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Preventing Accidental Injury. Contact: Jan Stegelman, 785-296-1223, or |
Knowledge of Home Safety is Important for Babysitters
Safe Kids Kansas offers safety tips for parents hiring sitters
Each year, an average of 2,096 children ages 14 and under die as a result of a home injury. Parents who have taken safety precautions around the home need to make sure their babysitters are familiar with these measures.
“If you’ve installed smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors, practiced your fire escape plans, stocked a first aid kit and put safety latches on cabinets and toilets, that’s great — but these precautions can all go to waste if you forget to mention them to your babysitter,” says Jan Stegelman, Safe Kids Kansas coordinator.
“Even after you find the right babysitter — a reliable, experienced sitter with references, at least 13 years old, preferably trained in first aid and CPR — you need to provide them safety tour of your home,” says Stegelman.
Take the time to:
- Show your babysitter where to find the phones, first aid supplies and flashlights. Post emergency numbers by every phone (don’t forget poison control, 800-222-1222), along with your cell phone number and itinerary.
- Go over your fire escape plan and backup plan. Make sure the sitter knows what to do if the smoke alarm or CO detector goes off (get everyone out, meet at a predetermined spot and don’t let anyone go back in).
- Tell your sitter what areas or activities are off limits. If your children will be playing in or near a pool or playground equipment, taking a bath, cooking or doing anything else that requires active supervision, discuss your expectations; make sure the sitter understands that active supervision means keeping the child in sight and in reach at all times under undivided attention.
- Instruct your sitter never to leave your child alone — even for a second. There is no substitute for constant supervision.
- Review and discuss safety guidelines about childproofing, swimming, fire, falls and playground equipment. Make sure your babysitter knows what to do in an emergency.
For more information about childcare safety and childproofing your home, call visit www.usa.safekids.org.
Safe Kids Kansas, Inc. is a nonprofit Coalition of 67 statewide organizations and businesses dedicated to preventing accidental injuries to Kansas children ages 0-14. Local coalitions and chapters are located in Allen, Anderson, Atchison, Clay, Coffey, Dickinson, Doniphan, Douglas, Elk, Ellis, Finney, Ford, Franklin, Geary, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Labette, Leavenworth, Marion, Marshall, McPherson, Meade, Mitchell, Montgomery, Osage, Pottawatomie, Republic, Rice, Riley, Saline, Smith, Shawnee, Wilson and Woodson Counties, as well as the cities of Chanute, Emporia, Leavenworth, Pittsburg, the Wichita Area and the Metro Kansas City Area. Safe Kids Kansas a member of Safe Kids Worldwide, a global network of organizations whose mission is to prevent accidental childhood injury. The lead agency for Safe Kids Kansas is the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.