A favorite babysitter is one who is trained in first aid and CPR. These certifications show that the person has been trained on what to do in the event of a medical emergency. The American Red Cross provides first aid and CPR training and also offers childcare training. Ask the potential candidate to provide their certification card proving that the courses have been completed and that the certifications are up to date. Free-Range Kids has compiled a list of laws or policies by state regarding the age a child cannot or should not leave unattended in a home, and they can apply for child custody. However, the best thing you can do if you`re not sure your child is old enough to be legally left alone — and babysitter younger children — is to contact your state government department that oversees the children`s health and well-being. You should also keep in mind that local laws may also apply. New Mexico does not have a state law setting a minimum age for a child to be home alone; However, an Albuquerque ordinance states that children under the age of 11 cannot be left home alone. The rest is ultimately a verdict of the parents of the children in need of care and the parents of the child who wants to keep the children. Age, maturity and experience with young children are important factors and first aid training. Babysitters need to understand safety and how to respond in an emergency.
If you have a contingency plan for events like fires or carbon monoxide, share it with your babysitter. Also leave a list of emergency phone numbers. Overall, however, in most parts of the country, it is up to parents to determine a child`s age when they start babysitting. Parents of the babysitter and parents of the child or children who are babysitting should consider whether the babysitter child is mature enough for work. DCF says there is no legal definition here of what constitutes an unsupervised child, but there are several factors to consider in determining whether a child is old enough or mature enough to be left alone. It states that children between the ages of zero and six should not be left alone for a period of time. Children between the ages of six and nine can be left alone for a short time. Ten years or older, DCF says they can probably be left alone for long periods of time, but it all depends on the child`s maturity and intellectual abilities. The legal age to keep children in Kansas is 11.
I had my 12-year-old daughter looking at her brother and sister as I ran to the store, post office, etc., and a curious neighbor decided he would tell me that my children should not be left alone with the eldest until she was 16 years old legally. So I took it upon myself to call SRS and talk to them about it. They said that 11 years is the minimum for children to babysit the children of others who are not related to them, but that keeping siblings is another story and should only be treated on a maturity basis. She said, admittedly, that you have to have a little common sense and realize that an 8-year-old left alone with a 2-year-old is not a good idea! But I specifically asked her if my 12-year-old daughter could legally take care of her 6-year-old sister and 1-year-old brother, and she said there was nothing illegal or wrong with that, as long as I trusted her and she was a responsible child. I quickly told my neighbor. This was the same neighbor who slept all day while his 6, 5 and 3 year old children ran wildly around their house screaming and throwing things at my children. When I asked where their father was, they said, “He`s sleeping.” Kind! Most states don`t have laws setting age requirements for child care, and many offer nothing more than guidelines on how children are aged before they are left home alone. Some of these recommendations are fairly recent. Kansas, for example, suggests that children ages 6 to 9 can be left home alone for short periods of time when they are mature enough. Illinois law, on the other hand, states that children must be at least 14 years old to be left home alone for a longer period defined as 24 hours.
A contradictory law states that 13-year-olds in Illinois can act as babysitters as long as they don`t do so for an extended period of time. (A bill allowing children 12 and older to be left at home without adult supervision passed the Illinois House in April 2019, but the bill did not pass the state Senate.) Maryland also requires children to be at least 13 years old to work as babysitters. No other state has a law requiring a babysitter at a certain age. The American Red Cross offers childcare and childcare classes to prepare course participants with universal skills and techniques that every babysitter should have. These courses are available online for those who prefer to study as they please or in a personal classroom with access to highly qualified teachers and classroom activities. These courses include basic care for infants and children, basic first aid, child behaviour, emergency protocols, leadership and age-appropriate activities. The Red Cross also offers CPR/AED first aid and certification courses. The primary goal of the child care system is to protect the health, safety and well-being of children in care. Regulated child care includes homes and home children`s centres. Other types of care include nannies and babysitters, as well as friends and family. Click on the titles below to learn more about each type of care. The “right” or “minimum age” to let someone start caring is a subjective issue.
Factors such as the age and maturity of the child or dependent children and the maturity of the caregiver are important to consider, as well as the amount of care the child or dependent children require. This includes the number of hours and special care the child or children require. If you hire a babysitter, ask for references and contact her. They can help you decide if the person you have in mind is responsible and a good fit for your children. When you hire a babysitter, tell her what you expect from her. Inform the babysitter of no-go areas and make sure she understands that she must observe children at all times. Tell your babysitter what activities your children are allowed to participate in while you`re away. Also, make sure your babysitter knows the safety instructions for any pool or playground. The American Red Cross babysitting course requires students to be at least 11 years old. The maturity levels of 11-year-olds can vary widely, so this course can be a good indicator of how prepared they are for light babysitting tasks.
The legal age at which a child in Illinois can be left home alone is 14. A child of this age may also babysit other children and siblings. There is no fixed age at which a child can keep other siblings, which is left to parents to decide the maturity level of their children. CPR training is recommended when a child is left unattended with an adult. Most states don`t have laws setting an age requirement for child custody, and only some have guidelines on how old a child is before being left home alone. These guidelines range from six to 14 years. Here is a list of states with this policy: Colorado: 12*, Delaware: 12*, Georgia: 8*, Illinois: 14, Kansas: 6*, Maryland: 8, Michigan: 11*, Mississippi: 12*, Nebraska: 7*, New Mexico: 10*, North Carolina: 8, North Dakota: 9*, Oregon: 10*, Tennessee: 10* and Washington: 10*. The right age to start babysitting is largely a judgment based on several factors, including the age and maturity of the children who need care and the maturity of the babysitter providing the care.
Maintenance effort is also an important factor; Watching the kids for a few hours while their parents go out to dinner is very different from taking care of the kids for a day or night. *The age shown is the recommended minimum age at which a child can be left home alone instead of a minimum/legal age. The state of Kansas has no written laws for child custody, except that the minimum age is 11. However, the Kansas Department of Labor and Environment has released suggestions and tips for parents to hire a qualified casual babysitter.
