Pre-school offers first aid training course to parents
WHETHER it’s a bump on the head, an allergic reaction or a seizure, parents of children at Monkey Puzzle Pre-School will soon have all the answers as to what to do thanks to first-aid training by St John.
In May, a three-hour practical and discussion-based session will be held for parents of current and former pupils of Monkey Puzzle to learn life-saving skills as part of the pre-school’s 21st birthday celebrations in which they are looking to give back to the community.
The session is being led by paediatric nurse practitioner and St John trainer Heather Langlois, who moved to Guernsey from America in 2018.
‘I’ve always been very passionate about children’s health and have specialised in general practice for babies right up to young people aged 21,’ she said.
‘The sessions I run are discussion-based and I always invite parents to ask questions. I think being really engaged in the training helps bring that knowledge into practice if something does happen to their child.’
Working regularly with parents and carers, Mrs Langlois will cover everything from fevers and cuts to burns and fainting.
‘One of the important things to learn is how to treat the same injury on children of different ages – the treatment might differ depending on their stage of development.’
The idea for the session came about as all staff at the pre-school have to have a first aid qualification to work there.
Monkey Puzzle owner Caroline Blondel said all of the staff enjoyed the training with Mrs Langlois and wanted to offer it to parents as well.
‘Children don’t come with an instruction manual, so a big worry for parents and child-minders is not knowing what to do if their child bumps their head or has a fever,’ she said.
‘As much as first aid is a serious subject, Heather makes it fun and interesting, taking some of the panic and pressure off those stressful situations.’
The course is on Saturday 16 May from 9am until midday in the Harry Bound Room at Les Cotils. Pre-booking is essential and tickets are £5. Proceeds are donated to Monkey Puzzle's 21st birthday chosen charities.
