Course Content - A Comprehensive Approach

Safe Sitter® is a medically accurate, competency-based, highly structured babysitting preparation course designed for young adolescents (no younger than 11). The curriculum, written by a pediatrician, is presented in sections which may be combined and taught as one of three course options:

• Safe Sitter® (1-day) is a 6 ½ hour essential curriculum designed for busy schedules.
• Safe Sitter® (1-day with CPR) is a 6 ½ hour curriculum designed to include teaching CPR in a one day course.
• Safe Sitter® (2-day) is a 12 hour expanded curriculum designed for comprehensive coverage and practice.

Teaching methodology includes hands-on manikin practice, small group interactive learning, role-playing, games, and in Safe Sitter® (2-day) interaction with a toddler or preschool guest. All teaching sites utilize trained Instructors - with a low ratio of students to Instructors - thus ensuring high quality and compliance with teaching methodologies. Each participant must pass a written and practical exam proving mastery of key concepts.

The Safe Sitter® program includes instruction in babysitting skills and techniques:

• Care of Choking Infant/Child - Students learn what to do if an infant or child chokes. Each student is individually tested in these procedures, using CPR manikins.
• Infant and Child CPR - Students in the 2-day and 1-day with CPR courses learn CPR techniques.
• Injury Prevention and Injury Management - Students learn a system to enable them to evaluate the severity and urgency of a problem and to determine how to get help. Administering basic first aid for minor problems is also included in this section. Students learn how to prevent injuries by learning how, why, and where injuries can occur.
• Safety for the Sitter - All aspects of staying safe are discussed for babysitters and the children in their care. Students learn how to react to a variety of threatening situations from power failures to prowlers. For personal safety, they are taught strategies to use if they need to be picked up immediately from a babysitting job.
• Child Care Essentials - Students learn the basics of child development from infants to school age children. Practice is included for such skills as feeding and diapering. Nurturing child care techniques are emphasized.
• Behavior Management - Students learn how to prevent problem behavior in addition to a system to determine the severity and urgency of the problem behavior. They also learn how and when to call for help when managing problem behavior.
• Babysitting as a Business - The responsibilities of running a business - from setting fees to ethical considerations are discussed. Students learn how to screen jobs for safety, how to judge their own babysitting abilities, what information to leave with their own parents, and what information to get from their employers.
  This section is condensed in Safe Sitter® (1-day with CPR) to include only the safety aspects.