From 1st September 2025, new changes to the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Safeguarding and Welfare Requirements will apply across England. These updates are designed to strengthen child safety, increase first aid readiness, and improve safeguarding accountability across all early years settings.
If you run a nursery, preschool, wrap-around care setting, childminding service or early years unit within a school, it’s vital to understand these changes to remain compliant.
What’s Changing?
The updated EYFS framework brings key changes in safeguarding, paediatric first aid, mealtime supervision, recruitment and welfare monitoring.
Below is a clear summary you can use to update policies and staff training requirements.
🔒 Safer Recruitment
- Stronger reference checks required
- Safeguarding policies must show how staff suitability is confirmed
- Greater transparency and monitoring during recruitment
👶 Updated Paediatric First Aid (PFA) Requirements
To improve emergency readiness within early years settings:
- At least one staff member with a full Paediatric First Aid (PFA) certificate must be present at all times when children are on the premises, and must accompany children on outings
- Staff completing Level 2 or Level 3 qualifications (after June 2016) must hold full or emergency PFA within 3 months of starting work to be counted in ratios
- Childminders and any assistant who may be left in sole charge must hold valid PFA certification
- All PFA certificates must be renewed every 3 years and must be relevant for infants and young children
- PFA training must be completed through a recognised and accredited provider
- Trainees/students must have PFA to be counted in staff ratios
- A PFA-trained staff member must be present during all mealtimes
These requirements apply to early years providers in England.
🧒 Attendance & Welfare Monitoring
- Settings must follow up prolonged absences
- Additional emergency contact details required for each child
- Strengthened oversight of child welfare and safety
🍽 Mealtime Safety
To reduce choking and allergy risks:
- Children must be supervised by a PFA-trained member of staff during meals
- Review allergy and dietary policies to meet updated requirements
- Safer food preparation guidance should be followed
🗣 Safeguarding & Training
- New safeguarding training criteria annex introduced
- Policies must explain how training is delivered and applied in practice
- Clear whistleblowing procedure required in every setting
Preparing for the Changes
These updates reinforce the need for well-trained staff and consistent paediatric first aid cover. Preparing now will help ensure your setting is compliant before September 2025.
Support for Your Setting – Paediatric First Aid Training
First Stop Safety Training offers EYFS-compliant Paediatric First Aid courses suitable for:
- Nurseries
- Childminders
- Schools & foundation units
- Wrap-around and holiday clubs
- Early years staff and new starters
Our training covers:
✔ Full EYFS syllabus
✔ Infant & child CPR
✔ Choking management
✔ Anaphylaxis and auto-injector use
✔ Emergency life support
✔ Illness & accident response
We offer onsite group bookings, individual places on open courses and blended learning options.
