff member with current CPR certification and at least one with current first aid certification must be present at all times the program is operating (Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies section 19a-79-4a(f)).
- Family child care homes: the provider must show current first aid and CPR certification before the license is approved, then keep both current (section 19a-87b-6(c)).
- Ages covered: the training must be appropriate for all of the children the program serves.
- Hands-on skills: certification must be based on a hands-on demonstration of the person's ability to provide CPR and first aid.
- Who teaches it: the course must come from an organization the rules name or describe, such as the American Heart Association (AHA) or the American Red Cross (see Which CPR and First Aid Courses Count, below).
Outside Connecticut
This guide covers Connecticut only. New York and New Jersey set their own child care rules. For a New York program, check with the New York State Office of Children and Family Services. For a New Jersey program, check with the New Jersey Department of Children and Families Office of Licensing.
CPR and First Aid Rules for Each Type of Child Care Program
What Connecticut's statutes and regulations say for each kind of program the OEC licenses or funds.
Child Care Centers and Group Child Care Homes
A child care center cares for more than twelve children, and a group child care home generally cares for seven to twelve. The definition also includes a program that meets the family child care home definition but operates outside a private family home (General Statutes section 19a-77). Whenever either is operating, at least one staff member with current CPR certification must be present and respond to all medical emergencies, and at least one staff member with current first aid certification must be present and respond to all situations requiring first aid (section 19a-79-4a(f)).
Family Child Care Homes
A family child care home provides care in a private family home, with limits on the number of children set in General Statutes section 19a-77. The provider must show current first aid and CPR certification before the license is approved, keep both current, and keep written verification on file at the home (section 19a-87b-6(c)). Homes with a Large Family Child Care Home endorsement remain family child care homes; confirm with the OEC whether staff who help you care for 10 to 12 children need first aid and CPR.
Family Child Care Substitutes and Assistants
An approved substitute must meet the same qualifications as the provider, including first aid and CPR, and must submit proof of current certification when renewing the two-year approval. An assistant must meet the provider's qualifications except the training requirement (section 19a-87b-8). The OEC tells substitute applicants to be certified before they apply. An assistant helps while the provider is present; only an approved substitute may take on the provider's responsibilities while the provider is away.
Youth Camps
Youth camps licensed by the OEC follow separate rules. All youth camp health care personnel must hold current CPR certification appropriate to the campers served. A physician or advanced practice registered nurse is responsible for camp health care, including first aid. Their standing orders are carried out by the camp nurse, or their first aid instructions by a person at least 21 years old with current first aid certification; certified aides under 21 may give first aid but may not be in charge of health care (section 19a-428-5).
License-Exempt Programs That Accept Care4Kids
Some programs are exempt from licensing under General Statutes section 19a-77(b), for example programs run by a public school system or a municipal agency. OEC guidance says the center CPR and first aid requirement also applies to license-exempt programs that accept Care4Kids funding.
Confirm the course and card your employer, school or program, licensing board, or state rules require before you register.
Match CPR and First Aid Training to the Ages You Serve
Connecticut requires training appropriate for all of the children in your program. Start with the youngest and the oldest child you enroll.
On narrow screens, scroll the table sideways. After tabbing to it, use the arrow keys.
| Ages served or need | Training should cover | AHA courses that typically fit |
|---|---|---|
| Infants and toddlers (6 weeks to 36 months) | Infant and child CPR, AED use, and choking relief, plus first aid for young children | Heartsaver Pediatric First Aid CPR AED |
| Preschool (3 to 5 years) | Child CPR, AED use, and choking relief, plus first aid for children | Heartsaver Pediatric First Aid CPR AED |
| School age (5 to 12 years) | Child CPR, adult CPR for children who have reached puberty, and first aid | Heartsaver Pediatric First Aid CPR AED with the adult modules |
| Mixed ages | Every age group you enroll, from youngest to oldest | A course, or a set of modules, that covers each age group |
| CPR only | CPR, AED use, and choking relief for each age you serve | Heartsaver CPR AED with the child and infant modules as needed |
Age ranges in the first column follow Connecticut's licensing definitions. Course fit summarizes AHA course information and is not a ruling on what the OEC accepts.
