The Safe Sitter baby-sitting course, a national baby sitter training program designed to teach young adults to be safe baby sitters, is a medically-accurate program that teaches basic child care skills (diapering, feeding, etc.) and how to handle emergencies when caring for younger children. Safe Sitter is a one-day course open to boys and girls age 11 to 13.

The goal of Safe Sitter is to reduce the number of accidental and preventable deaths among children being cared for by baby sitters. Thousand of young adolescents across the country have been trained by Safe Sitter to handle life-threatening emergencies.

Registered nurses from Thomas Hospital teach the course, which includes hands-on practice in basic lifesaving techniques and CPR so they are prepared to act in a crisis.

Safe Sitter participants also receive helpful tips to make them more confident caregivers. They learn safety and security precautions such as what to do when a stranger comes to the door and when and how to call for help. They will also receive information on child development and age-appropriate activities, and learn about the business aspects of baby-sitting.

To successfully complete the Safe Sitter program, the students have to pass a rigorous practical and written test to show they have mastered the key concepts and have the skills necessary to handle an emergency.

The cost of the program is $35 and participants must pre-register. Space is limited in this course.

For more information , email infirmaryevents@infirmaryhealth.org or call the Thomas Hospital Public Relations Department at (251) 279-4008.