The Kelowna and District Safety Council is bringing the Canada Safety Council’s popular Babysitter Training Course to Penticton and Summerland residents this summer.
Penticton courses will run July 15 and 16, July 30 and 31, and August 14 and 15, and Summerland’s course will run on July 25 and 26.
These two-day courses will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day and will be held at the Shatford Centre at 760 Main St., Penticton and at the Summerland Asset Development Initiative at 9117 Prairie Valley Rd.
Open to boys and girls ages 10 and up, the course offers a full 10 hours of actual training.
Many important topics will be discussed, 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.
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.
“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 Tania Meyer, executive director.
“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.”
Students will receive a KDSC Babysitter’s Gear Bag, a comprehensive student reference book, and a graduation certificate.
These courses typically sell out, so register online through the Babysitter Training Course page of KDSC’s website at www.kdsc.bc.ca or by calling KDSC Toll Free at 1-888-580-7233.
