Choosing a babysitter

There may be times when you leave your baby/children with a babysitter. The legal age for a child to be left alone is 14 years. Otherwise your children need to be in the care of a trusted person over 14 years. Choose a sitter you can trust and who can cope with any problems that may occur.

A babysitter's capability will depend on their experience, the length of time you need them, the age and needs of your child. If you do not know the sitter well, ask them if you can talk to some other parents of children they have cared for.

It’s helpful if the sitter and your child have a chance to get to know one another before being left alone. For the sitter’s safety, talk about how they plan to travel to and from your home. The sitter will need to know what you expect of them.

Babysitting checklist

They also need to know:

• where to find things they may need, such as nappies, clothes, food
• if your child has any special needs
• how often to check your child
• what to do if your child cries or vomits
• how to contact you or another adult in case they cannot contact you (eg when you are travelling)
• emergency procedures - phone, first aid, torch, where to get help, phoning 111, etc
• safety issues - not opening the door to strangers
• security information - keys to lock the doors
• which neighbours could be helpful
• not to invite friends over while you are out.

Read more about The Babysitting Certificate a qualification offered by Plunket Education in Schools.