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Babysitter Job Description: Top Duties and Requirements

A Babysitter, or Child Caregiver, provides childcare services to families when they need extra help. There are duties that Babysitters will have to complete during each of their shifts. These duties may include picking children up from school, taking them to appointments, or connecting with their parents in case of emergency.

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Babysitter duties and responsibilities

In order to excel at a Babysitter role, a candidate will need to be extremely accountable. Taking on the responsibility of caring for someone else’s children is an important job and reliability is key. Some other duties and responsibilities may include:

  • Preparing children for bed, including reading stories and other bedtime routines
  • Reprimanding children for bad behaviour, as needed
  • Assisting children in homework and other school projects
  • Planning games, puzzles, and other fun activities with children
  • Managing the household including making and receiving phone calls, preparing meals, and performing other light duties
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What does a Babysitter do?

A Babysitter works with families when they need extra childcare services. Parents may hire a Babysitter to take care of children when they are working or have evening responsibilities or events. Babysitters take on a lot of responsibilities when they care for children, with some taking on larger tasks such as cooking meals and cleaning up after the child. Babysitters help ensure that children do not get into trouble, or harm themselves or others, while their parents are not directly supervising them.

Babysitter skills and qualifications

There are benefits to hiring all types of Babysitters depending on your needs, but there are some particular skills and qualifications a babysitter should have. These include:

  • Ability to solely focus on the children despite distractions
  • Special skills in cooking, arts and crafts, or sports and recreation
  • Ability to be timely, attentive, and caring
  • Should be able to have a flexible schedule

Babysitter experience requirements

Babysitters range from young to mature and non-experienced to very experienced. Depending on the child’s needs, some may require a Babysitter with more experience. For example, if a parent needs childcare while they are at home, they may choose to hire a younger Babysitter with less experience. However, if parents need full-time childcare when they will be away for work while expecting the Babysitter to cook and clean, they may hire someone with more experience. If a Babysitter has previous experience working with children in any setting, this could be considered an asset. Babysitters should typically be able to provide several character or work references upon request.

Babysitter education and training requirements

Any Babysitter should know basic first aid and CPR, certifications that are widely attainable through private and public programs. They may be enrolled or have graduated from an Early Childhood Education (E.C.E.) course. There are also Babysitter programs designed to teach young people how to be prepared, safe, and responsible when it comes to childcare. Having taken a program like this would be considered an asset for any candidate.

Babysitter salary expectations

According to Indeed Salaries, the average salary for a Babysitter is $17.00 per hour. This amount will range depending on experience, age of the children, and duties needed. Some positions that include cleaning, cooking, and taking children to appointments often pay more.

Job description samples for similar positions

If this role is not quite the type of position needed, there are a few similar sample job descriptions that could be useful:

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Babysitter job description FAQs

What is the difference between a Babysitter and a Child Care Provider?

A Babysitter is often hired for a set time period on a part-time or flexible basis. They may come after school for a few hours on nights where parents are working late or have events. A Child Care Provider is often a full-time role and may take care of several children from different households. They may have advanced training or experience compared to a Babysitter or a Nanny.

Who does a Babysitter report to?

A Babysitter often reports to the parents of the children they are hired to care for. It is possible that a Babysitter may work for an agency that places them with families. In this case, a Babysitter may report to both the manager of the agency and the parents of the children they are caring for.

What qualities make a good Babysitter?

A good Babysitter is kind, gentle, and understanding, while being compassionate, responsible, attentive, and reliable. Parents will look for a sense of responsibility in the Babysitter to ensure that their children are kept safe, happy, and healthy. However, children’s opinions are important as well. They will look for Babysitters who are patient, eager to play with them, and would help them with their schoolwork or projects.

Job Description Examples

Need help writing a job description for a specific role? Use these job description examples to create your next great job posting. Or if you’re ready to hire, post your job on Indeed.

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