Childcare CPR & first aid requirements
First Aid & CPR South Dakota
If you work in childcare in South Dakota — 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.
What South Dakota requires
In South Dakota, the Department of Social Services licenses child care under Administrative Rule 67:42:17, and the standard is broad: every provider who gives direct care must be certified in pediatric CPR — verified through a hands-on skills test — and must complete pediatric first aid training. New providers may work under supervision until that training is finished, so no one is ever left alone with children before they are prepared. Certification is expected to stay current on a five-year cycle.
Anaphylaxis and medication administration
South Dakota allows staff to give medication only with written parental consent that names the medication and the date or dates it may be used, and every medication must stay in its original labeled container, stored where children cannot reach it. Emergency epinephrine follows the same path — a signed permission form authorizes staff to use a child's auto-injector during a severe allergic reaction. Keeping that authorization and the device current means the answer to an emergency is already in place, not something to scramble for.
How our courses meet these requirements
A recognized, standards-based certification — online theory paired with a hands-on skills check — meets South Dakota’s requirement and keeps your team ready to act.
Don't wait for renewal day
Cardiac arrest and anaphylaxis in a young child are measured in seconds, and the person who acts first is almost always a caregiver, not a paramedic. Certification gives your staff the muscle memory to respond without hesitation — and it gives parents the quiet reassurance that the people watching their child know exactly what to do. A recognized, standards-based course with an in-person skills check satisfies South Dakota's requirement and keeps your license and your team ready together.