SAFE SITTER COURSE AT BMH

Brattleboro Memorial Hospital offers the Safe Sitter babysitting course, an all-day session, usually during the summer when school is out.

Safe Sitter, a program for 11 to 13 year old girls and boys, is a medically accurate program that teaches young adolescents how to prevent and handle emergencies when caring for younger children. The goal of the Safe Sitter program is to reduce the number of accidental and preventable deaths among children being cared for by babysitters. Thousands of young adolescents across the country have been trained by the Safe Sitter program to handle life-threatening emergencies. Dr. Patricia Keener, an Indianapolis pediatrician, developed the Safe Sitter program after a friend's toddler choked to death while in the care of a sitter who didn't know what to do.

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

All medical information is taught by certified professionals including BMH registered nurses and others who have received certification to teach young adolescents safe babysitting techniques from the National Safe Sitter organization. During the course, students get hands-on practice in basic lifesaving techniques 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 if a stranger comes to the door and when and how to call for help. Participants receive information on child development and age-appropriate activities, and they learn about the business aspects of baby-sitting.

For more information, or to receive registration materials for the next Safe Sitter course, usually held in the Brew Barry Conference Center at BMH, call (802) 251-8425, and leave information on the Safe Sitter voicemail box. The cost for the session is $30, and space is usually limited. Scholarship money for those with financial need is made available by the Southern Vermont Area Health Education Center. Call the above number for information.