Three Steps to Take to Ensure Your Child is Safe with a Babysitter

It can be pretty intimidating to find a babysitter in a new city, or when you don’t have a lot of friends and family around. Often, the obvious resource to turn to for help is an online database of babysitter’s profiles. These may or may not be accurate, and trusting someone with your child is a huge decision. Here are three questions you should ask when choosing a babysitter for your child.

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Has a background check been done on the babysitter?

While many online services will run a cursory background check on the babysitter of your choice, in California, all nannies and caregivers placed by agencies must be registered with the Trustline Registry. Trustline is an in-depth background check including fingerprints, a scan of the FBI registries, sex offender search, and much more. Babysitters must pay to have this done, so typically only dedicated providers will become Trustline certified. At Sitterwise, our caregivers begin the Trustline process immediately after they’re hired. This means our caregivers are guaranteed to have clear backgrounds, with no criminal convictions or other red flags.

Does the babysitter have good references?

You want to make sure the babysitter you choose has plenty of positive experiences with other families. References can easily be faked, so it’s important to do your homework by checking at least three references. At Sitterwise, we go the extra mile by requiring each caregiver who works with us has been referred by a caregiver we know and trust, and who knows our high standards. Unless the new caregiver can be referred as someone with the highest of moral and ethical standards - someone with a great personality who has good experience with children - we don’t even begin the interview process.

Has the babysitter been interviewed?

It’s hard to know who someone really is without meeting them. Before you leave your child with someone you don’t know, be sure to do an in-person interview to “get their vibe” and make sure they are a good fit for your family. At Sitterwise, we do the interviewing for you! Our Talent Development Director meets with each candidate to make sure she has strong interpersonal skills, demonstrates sound judgement, and displays the professionalism that we expect from our caregivers.

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Choosing a caregiver for your child obviously requires a considerable time investment. Each of these steps is critical to ensure the safety of your child with a new adult that you don’t know. With infants and toddlers, the concern is even greater, since they are so young they can’t tell you how it went.

Fortunately, at Sitterwise, we can take the pressure off. We are a concierge agency with over 35 years in San Diego. We work with the finest hotels and resorts in the area, and with San Diego residents who require only the best care. Our extensive team of caregivers is made up of carefully-vetted ladies who have proven themselves time and again, not just with their incoming referrals, but with happy reports from Sitterwise families they’ve served here in San Diego. You can be certain of the quality care your children will receive when you work with Sitterwise!