Safe Sitter Course

Safe Sitter is a medically accurate, competency-based, highly structured babysitting preparation course designed for 11–13 year olds. The curriculum, written by a pediatrician, is presented during the 7-hour course.

Teaching methodology includes hands-on mannequin practice, small group interactive learning, role-playing, games, and interaction with a toddler or preschool guest (Safe Sitter only). All teaching sites utilize onl...y trained Instructors – with a low ratio of students to Instructors – thus ensuring high quality and compliance with teaching methodologies. Each participant must pass a written and practical exam proving mastery of key concepts.

The Safe Sitter program includes instruction in babysitting skills and techniques:

Care of Choking Infant/Child and Rescue Breathing – Students learn how to perform rescue breathing and what to do if an infant or child chokes. Each student is individually tested in these procedures, using CPR mannequins.

Injury Prevention and Injury Management – Students learn a system to enable them to evaluate the severity of a problem and to determine how to get help. Administering basic first aid for minor problems is also included in this section. Students learn how, why, and where injuries can occur for prevention.

Safety for the Sitter – All aspects of staying safe are discussed for babysitters and the children in their care. Students learn how to react to a variety of threatening situations from power failures to prowlers. For personal safety, they are taught strategies to use if they need to be picked up immediately from a babysitting job.

Child Care Essentials – Students learn the basics of child development from infants to school age children. Practice is included for such skills as feeding and diapering. Nurturing child care techniques are emphasized.

Behavior Management – Students learn how to prevent problem behavior in addition to a system which classifies problem behavior by the risk of harm. They also learn how and when to call for help when managing problem behavior situations.

Babysitting as a Business – The responsibilities of running a business – from setting fees to ethical considerations are discussed. Students learn how to screen jobs for safety, how to judge their own babysitting abilities, what information to leave with their own parents, and what information to get from their employers.

Copyright ©2000 by Safe Sitter, Inc.

For registration please contact Tami Cain at Tami.Cain@inova.org. Please mention The Boyd School when registering. Class size is limited for optimal learning. Please register early.