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Childcare CPR & first aid requirements

First Aid & CPR Georgia

If you work in childcare in Georgia — 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.

Requirements at a glance

Regulatory frameworkGa. Comp. R. & Regs. r. 591-1-1-.14 (First Aid and CPR)
Governing authorityBright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL)
Renewal periodEvery 2 years
New hire deadlineWithin 45 days of hire
Min. certified staffAll direct-care staff must be certified (pediatric CPR biennially, pediatric first aid triennially); at least 50% of caregivers present and one staff member per classroom must hold current pediatric CPR and first aid whenever children are present.
Online training acceptanceOnline courses accepted
Every 2 yearsOnline courses accepted

What Georgia requires

Georgia's rules (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 591-1-1-.14), administered by Bright from the Start, the Department of Early Care and Learning, require all direct-care staff to be certified — pediatric CPR renewed every two years and pediatric first aid every three — with new hires certified within forty-five days. Whenever children are present, at least half of the caregivers on site and one staff member in each classroom must hold current pediatric CPR and first aid. A blended course that includes a hands-on skills evaluation satisfies the certification.

Anaphylaxis and medication administration

Georgia has no rule aimed specifically at epinephrine, but Rule 591-1-1-.20 lets staff give prescription and non-prescription medication with written parent and physician authorization, requires locked or otherwise inaccessible storage, and allows parent- and physician-authorized self-administered injections. Medication administration and food-allergy emergency response are mandatory topics in the health-and-safety orientation. For a child with a severe allergy, an on-site auto-injector and a shared care plan turn that training into a fast, sure response.

How our courses meet these requirements

A recognized, standards-based certification — online theory paired with a hands-on skills check — meets Georgia’s requirement and keeps your team ready to act.

View early-childhood first-aid courses

Don't wait for renewal day

A child who cannot breathe has only the seconds that pass before help arrives, and the trained caregiver nearby is the one who fills them. Certification keeps that response calm and capable, deepens the trust of the families you welcome each morning, and keeps every classroom in step with Georgia's requirement. A recognized course that combines online lessons with an in-person skills evaluation meets the rule and fits the forty-five-day window for new staff.

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