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Intro to Safe Babysitting

Intro to Safe Babysitting by Safe Sitter® is a 60-minute program designed for groups of students in grades 6-8 who are interested in learning how to safely care for children.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Intro to Safe Babysitting is designed to enable any adult who enjoys teaching preteens and teens to facilitate an introductory level program about safe babysitting techniques. You do not need to be a Safe Sitter® Instructor to teach Intro to Safe Babysitting.

Designed for students in grades 6-8, students learn tips to manage behavior that will help them stay in control of themselves and the children in their care. Students also learn the ages and stages of child development, as well as practice diapering. Completing Intro to Safe Babysitting by Safe Sitter® meets some of the requirements of the Cadette Babysitter Badge.

Each student is required to have an Intro to Safe Babysitting booklet ($15.00/student) and each order includes an electronic Completion Certificate, Facilitator’s Guide, and digital presentation. The Facilitator’s Guide includes a script to follow and includes planned questions to facilitate and engaging discussion. 

GIRL SCOUT CLASSES

If your Cadettes are interested in completing one of our comprehensive Safe Sitter® courses, you can use our Find a Class feature to find contact information for Safe Sitter® Providers near you and register your Girl Scouts for an upcoming class. If you are interested in a virtual class, you can register for an upcoming class on our website. If you would like to register multiple Cadettes for a virtual class, please email us and we will send you any additional training options that may be available.

GIRL SCOUT JUNIORS

If you are looking for a program for Junior level Girl Scouts, we can help! Safe@Home helps Juniors check off the last requirement for the Independence Badge.

Learn more about helping Girl Scout Juniors earn their Independence Badge.

Do you have questions that weren't answered in the FAQ? Leave them in the form below and we will get back to you.

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    Order Intro to Safe Babysitting
    FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

    What is Safe Sitter®?

    Safe Sitter, Inc. is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to providing individuals with the life and safety skills they need for when they are home alone, watching younger siblings, or babysitting.

    How is Intro to Safe Babysitting different from other Safe Sitter® classes?

    Intro to Safe Babysitting is a 60-minute course meant for small groups, such as Girl Scout troops or youth groups, and is designed to be facilitated by a parent volunteer or group leader. In addition, Intro to Safe Babysitting is an introduction to child care and child development, providing excellent instruction on the responsibilities of caring for children, and it may help Girl Scout Cadette troops fulfill some requirements of the Babysitting Badge. However, Intro to Safe Babysitting does not include instruction on home alone safety, first aid & rescue skills, or business skills.

    Students who complete Intro to Safe Babysitting and want to learn more can enroll to take a comprehensive Safe Sitter® course, such as Safe Sitter® Essentials, Safe Sitter® Essentials with CPR, or Safe Sitter® Expanded, with a Provider near them. To find Providers in your area, go to safesitter.org/find-a-class.

    Who can purchase the Intro to Safe Babysitting Program?

    The Intro to Safe Babysitting program is intended for groups such as Girl Scout troops and youth groups. The course is designed to enable a group leader or parent volunteer to facilitate an introductory level program about safe babysitting techniques.

    Parents can order single copies of Safe@Home and Intro to Safe Babysitting and lead their children through the curriculum. These programs prepare school-age children to be safe while home alone or babysitting younger siblings. Each program includes a student booklet and a Facilitator Guide that will help parents understand and reinforce the skills taught in the student booklet.

    To order online, click here.

    What is the cost of the Intro to Safe Babysitting program?

    The Intro to Safe Babysitting booklet costs $15.00 Each order includes an electronic Completion Certificate, Facilitator Guide, and digital presentation.

    To order online, click here.

    Can you re-use student or facilitator materials?

    No. To reproduce content in the Intro to Safe Babysitting program is a violation of copyright. A group can purchase additional individual student booklets and student materials. Students take home their booklets to reference in the future.

    Does Intro to Safe Babysitting prepare students to babysit?

    Intro to Safe Babysitting provides excellent instruction on child development, child care routines, and behavior management. However, babysitters should also be trained in first aid and choking rescue, and all students need preparation in job skills – such as screening jobs and setting fees – before accepting their first babysitting job. Students who complete Intro to Safe Babysitting can go on to take a comprehensive Safe Sitter® course, such as Safe Sitter® Essentials, Safe Sitter® Essentials with CPR, or Safe Sitter® Expanded, to learn these additional skills. These classes are offered by certified Safe Sitter® Instructors across the country. To find Providers in your area, go to safesitter.org/find-a-class.

    Our group completed Intro to Safe Babysitting and is interested in choking rescue and CPR training, but there are no Safe Sitter® Providers in our area. What can we do?

    Training in choking rescue and CPR is available through American Heart Association Training Centers across the country.

    What age are tweens or teens ready to babysit?

    There is no age that students are automatically ready to babysit. Babysitting is a big responsibility and all tweens and teens need maturity and confidence to take on that responsibility. They also need an interest in caring for children, as well as appropriate training. Finally, it is important that parents of a prospective babysitter agree that their child is ready to take on this responsibility, and be available to support them as needed.

    What situations are best for beginner babysitters to start with?

    Safe Sitter® suggests that beginning babysitters start with the preschool age (3-5 years old), and limit first jobs to three hours. It’s also helpful for beginning babysitters to start with employers that they know, such as neighbors or friends of the family.