How the AHA defines ages
In AHA CPR and first aid training, an infant is younger than 1 year, a child is 1 year old to puberty, and an adult is anyone who has gone through or is going through puberty. Organizations define age groups differently, and the OEC's CPR training page lists the age at which each organization switches to adult techniques. Choose training that covers the ages of the children in your program.
Check the card, not just the course name
Heartsaver CPR AED and Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED require adult CPR and AED skills and offer child and infant CPR as optional modules, and Heartsaver cards show which optional modules the student completed. The AHA designs Heartsaver Pediatric First Aid CPR AED for child care workers, teachers, camp counselors, coaches, and others who care for children and infants, and adult modules can be added. The AHA says this course is designed to meet regulatory requirements for child care workers in all 50 states. The AHA has also published Connecticut supplementary materials and a certificate for this course, written in 2021, before Connecticut's October 2024 rule changes. Ask the OEC whether they are still needed. Connecticut's rules name approved organizations rather than course titles, so confirm with the OEC if you are unsure.
Questions to confirm with the OEC
- Whether a first aid course that is not focused on children is appropriate for all of the children you serve
- How the at-all-times rule applies to field trips, split shifts, and programs in more than one room or building
- Whether one staff member may meet both the CPR and the first aid requirement
- Whether a certificate from an organization the rules do not name is acceptable
Which CPR and First Aid Courses Count in Connecticut?
The rules name approved organizations and require hands-on skills. They do not name specific course titles.
CPR
CPR certification must come from the American Red Cross, the American Heart Association, the National Safety Council, the American Safety and Health Institute, Medic First Aid International, or an organization using CPR and emergency cardiovascular care guidelines published by the American Heart Association and the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (General Statutes section 19a-79(a)(5)).
First aid
For child care centers and group child care homes, first aid certification must come from a course by the American Red Cross, the American Heart Association, the National Safety Council, or the Health and Safety Institute that is appropriate for all of the children served. A first aid course the OEC approved as of March 17, 2018 also remains acceptable (section 19a-79-4a(f)(2)). The OEC's First Aid Training page also lists the American Safety and Health Institute and Medic First Aid International, and Connecticut-based providers of approved first aid courses. Confirm with the OEC if your card is from another organization. For family child care homes, the rules list the American Red Cross, the American Heart Association, the National Safety Council, the American Safety and Health Institute, and Medic First Aid International, plus courses the OEC approved on or before March 17, 2018 (section 19a-87b-6(c)). Under the center and group home regulations that took effect October 16, 2024, the OEC no longer approves individual first aid courses.
Hands-on skills are required
Both CPR and first aid certification must be based on a hands-on demonstration of the person's ability. A course completed entirely online, with no hands-on skills check, does not meet that standard. Every AHA course that includes CPR skills requires a hands-on skills session before a card is issued.
Licenses that meet the first aid requirement
The OEC's first aid training page says some current licenses meet the first aid requirement, including physician, physician assistant, advanced practice registered nurse, registered nurse, licensed practical nurse, and emergency medical technician licenses, under the conditions listed on that page. The OEC's CPR training page does not list a similar exception.
How Often Child Care Staff Renew CPR and First Aid
Connecticut requires current certification. The date on each card decides when to renew.
The Connecticut rules summarized here require current certification but do not set a separate renewal schedule. A certification stays current until the date set by the organization that issued it. AHA course completion cards, including Heartsaver cards, are valid for two years, through the end of the Renew By month shown on the card.
Records to keep
- Child care centers and group child care homes: keep written verification on file for each staff member you designate to meet the CPR and first aid requirements, for three years after the date the training was completed (section 19a-79-4a(g)).
- Family child care homes: keep written verification of current first aid and CPR certification on file at the home (section 19a-87b-6(c)(2)).
- All programs: OEC guidance says to keep the original certification on file at your program.
Plan coverage, not just cards
Because centers and group child care homes need a CPR-certified staff member and a first aid-certified staff member present at all times, plan for absences, vacations, and every hour you are open. Track each designated staff member's Renew By date and schedule renewal training before it passes. The CPR renewal planner can help you map those dates.
