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Choosing a babysitter

You need to make thorough checks before hiring anyone as a babysitter, and also take the time to find out that the babysitter has the experience necessary when looking after a young child.

Finding a reliable babysitter

• To find a reliable babysitter start by asking friends who they use and how long they’ve known them.
• Ask around at your local college; often students on nursery and childcare courses will look for work as babysitters.
• You can also check library notice boards, local newspapers and in the Golden Pages for agencies supplying baby sitters.

Babysitter requirements

• Your babysitter has a huge responsibility to fulfil, as they are going to be responsible for your child’s life.
• The babysitter you employ should have enough patience to be able to cope with a baby that’s unwell or crying.
• They must be able to stay calm and understand what action they should take if there’s an emergency. Do they have a good knowledge of first aid? Do they understand about the dangers of shaking a baby ?
• It’s also important to agree on the kind of punishments an individual sitter would give if your baby misbehaved. Make sure you both agree on a course of action that’s appropriate.

Points to consider when interviewing a potential babysitter

• When you interview a potential new babysitter, start by telling them how many children they’ll be looking after, their ages and any special problems that relate to your children.
• Agree how the babysitter will travel to and from your home, and discuss what will happen if you are late returning home. Will you pay for a taxi or take the sitter home ?
• Go over in detail any restrictions. Are you allowing the babysitter free access to your phone and refrigerator? Are they allowed to bring a friend or boyfriend over? Are any of your rooms off limits to them ?
• Present some “what if” scenarios to the potential babysitter to see how they react. What if they’ve got a crying baby on their hands, or if the baby has a temperature ?
• Ask what the sitter’s fee will be for her hours.

Information the babysitter should know before you leave

• You’ll need to give the babysitter time to get used to your home, to show them around and to go over any aspects that aren’t clear.
• Write down a list of information for your sitter, such as heating milk and food for your baby, and any medication that should be given and in what amount.
• Tell the sitter when bedtime is, whether your baby sleeps with a dummy or a stuffed toy, and explain the established ‘bedtime ritual’.
• Make sure it’s clear what happens in an emergency, such as an asthma attack, and leave the first aid box somewhere obvious and easy to find in the living room or kitchen. Be sure to tell the babysitter where they can find it.
• You should leave your mobile phone number to reach you on in case of emergency. You should also let the babysitter know exactly where you are, such as a restaurant or friend’s house, and also give this phone number as a back-up.