What credentials are available to identify a babysitter as trustworthy?
Following on the heels of What are some good places to find trustworthy babysitters?, once we are interviewing potential babysitters, what should we look for to identify them as trustworthy?
Of course there's "chemistry", where you just gauge the vibe you get from talking to the person, and how well your kids like them during the interview; but that's very subjective and going to differ from person to person.
I'm more interested in things that the dedicated babysitter can do to help assure the parents that their children are in good hands:
CPR and First Aid certifications would make me feel better, but I doubt I would have made the time to get them at that age
INA - International Nanny Association (which I only mention because it's mentioned on sittercity.com)
A background check would be nice, but performing it myself or through a service could be expensive/invasive/time consuming and it would be nice if it was just something offered through a service.
What else should you look for?
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I think the most important thing to have is references.
The references should be the names and numbers of people that the sitter worked for recently, and they should be people that are willing to talk about their relationship with the sitter.
I would not accept written letters of reference. If the parents feel good about the babysitter's relationship with them and their children, they should be willing to take the time to help the babysitter get more work. Talking in person gives you a chance to find out more information about the babysitter's habits and style from a parent's perspective.
Of course, getting the references does no good for you if you do not actually call the references and follow up.
I agree that non-family references are important. I have actually received calls from families looking for sitters because I had been listed as a reference. I would also see if your local parks and rec, hospital or Fire station offers a baby sitters course. I have found the sitters who have taken this type of course to be very prepared. The last one came ready with activities, and asked for me to show her the first aid kit and fire extinguisher before I left for the evening.
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