Providing life skills, safety skills, and child care training in order to build safer communities.
Many children in your community are left unsupervised after school while young teens must take on the responsibility of caring for younger siblings. In addition, many adults in your community are caring for grandchildren and are not equipped with new recommendations for care. 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. Our comprehensive programs, Safe Sitter® Essentials and Grandparents: Getting Started, are taught exclusively by certified Safe Sitter® Instructors. These programs are designed to prepare participants 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 these introductory programs. Keep reading to learn more about all of these Safe Sitter® programs.
Safe Sitter® Essentials is a comprehensive babysitting course designed to prepare students in grades 6-8 to be safe when they are home alone, watching younger siblings, or babysitting. Students learn how to practice important safety skills, handle emergencies, care for children, and treat illnesses and injuries. Some classes even teach CPR. In addition, students learn important business skills, such as how to screen jobs, set a wage, and work with employers.
Safe Sitter’s newest comprehensive course is designed to prepare adults to provide the best and safest care for their grandchildren, whether providing care on a regular basis or only occasionally babysitting. Participants learn current practices for child care, first aid, and behavior management. In addition, participants learn how to effectively support their child as a parent and foster a good relationship from the start.
A 90-minute introductory program, Safe@Home is designed to teach students in grades 4-6 to be safe when they are home alone. Students learn how to practice safe habits, prevent unsafe situations, and learn what to do when faced with dangers such as power failures or weather emergencies. Students are also introduced to the Safe Sitter® First Aid Chart and learn a system to help them assess and respond to injuries and illnesses.
A 60-minute introductory program, Intro to Safe Babysitting is designed to teach students in grades 6-8 about safe child care. Students learn the ages and stages of child development, practice diapering, as well as learn tips to stay in control of themselves and the children in their care.
Organizations such as the Junior League, Kiwanis Club, or Friends of the Library often see the importance in providing child care safety courses and are willing to provide financial support for Safe Sitter® programs offered at your library. Find fundraising templates to use as a guide when requesting funds for your Safe Sitter® program needs.
Libraries help build communities. Make those communities safer by offering programs by Safe Sitter®.