©InfoThe course manual contains five sections with the following learning outcomes:
Introduction, expectations, rights and the law
Students will:
- understand this course and what they are undertaking as a babysitter
- consider and share their previous experiences of looking after children and identify areas for development
- understand what makes a good babysitter, including the parent’s and child’s perspective
- understand the skills and qualities that babysitters need
- understand the roles and responsibilities of babysitters and parents
- appreciate the law surrounding babysitting
- understand the importance of good preparation and information gathering before babysitting.
Accident prevention and fire safety
Students will:
- recognise that accidents are the biggest cause of death among children
learn to look at a room and, based on the age of a child, identify and eliminate hazards
- solve safety problems
- understand and be committed to accident prevention wherever possible
- feel confident that they can recognise hazards and deal with them in an appropriate way.
Looking after babies and children
Students will:
- gain skills in holding, bathing, feeding and changing the nappies of babies and children safely and skilfully
- know how to put a child to bed in a calm and reassuring manner
- understand why a child might cry and respond accordingly
- understand the toys and activities appropriate to different age groups, including toy safety
- understand the importance of handling infants and children gently and with understanding
- consider the implications of looking after groups of children.
First aid
Students will:
- develop first aid skills for both life threatening and minor injuries
- develop the knowledge to decide whether an illness is serious and what appropriate action to take
- be able to make an emergency call giving appropriate information
- feel confident in the theory and practice of emergency first aid procedures
be more aware of the need to prevent first aid action by reducing the risk of accidents
- demonstrate caring and reassuring qualities.
Dealing with challenging babysitting situations
Students will:
- understand the implications and issues that may arise when:
- dealing with sensitive family issues
- responding to a concern or a disclosure of child abuse
- dealing with intruders or strangers
- babysitting for children with disabilities
- have an opportunity to practise their responses to sensitive situations
- be encouraged to develop social skills, assertiveness and confidence to help them deal with sensitive situations
- review the course using scenario and role play activities.