Morning Star Staff
The Kelowna & District Safety Council held its first Babysitter Training Courses in Vernon this past spring break, and they were so popular that the KDSC has now scheduled more courses in Vernon for July and August.
“This is the most comprehensive Babysitter Training Course that parents will find,” says Tania Meyer, executive director of KDSC. “It’s a two-day course, with 10 hours of training and includes topics such as the rights and responsibilities of the employer, the child, and the babysitter, and the developmental and behavioral characteristics of children of different ages.”
Basic child care, nutrition, injury prevention, emergencies, age-appropriate play, and basic first aid procedures will also be covered, and a special component of the course will prepare babysitters for handling the special needs of children who are visually impaired, hearing impaired, physically disabled, speech impaired, and mentally challenged.
Summer course dates are July 4 and 5, 10 and 11, 22 and 23, and Aug. 12 and 13. Each day runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and courses will be located at the People Place in Vernon. Open to boys and girls ages 10 and up, this is a Canada Safety Council course and all children will receive a graduation certificate and a wallet card, as well as a KDSC tote bag.
“Although the Canada Safety council recommends that children don’t start babysitting until they are 12 years old, the reality is that many 10- to 12-year-olds help care for their younger siblings, and this course will give them the skills and information necessary to be much safer and aware babysitters and helpers,” says Meyer. “Many parents also register their children in this course as an alternative to Home Alone classes, as the curriculum covered in this babysitting course is much more in-depth than Home Alone curriculum.”
The course is $65 (no taxes), but parents can save $5 by registering online through the Babysitter Training Course page of KDSC’s website at www.kdsc.bc.ca. All courses are expected to sell out, so register early. Contact the Kelowna and District Safety Council toll-free at 1-888-580-7233 to register or for more information.
KDSC is a non-profit organization and has been operating the Little Travellers’ Safety Village as well as a motorcycle and driver training facility since 1980.
