Understanding the Latest Resuscitation Council Guidelines

The Resuscitation Guidelines are updated approximately every 5 years and the last significant update was in October 2025.

This blog will highlight the most important changes for first aid training to arise in the latest guidelines.  These apply to paediatric CPR particularly and the Primary Survey.  It is recommended that these changes are applied to first aid training from early 2026, and the courses we deliver will reflect these changes.

The importance of early education for first aid has also been highlighted.  It is now strongly advised that children be taught in schools.  Though this is of less relevance for this blog post

The most recent update from the Resuscitation Council includes several pivotal changes aimed at enhancing outcomes during emergencies.  The focus of this blog post will be to look at the changes specific to Paediatric CPR and the Primary Survey.  These changes will be implemented in our courses as recommended from Jan 2026.  

How do I know if it is a child or an adult?

It is recognised that for the purposes of CPR:

• A baby is 0 -1 
• A child is 1 - 18 
• An adult is 18 +

The new resuscitation guidelines break down the definition of a child further into the following:

A child is 1 - 12 and an adolescent is 13 - 18 years of age,  This allows for the difference in size to be accounted for, while recognising that the most likely cause of collapse in a person aged 1- 18 is due to respiratory arrest.  

Ratios for CPR

It has also been recommended that if you are trained in Basic Life Support for children it should be taught as 5 rescue breaths followed by 15 compressions to 2 breaths.   It is still likely that a rescuer will be advised to carry out 30 compressions to 2 breaths on the phone.  In this instance it would be advised to follow the instructions of the call handler.  

Finally when administering chest compressions to an infant the preferred position is to encircle the chest with hands and use the thumbs to press down on the chest instead of two fingers as was previously taught.

This allows for more even pressure when giving compressions and more control.  Overall it is felt to be more effective.

Where should I put the AED Pads?

It has always been taught to apply the child AED pads to central chest and back (for those under the age of 8).  From now on, the advice will be to place the one on the front slightly to the left of centre while keeping the one on the back in the central position.

In adults there is more emphasis on placing the pad on the left side below the armpit rather than lower on the chest.

The Primary Survey is a method used to determine the first aid action that needs to be taken, it helps prioritise what's important. 

The changes allow for more identification of factors that can make a person unwell, and there is an emphasis on calling for help at an early opportunity.  

Instead of the DRABC which has been taught for the last few years, it has been updated.  

The new version is DRABCDE

D - Danger - Of course it is important to consider your own personal safety.

R - Response -  Consider whether they are alert, responding to voice, responding to pain or unresponsive.  The response check can be done by talking to the person, and if they don't respond, try tapping them gently on either shoulder.  

If they remain unresponsive, then shout for or call for help.

C - Catastrophic Bleed - if you come across a catastrophic bleed it is vital to get it under control as quickly as possible.

A- Airway-  Once this has been confirmed it is necessary to  Next step is to open the airway by tilting the head back and lifting the chin (in an adult or child).

B - Breathing - Once the airway has been opened, check to see if they are breathing normally for up to 10 seconds.  Look at the chest, listen for air and feel for it on your face.  

If the person is not breathing normally then you would commence CPR. 

C - Circulation -  This involves looking for signs of a cardiac problem or signs of shock.  Observe the colour and temperature of their skin, as well as checking for bleeding.  You need to ensure that you are wearing gloves when assessing for bleeding.

D - Disability - Assessing the level of response in a casualty

E - Exposure and environment. - Exposing the skin to look for injuries and observing for signs of hypothermia.  

There are clear expectations for first aiders as well:

• Call 999 promptly.
• Only use equipment or medicines you are trained to use.
• Prioritise reassurance and safety until professional help arrives.

All of Our Courses are compliant with the relevant changes, and our paediatric first aid courses meet the requirements of Ofsted and the EYFS.  We can teach at your site and also hold regular open courses. 

To find out more or book a course, why not get in touch today?