Screening a new babysitter

How did you make contact with the sitter? Does she have references? Have you had a personal interview--possibly with verbal scenarios of possible emergencies?

Definitely check the references, and do a personal interview. You can even ask to meet with the people listed as references, which may give you an idea if they are bogus or not. If you have serious concerns after that, don't hire the sitter. Or, call the local police and ask them to do a background check, or hire a private investigator. However, if it really comes to that, I think you just need to look for someone else. Are you asking because you already have some concerns? If so, let us know what they are.

We only use babysitters that friends of ours have used & recommended. I know that doesn't answer all your questions, but it's a start.

Just don't hire any young kids or your asking for trouble!

Call me prejudiced, but never hire a man as well.

Yer prejudiced.

Sozlet's only regular sitter (non-family) is a guy.

But he's a dad, too.

(I do know what you mean.)

Yes, Soz, I do know. If it's a dad, that's fine, but you do indeed know what I mean regarding 'cold calls' for sitters without checking references.

I wouldn't go to a doctor or even a hair stylist without a personal reference, let alone hire a babysitter without someone I trust completely giving them the green light.

True, eoe.

Also, now that my son is 10, has plenty of self-confidence and wouldn't hesitate to call me if he thought a sitter wasn't doing the right thing.

go to the post office and check out the "most wanted " postings.

Bromeliad, are you talking about an occasional baby-sitter, or more of a daily/regular caregiver?

An occassional babysitter. I don't have much of a life, but I always seem to have some sort of appointment to go to.

The woman is a childcare worker at the nursery at my gym. She has a daughter that is approx. the same age as my daughter. She seems very nice. I asked her if she sits and she says no, but seemed interested for the summer. In the Fall her daughter starts preschool, but so does mine.

Everyone I know has some sort of family member to baby sit for them. So far my dd has only been 'sat' by family when visiting, a total of maybe 5 times.

bromeliad, maybe you could find out what kind of referencing the gym and other facilities like it use. in this particular case, the referencing may already have been done. in a facility like a gym, they will likely have had to do referencing to get insurance coverage. worth finding out, in any case.


(i'd asked if it was casual or more regular, as the protocol here for the two is quite different)

I feel for ya, trying to look for a babysitter, when you finally find one, you start feeling a bit "if-y". I personally, have never used a babysitter, just family...I may not like some of them, but they're free and I trust them *lol* I know not everyone has the luxury of living close to family, which i'm sure a lot are quite thankful for that! Anyway, my biggest fear with a babysitter was that something might happen, and my daughter or son would not be able to tell me because of their age. I kinda miss it, since they've learned to talk I've been popping tylenol like crazy, but anyway...do you think if anything did happen, your daughter would tell ya? Good luck!!!

ehBeth,

I actually did ask when I joined the gym and they said they screened all their employees. But I thought I should do my own checking. All I have is her name and phone number. I was able to find her address and husband's name. I did a state-wide criminal records check on both of them. I found one hit on her name for a DUI and a hit on his for an open-container-on-a motorboat. I'm not 100% certain that the records are for either of them, though. Their last name is not uncommon. I guess I will have to ask her her date of birth? (that would provide confirmation) But that's kind of awkward...


Christina,

I don't know if she would tell me. She can talk, and definitely expresses her opinions on things, but she still isn't very articulate.

She loves going to the gym, but when my husband asked her once what she did there she just said,"No, my turn!". I guess she was learning about sharing with other kids...

I always wanted to wait untill she could really express herself before getting a sitter, but I don't think I can hold out much longer.

Has she changed her mind, bromeliad?
It would be a bit odd to do a check on someone who doesn't actually want to babysit for you.

Funny. Most of the studies show that the dangers in re child abuse are greater within family and close friends - I'd be more comfortable using a sitter from a bonded agency.

No; why do you ask?

I've heard that also, that abuse was more prominent coming from those of family members and close friends, but all you can do as a parent, is your very best. I'll trust my family over a random baby-sitter. There is risk in whatever you decide is best in the end, but that's a chance some decide to take. The trick is to lower the chances of abuse or neglect from ever happening. We've all seen hidden videos catch baby-sitters dangling babies upside down and beating them, neglecting them, digging through the home-owners personal stuff, so I don't buy into the fact that baby-sitters through agencies are somehow safer. It's easier to screw over a stranger than a family member, IMO anyway.

This read like a bit of a polite no thank you when I first saw it.