2025 AHA Guideline Changes for People Who Care for Children
The 2025 AHA Guidelines for CPR and ECC changed several infant and child skills taught in current courses.
- Infant compressions: use the heel of one hand or the two thumb-encircling hands technique. The two-finger technique is no longer recommended.
- Child choking: for severe choking in a child, give 5 back blows followed by 5 abdominal thrusts, repeating until the object comes out or the child becomes unresponsive. Care now starts with back blows.
- Infant choking: alternate 5 back blows with 5 chest thrusts. Abdominal thrusts are not recommended for infants.
- Breaths for children: CPR with breaths is recommended for infants and children. Compression-only CPR is reasonable if a rescuer is unable or unwilling to give breaths.
- Fewer pauses: pauses in compressions for infants and children should be shorter than 10 seconds.
The AHA stopped issuing 2020-version course cards after February 28, 2026, so a card issued today reflects the 2025 Guidelines. A 2020-version card that is still within its Renew By date remains valid. These points are for awareness only and are not a substitute for hands-on training.
CPR and First Aid Training for Connecticut Child Care Staff
QKC Health is an AHA Authorized Training Center serving Fairfield County CT, Westchester County NY, and New Jersey. On-site classes are available for groups of 3 or more.
Heartsaver CPR AED
Learn adult, child, and infant CPR along with AED use and choking relief. No prior training or medical background is required.
Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED
Combines first aid, CPR, AED use, and choking relief in one AHA course. See the class page for course details and pricing.
View First Aid Course OptionsWorkplace Training
On-site CPR and first aid training at your program for groups of 3 or more. We bring the training equipment.
View Workplace TrainingHeartsaver Pediatric First Aid CPR AED
The AHA course built for people who care for children and infants. Call or send us a request to confirm availability before planning this course.
Ask About Pediatric TrainingCourse details and pricing are on each class page. Most QKC Health courses require a minimum of three participants, and a request through our contact form is not a booking until we confirm the course, date, time, and location with you in writing. For on-site training, plan a room large enough for participants to work on the floor during skills practice, with access to power. When you request training, tell us your program type, the ages you serve, and how many staff need CPR, first aid, or both, or call (212) 548-3284. Not sure which course fits? Try the CPR course finder, or plan a staff session with the group CPR training planner.
Connecticut Child Care CPR: Frequently Asked Questions
Not every worker, but every licensed program needs certified staff. A licensed child care center or group child care home must have at least one staff member with current CPR certification and at least one with current first aid certification present at all times it operates. A licensed family child care provider must hold both certifications.
The regulations set a minimum: at least one staff member with current CPR certification must be present at all times the center is operating, plus at least one with current first aid certification. Certifying more than one person helps keep coverage during absences, shift changes, and field trips.
It does if you care for infants. Connecticut requires CPR and first aid training that is appropriate for all of the children your program serves. A program that enrolls infants needs training that covers infants, and a program that enrolls older school-age children may also need adult CPR.
Not fully online. Connecticut requires CPR and first aid certification to be based on a hands-on demonstration of the person's skills. A blended course that pairs online learning with an in-person skills session includes that demonstration. An online-only course without a skills check does not. Confirm with the OEC if you are unsure.
Connecticut requires current certification and does not set its own renewal schedule in these rules, so the expiration date set by the issuing organization controls. AHA Heartsaver cards are valid for two years, through the end of the Renew By month. Renew before that date to stay current.
State law names the American Red Cross, the American Heart Association, the National Safety Council, the American Safety and Health Institute, Medic First Aid International, and organizations that follow AHA and International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation guidelines. The training must also fit the ages served and be based on hands-on skills.
Substitutes do. They must meet the same qualifications as the provider, including current first aid and CPR certification, and must show proof of current certification when they renew their approval. Assistants must meet the provider's qualifications except the training requirement. An assistant helps while the provider is present and does not replace an approved substitute.
No. This guide covers Connecticut only. New York child care programs should check with the New York State Office of Children and Family Services, and New Jersey programs should check with the New Jersey Department of Children and Families Office of Licensing.
Sources
This guide summarizes the following official sources. Connecticut rules, OEC guidance, and AHA course details were checked against them on October 17, 2026.
