Many of us have faced significant disruption with the
closures of schools and daycare centers due to the spreading
of the COVID-19 or coronavirus.
While it is very tempting to contact the first person who
responds to your child care request on social media or posts
an offer to babysit on your community’s Facebook page, you
must do your due diligence as a parent to protect your
child. Unfortunately, child predators look for times like
these when parents are in need.
Below are steps you should take to protect against harm to
your child:
Conduct phone, video, or in-person interviews. Don’t be
afraid to ask tough questions. If the person becomes
uncomfortable, then they are not the one to babysit your
child.
Sample Questions:
-
How long have you been
babysitting?
-
Is there anyone who might
suggest that you should not work with children?
-
Do you have experience caring
for children of [X] age?
-
What activities do you like to
do with kids?
-
How comfortable are you
enforcing household rules?
-
How do you typically deal with
behavior issues?
-
This is a
[screen-free/sugar-free/dairy-free/pet-friendly/non-smoking/etc.]
home. Are you comfortable with that?
-
What’s your favorite thing
about babysitting?
-
What do you find most
challenging about caring for children?
-
Have you taken any child care
or safety classes?
-
Are you willing to prepare
meals and snacks for my child?
-
Are you willing to assist with
any work sent home by the school or online learning
requirements?
-
How often do you rely on
screens when caring for kids?
-
Do you have experience caring
for children with allergies?
-
Do you have experience caring
for children with special needs?
-
What would a typical
day/evening/afternoon caring for my children look
like?
-
Do you have reliable
transportation?
-
How long have you been
driving, and do you have a clean driving record?
Check references. References can be more important than the
interview.
Sample Questions:
-
How long did the person
babysit
for you, and how often?
-
Did they have any attendance
issues?
-
Did they follow the rules of
your
house?
-
Did your children like them?
Why
or why not?
-
Do you think they could handle
an
emergency?
-
Were there any incidents or
issues
during their babysitting you want me to know about?
-
Would you hire them again?
Check their social media. Check
Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and other social media accounts
and be on the lookout for any photos of behavior that might
make them inappropriate for the job. Anything the person
posts publicly online is fair game for you to use as part of
the screening process. Search the internet for any news
articles about them. Review state and local websites to
obtain any relevant public information.
Beware of red flags. Be concerned if a
babysitter:
-
Forgets something significant
that you discussed.
-
Doesn’t return calls or texts
in a timely manner.
-
Shows up late.
-
Speaks negatively of past
families or children they’ve cared for.
-
Seems unwilling to perform the
basic functions of the job.
-
Seems distracted or
unenthusiastic.
-
Tells your child that it’s
okay not to follow the rules.
-
Asks your child to keep a
secret from you.
-
Communicates with your child
via texting or social media without you knowing.
Child predators operate by access,
privacy and control. Listen to your child if they tell you
something is wrong and observe their interactions with the
babysitter. Nurture an understanding of healthy
relationships in your child. Evidence suggests that children
are more likely to disclose abuse when a parent or loved one
initiates a conversation about sexuality or abuse. Ongoing
communication with our children can help to nurture
qualities within them that render them less likely to be
targets of abuse.