All primary school children in Scotland should be given first aid training, a charity has said.
St Andrew’s First Aid said they should learn potentially live-saving skills such using the recovery position.
The charity also said children should know how and when to call an ambulance.
The Scottish government said it recognised the value of children learning first aid skills and insisted individual schools were best placed to decide what was appropriate.
‘Necessary skills’
St Andrew’s First Aid chief executive Stuart Callison, said: “One of our key priorities is to provide as many people as possible in Scotland with first aid training.
“Research has shown that even very young children can learn the basics of first aid and that the skills and knowledge they develop at a young age will stay with them for years.
“We can equip them with the necessary skills to help a parent, family member, friend or someone in the street. By knowing how to call for an ambulance, put someone into the recovery position or assist a person who has suffered a heart attack, they will help save lives.”
‘Engage with health’
He added: “This is why we feel it is so important to partner with local authorities, with the support of the Scottish government, to identify ways in which we can make it easy for teachers in Scotland to deliver basic first aid training to their pupils.”
A spokesman for the Scottish government said: “We recognise how important it is that children and young people are able to positively engage with health and wellbeing issues at school.
“Being trained in first aid can help young people develop the skills they may need in an emergency situation.
“Under Curriculum for Excellence, schools already have the flexibility to provide first aid training. It is up to individual schools and local authorities to decide if, and how best, to deliver this.”
Get yourself into a first aid course with Canberra First Aid in the near future. We have plenty of first aid courses running during January and February so even bring along your kids. As you can see there is a push in Scotland to get more kids first aid courses so that they are aware of how to help. We need to do more in Australia also.