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Agencies may report a missing person here!
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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).
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FINDING
A BABY-SITTER
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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.
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HIRING
THE BABY-SITTER
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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.
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WHEN
THE BABY-SITTER ARRIVES
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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.
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SPECIFIC
INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE BABY-SITTER
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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.
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| 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).
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| 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.
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YOUR
RETURN HOME
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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. |
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