In Case You Need a Babysitter
Selecting a Babysitter
It
is preferable to personally interview several prospective sitters.
Observe
their interaction with your children. Look for mature and responsible
people
who listen and respond well to your children and appear relaxed and
happy with
them. Be specific about your expectations. Ask for a number of
references
(e.g., past employers, teachers, counselors, relatives, friends,
neighbors.)
If
you have not already done so, ensure that you have his or her name,
address,
and telephone number. If the sitter is not an adult, you should also
meet his
or her parents.
Once
you have made a tentative selection, check all references carefully.
Assure
references that their comments will not be revealed to anyone,
including the
sitter. Ask them if they believe that the sitter possesses the
demeanor,
responsibility and qualifications to care for children. Ask if they
would hire
this person to care for their children. If anything said by a reference
makes
you feel uncomfortable, it may be best to select another person to care
for
your children.
Also,
Kieran's Law now allows parents to request fingerprint background
checks of
in-house caregivers who provide care for more than 15 hours per week.
Parents
should contact the DCJS Records Review Unit at (518) 485-7675 for forms
and fee
information.
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When the Babysitter Arrives
Ask
your babysitter to arrive at least fifteen minutes before your
departure time.
If the sitter has not been in your home before, conduct a brief tour of
the
house. Point out the location of telephones, first-aid equipment, doors
and
other possible exits.
Ensure
that the sitter fully understands specific responsibilities and your
general
expectations. This includes knowing:
- That the children are not
to be left alone at any time.
- Family rules, including
disciplinary guidelines.
- Daily routines, including
eating, television, and sleeping arrangements.
- About any food allergies
that your children may have.
- Emergency telephone
numbers: relatives, friends or neighbors and emergency services.
- How to contact you. Write
down where you will be (address and telephone number) and your cellular
telephone and/or pager numbers.
- That all outside doors
should be kept locked and to never open the door for anyone (unless you
have given prior permission.)
- That information should
not be given to callers. Sitters should tell a caller that you are
unavailable and should take a message.
- That children should be
watched closely while awake, especially if taken outside, and should be
checked regularly after they have gone to sleep.
- Who the children may play
with or visit.
- Rules associated with use
of your belongings (e.g., telephones, computers, appliances.)
- That friends should not
be invited into your home.
Parents
are also responsible for ensuring that children understand that the
babysitter
is in charge and that they are expected to follow all family rules.
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When You Return Home
When you return home, you
should always have a discussion
with the babysitter. Ask about:
- Children's behavior and
activity.
- Telephone calls.
- Anything our of the
ordinary.
After
the babysitter has left, talk to your children about what happened
while you
were gone. Ask them:
- If anything made them
feel afraid or uncomfortable.
- If they would like him or
her to babysit again
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The NYS
Missing and Exploited Children
Clearinghouse (MECC)
MECC is a strong partner
with parents and law
enforcement in preventing and investigating child abduction and
exploitation.
- The I-800-FIND-KID
hotline is maintained
365 days a
year, 24 hours a day. Missing child leads and sightings received on the
hotline
are immediately disseminated to investigating law enforcement agencies.
- The statewide missing and
unidentified person repository is continually updated by MECC with
information
submitted by law enforcement agencies.
- Investigative assistance is provided to law
enforcement agencies and parents. MECC trains law enforcement officers
in basic
and advanced investigative techniques. To aid in finding missing
children, MECC
staff members:
- Offer advice on case
management practices.
- Flag birth and educational
records of missing
children.
- Develop missing child flyers
and distribute
them to law enforcement agencies and other entities statewide. The TRAK
(Technology to Recover Abducted Kids) program allows for
dissemination of
missing child information to virtually every law enforcement agency in
the
State in a matter of minutes.
- Place missing child
photographs and biographical
information and child safety information on the DCJS web site at http://criminaljustice.state.ny.us
- Search employment, credit,
motor vehicle and
other records for leads.
- Analyze and enter missing
person dental and
other anatomical information into New York State and National Crime
Information
Center files.
- MECC collaboration with the National Center for
Missing and Exploited Children, other state clearinghouses, other State
agencies, non-profit organizations, law enforcement agencies,
prosecutors and
courts can provide nationwide assistance to law enforcement agencies
and family
members.
State of New York
Geroge E. Pataki, Governor
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IF YOU WOULD LIKE MORE
INFORMATION, CONTACT US AT:
NYS Division of Criminal
Justice Services 4 Tower Place Albany, NY 12203
1-800-FIND-KID or (518) 457-6326
Missing child
photographs and
biographical
information and additional
child safety information can be viewed on our website.
http://criminaljustice.state.ny.us
Contributions made to the NYS
MECC Fund made reproduction of this brochure possible. Contributions
can be
forwarded directly to the fund at the address listed above. Also, the
NYS Tax Law
now allows individuals to donate to the MECC Fund when filing state
income tax
returns. Every penny of your contribution goes directly to support the
work of
the Clearinghouse and local efforts statewide.
@ 2001 by the New York State Division of
Criminal Justice Services.
January 2001
Copyrighted material contained in this
brochure is reprinted with the
permission of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
All rights
reserved.
