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Childcare providers in San Mateo can complete the EMSA Childcare Health & Safety Certification at the Safety Training Seminars San Mateo Training Center, 428 Peninsula Ave., Suite B, San Mateo, CA 94401. The EMSA Preventive Health and Safety Course is the 8-hour preventive health portion of California’s childcare health and safety training. It covers infectious disease prevention, injury prevention, children’s nutrition, and lead poisoning prevention. Licensing applicants usually pair it with an 8-hour Pediatric CPR and First Aid course.
The center sits on Peninsula Avenue near the San Mateo–Burlingame line. That location is convenient for providers across central San Mateo County, from family childcare homes in the city’s residential neighborhoods to preschool programs along the El Camino Real corridor.
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California licensing requirements
San Mateo County has a busy early care and education community. Children’s programs operate in private homes, faith-based facilities, school campuses, and community college settings. College of San Mateo runs the Mary Meta Lazarus Child Development Center, a licensed program for children ages 2½ to 5. Its stated approach emphasizes health, safety, and nutrition practices.
That emphasis reflects what licensed programs across the county deal with every day. Sick-child policies, allergy plans, safe meals, clean diapering areas, and hazard-free play spaces are all part of the work. The EMSA Preventive Health and Safety Course gives providers a structured foundation in those practices before they open a program or take on more responsibility at an existing one.
The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) oversees childcare licensing through its Community Care Licensing Division. Two common facility categories are:
Many licensing applicants, along with certain center directors and teachers, need 16 hours of EMSA-approved training. That total includes 8 hours of Pediatric CPR and First Aid and 8 hours of Preventive Health Practices.
Requirements are not identical for everyone. They depend on your role, your facility type, your licensing status, your employer’s policies, and the regulations in effect when you apply. Before you enroll, review the current rules with California Community Care Licensing or ask your program director. This page offers general information only and is not legal or regulatory advice.
EMSA-approved preventive health courses commonly follow the curriculum developed by the UCSF California Childcare Health Program. The curriculum is organized into three modules.
Prevention of infectious disease. Young children share toys, tables, and germs. The course covers handwashing routines, when to exclude a sick child, immunization documentation, and the difference between cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting.
Prevention of injuries. Providers learn to inspect indoor and outdoor spaces, store hazardous products safely, plan supervision, and reduce common risks such as falls, choking, and burns.
Nutrition. Since 2016, every EMSA-approved course has had to include at least one hour of childhood nutrition content.
Since July 1, 2020, all courses have also had to include lead poisoning prevention instruction based on the California Department of Public Health’s childcare curriculum. You don’t need to book a separate lead class, because the topic is already built into the course.
Lead harms young children more than adults because a developing body absorbs it more readily. Toddlers also put hands, toys, and other objects in their mouths. Even low levels of exposure can affect learning and behavior, and most children with elevated lead levels look and act healthy.
Many homes and buildings across the Peninsula were built before 1978, the year lead-based paint was banned for residential use. Family Child Care Homes in older houses may face hazards from deteriorating paint, window sill dust, or contaminated soil near foundations. Some imported toys, spices, cosmetics, and pottery can also contain lead.
The lead module teaches providers to spot likely sources, use wet-cleaning methods that reduce dust, and encourage families to talk with their pediatrician about blood lead testing. San Mateo County Health offers childhood lead poisoning prevention resources for families and providers who want local guidance.
The nutrition content applies to real situations San Mateo providers handle every week.
A preschool teacher may have one child with a peanut allergy, another with lactose intolerance, and a third whose family follows a vegetarian or religious diet. In a diverse county, menu planning means respecting a wide range of family food traditions while keeping every child safe.
Providers may also care for children with diabetes. Those children may need consistent meal timing and close communication with parents about the child’s care plan. Feeding concerns come up as well, including picky eating, slow growth, and the move from bottle to cup. Dental health is part of the conversation too. Offering water instead of sugary drinks and avoiding bottles at naptime both help prevent early tooth decay.
The course doesn’t replace advice from a doctor or dietitian. It helps providers plan balanced, age-appropriate meals and recognize when to bring a concern to a child’s family.
Environmental sanitation shows up in almost every hour of a childcare day. The course reviews kitchen and food-prep cleanliness, diaper-changing procedures, toilet and potty-chair sanitation, and safe storage of cleaning chemicals away from children.
Air quality is also relevant on the Peninsula. Smoke from California wildfires has drifted into the Bay Area in past seasons. Providers benefit from knowing when to keep children indoors, how to limit outdoor activity, and how to keep indoor air as clean as possible.
Learners who may benefit from the EMSA Preventive Health and Safety Course include:
The Child Care Coordinating Council of San Mateo County (4Cs) and the San Mateo County Office of Education are useful local resources for providers and families. Safety Training Seminars has no stated affiliation with either organization.
The San Mateo Training Center draws learners from across central San Mateo County. Childcare professionals from San Mateo, Burlingame, Hillsborough, Foster City, Belmont, Millbrae, and San Carlos may find the Peninsula Avenue location practical. US-101 and El Camino Real both run through the area. Providers who work near Mills-Peninsula Medical Center in Burlingame or San Mateo Medical Center may also find the site easy to fit into their routine.
Course format and session times can vary, so confirm the details for your session before you plan your trip.
Safety Training Seminars has offered emergency and health training in California since 1989. It holds an EMSA training program license (#0204-DC) for Pediatric First Aid, CPR, and Preventive Health and Safety courses. The company opened its San Mateo training center in late 2025 as part of a statewide network of more than 100 locations.
For childcare applicants, one practical advantage is that both parts of the 16-hour requirement are available from the same provider, which keeps scheduling and paperwork simpler. Current EMSA course pricing, dates, and session format are listed on the Preventive Health, Nutrition, and Lead Poisoning course page.
Opening a family childcare home in Belmont, teaching preschool in downtown San Mateo, or finishing an ECE program on the Peninsula all call for the same preventive health knowledge. The EMSA Childcare Health & Safety Certification prepares you to keep children healthier through better hygiene, safer spaces, smarter meals, and lead awareness. Confirm your licensing requirements, choose a session that fits your schedule, and complete your training close to home at the Peninsula Avenue center.
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Key information for healthcare professionals and students about EMSA Preventive Health and Safety Courses in San Mateo, California.
You can train locally. Safety Training Seminars offers EMSA childcare training through its San Mateo Training Center on Peninsula Avenue. Check the course page to confirm whether your session is in person or live online.
The course is 8 hours. It makes up half of California’s 16-hour childcare health and safety training. Pediatric CPR and First Aid accounts for the other 8 hours.
Yes. Every EMSA-approved Preventive Health and Safety course must include at least one hour of nutrition and the state’s lead poisoning prevention content.
It’s often part of what Family Child Care Home applicants need. Requirements can change, so confirm your situation with CDSS Community Care Licensing before you register.
Safety Training Seminars states that its EMSA Health and Safety card does not expire. Pediatric CPR and First Aid certifications have their own renewal timelines, so track those separately.
EMSA approval is recognized for California childcare licensing. Individual schools and employers can set their own policies, so ask them directly.
Safety Training Seminars provides low-cost EMSA Preventive Health and Safety courses in San Mateo, California, helping childcare professionals obtain important education conveniently and affordably.
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