Providing life skills, safety skills, and child care training in order to build safer communities.
Many children in your community spend time unsupervised after school, while young teens often take on the responsibility of caring for younger siblings. Additionally, many adults in your community care for grandchildren without up-to-date knowledge of child care recommendations. Libraries can be an incredible community resource for these families by offering high-quality educational programs like Safe Sitter® courses.
Safe Sitter® offers a variety of programs for libraries to integrate alongside existing programming. Certified Safe Sitter® Instructors teach comprehensive programs, including Safe Sitter® Essentials and Grandparents: Getting Started. These programs equip participants with the skills they need to provide the best and safest care for young children. Safe Sitter® also offers introductory programs that are designed to enable any adult that enjoys teaching preteens and teens to facilitate introductory level programs on home alone safety and child care techniques. You do not need to be a Safe Sitter® Instructor to teach introductory programs. Keep reading to learn more about all of these Safe Sitter® programs.
Safe Sitter® Essentials prepares students in grades 6-8 to stay safe when home alone, watch younger siblings, and babysit. Students learn to practice important safety skills, handle emergencies, care for children, and treat illnesses and injuries. Some classes include CPR instruction. In addition, students learn important business skills, such as screening jobs, setting wages, and communicating effectively with employers.
The newest Safe Sitter® course, Grandparents: Getting Started, helps adults to provide the best and safest care for their grandchildren, whether on a regular basis or occasionally babysitting. Participants learn current child care practices, first aid techniques, and behavior management strategies. The course also teaching participants how to support their children as a parents and build good relationships from the start.
Safe@Home is a 90-minute program designed for students in grades 4-6. This course teaches kids how to stay safe when home alone by practicing safe habits, preventing unsafe situations, and responding to dangers such as power failures or weather emergencies. Students also learn how to use the Safe Sitter® First Aid Chart to assess and respond to injuries and illnesses.
Intro to Safe Babysitting is a 60-minute program for students in grades 6-8 that introduces the basics of child care. Students learn about child development, practice diapering, and gain tips for staying in control of themselves and the children in their care.
Community organizations like the Junior League, Kiwanis Club, and Friends of the Library often recognize the value of providing child care safety courses and willingly support Safe Sitter® programs at libraries. Use our fundraising templates to request financial assistance for your Safe Sitter® program needs.
Libraries strengthen communities. By offering Safe Sitter® programs, you can make your community safer.