- Child Care Center and Group Child Care Home Statutes and Regulations (PDF), Connecticut Office of Early Childhood
- General Statutes Chapter 368a, Sections 19a-77 and 19a-79, Connecticut General Assembly
- General Statutes Chapter 368r, Youth Camps, Connecticut General Assembly
- Regulations Section 19a-79-1a, Definitions, Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies
- Regulations Section 19a-79-3a, Administration, Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies
- Regulations Section 19a-79-4a, Staffing and Consultants, Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies
- Regulations Section 19a-79-10, Under Three Endorsement, Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies
- Regulations Section 19a-79-13, Monitoring of Diabetes, Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies
- Regulations Section 19a-87b-6, Qualifications of the Applicant and Provider, Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies
- Regulations Section 19a-87b-8, Qualifications of Staff, Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies
- Regulations Section 19a-428-5, Youth Camp Health Care, Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies
- CPR Training, Connecticut Office of Early Childhood
- First Aid Training, Connecticut Office of Early Childhood
- Get OEC Approval for Staff Substitutes and Assistants, Connecticut Office of Early Childhood
- Large Family Child Care Home Frequently Asked Questions, Connecticut Office of Early Childhood
- Summary of Changes to the Regulations for Child Care Centers and Group Child Care Homes (PDF), Connecticut Office of Early Childhood
- Statutes and Regulations for Child Care Centers and Group Child Care Homes, Connecticut Office of Early Childhood
- Statutes and Regulations for Family Child Care Homes, Connecticut Office of Early Childhood
- Statutes and Regulations for Youth Camps, Connecticut Office of Early Childhood
- Heartsaver Pediatric First Aid CPR AED Training, American Heart Association
- State of Connecticut Supplementary Materials for Heartsaver Pediatric First Aid CPR AED (PDF), American Heart Association
- Heartsaver CPR AED Training, American Heart Association
- Heartsaver Course Topics and Paths (PDF), American Heart Association
- Course FAQs, American Heart Association
- Course Card Reference Guide (PDF), American Heart Association
- 2025 AHA Guidelines, Part 6: Pediatric Basic Life Support, American Heart Association
- Highlights of the 2025 AHA Guidelines for CPR and ECC (PDF), American Heart Association
- Child Care, New York State Office of Children and Family Services
- Office of Licensing, New Jersey Department of Children and Families
Last updated:
Disclaimer
General information only. This guide is general educational information about American Heart Association (AHA) courses. It is not medical, legal, or OSHA compliance advice. It does not replace hands-on CPR, BLS, or first aid training, and reading it does not certify you in any course. In an emergency, call 911.
Accuracy. We strive to keep this guide accurate and current, but AHA guidelines, course content, card rules, and certification requirements can change, and we cannot promise that every detail is complete, current, or free of errors. Prices and class details shown here can also change; the price confirmed in writing before your class is the price you pay.
Check the official source. Before you rely on anything here, confirm course, card, and guideline details with the AHA at cpr.heart.org, and confirm what you are required to hold with your employer, school or program, licensing board, or state agency. For Connecticut child care licensing requirements, confirm with the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood at ctoec.org/licensing. If this guide differs from an official source, follow the official source. You are responsible for confirming which course and card you need before you register.
Spot an error? If anything on this page, or anywhere on our site, looks incorrect or out of date, please call us at (212) 548-3284 or send us a message through our contact page so we can review it and update it.
About the AHA. QKC Health LLC is an AHA Authorized Training Center. This guide is written and published by QKC Health, not by the AHA, and the AHA has not reviewed or endorsed it.
The American Heart Association strongly promotes knowledge and proficiency in all AHA courses and has developed instructional materials for this purpose. Use of these materials in an educational course does not represent course sponsorship by the AHA. Any fees charged for such a course, except for a portion of fees needed for AHA course materials, do not represent income to the AHA.
Outside links and terms. Links to the AHA, OSHA, and other outside websites are provided for convenience. We do not control those sites and are not responsible for their content. Your use of this guide is subject to our Terms of Service, including its Limitation of Liability section and its notices for New Jersey and New York residents.
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