When it comes to Baby Sitters...

Whether you work full time outside the home or are simply going out for the evening, you want the best possible care for your child(ren) while you are away from them.  Before you hire anyone to watch over your child(ren) make sure that he/she is a mature, experienced, and capable individual who truly cares about the welfare of children.  Check all references, and make sure to observe the baby-sitter with your child(ren).

Above all, ask your child(ren) if they like and trust the baby-sitter and what activities took place while you were gone.  The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children has prepared the following guidelines for parents in finding and training a baby-sitter and preparing your home for temporary childcare.  Also included is some important safety tips for you and your child(ren).
 

The best sources of childcare information are the recommendations of family, friends and neighbors.  You may also advertise for a baby-sitter in the newspaper or through your local high school, church, or civic organization.

If you are new to the area, check the yellow pages of the telephone book (under “Sitting Services”) for a list of child care services.  Certain sitting services advertise that their sitters are “bonded”.  This means that the baby sitting service has purchased an insurance bond that will cover certain damages or loss of your property.  The bond most likely will not protect your child(ren) in any way.  Determine whether the sitting service has made a criminal history check on or otherwise has screened their employees.

In some states, you may be able to obtain a listing of childcare services through the County Office for Children or even the police department.
 

Once you have made a list of possible baby-sitters, check their references carefully.  Contact the sitters past employers, teachers, counselors, relatives, friends or neighbors and ask them about the sitter’s qualifications for childcare.  Most important, interview several prospective sitters personally and observe their interaction with your child(ren).  Look for mature and responsible people who listen and respond well to your child(ren) and appear relaxed and happy with them.

Last, outline the baby-sitters duties and responsibilities and discuss an imagined emergency situation and how he/she might react.  When you decide on a baby-sitter who meets your high standards, discuss the hours and fees for service.  Also write down his/her name, home address, and telephone number and, if an adult, the driver’s license number.
 

Ask the baby-sitter to arrive at least 15 minutes before you depart.  Make sure that you let the sitter know exactly where you will be and how you can be reached.  Write down the address and telephone number of where you will be.  Also make a list of emergency telephone numbers: a friend or relative, the child(ren)’s doctor, the police department, the fire department, and the poison control center.

Carefully go over any family rules and daily routines, paying special attention to eating or sleeping arrangements.  Take the sitter on a tour of the house, showing him/her any first aid equipment and all doors and possible exits.  It is a good idea to discuss the family rules regarding television, snacks, and bedtime with both the babysitter and the child(ren) present.  It is the parent’s responsibility to let the child(ren) know what rules are to be obeyed when the parents are out of the house.
 

1) Lock all doors when the parents leave.

2) Watch the child(ren) carefully and keep them away from dangerous objects or chemicals to protect them from household accidents.

3) No visitors are permitted and do not leave the child(ren) in the house alone at any time.

4) Check on the child(ren) regularly after they fall asleep.  The sitter needs to stay awake.

5) If the telephone rings, do not tell the caller that the child(ren) are alone with a baby-sitter.  Ask the caller to leave a message for the parents.

6) DO NOT open the door to anyone unless the parents have given prior permission.

7) If the child(ren) are taken outside to the yard, they must be watched carefully.  (It is the parent’s responsibility to let the baby-sitter know whom the child(ren) may play with or visit).

8) If the child(ren) are with the baby-sitter in a public place, the child(ren) must be watched carefully and not permitted to wander.  Avoid sending the child(ren) to public restrooms alone.
 
 

When you return home, ask the baby-sitter if the child(ren) are safe and if anything unusual happened, telephone calls, visits, and so on.  Make sure that the baby-sitter is escorted home, and wait until he/she is safely inside before you leave.

Most important, when the baby-sitter has left, talk with your child(ren) about what happened while you were gone.  Ask them what games they played and about any other activities.  Ask you child(ren) if anything happened that made them feel uncomfortable or afraid.