How to ensure your babysitter gets home safely: 6 tips for parents
Babysitters play a crucial role in helping many families function. They step in when needed, bring calm to busy days, and care for children with love. While they take such good care of our children, it is up to parents to take good care of them too, not only out of empathy but also out of responsibility.
Being an employer
When you hire a babysitter, you are essentially taking on the role of an employer, which may not be something you have done before. Good employment practice includes attention to safety. Especially when a babysitter works late or travels home alone, small actions can make a huge difference. By doing your part, you can help ensure your babysitter has a pleasant and safe work experience.
It is common for babysitters to be from a young demographic, typically aged between 16 and 20, and also for babysitting to be required in the evenings, which leads to young people having to be out and about after dark, a situation that isn't always as safe as we would like it to be.
6 tips to keep your babysitter safe
Parents, guardians and carers have a responsibility to ensure their babysitter gets home safely. Here are six tips to make sure your babysitter stays as safe as possible.
1. Ask for an emergency contact person
It might feel unusual to ask for this, but it’s a standard practice in any professional setting, and for a good reason. Accidents happen. Since your sitter serves as your emergency contact for the children, it's only fair that you have one for them. Go one step further: record this contact securely in your babysitting contract so the information is always readily available.
2. Plan safe routes together
A late shift means your sitter will be heading home in the dark. Their well-being is your responsibility, so make their journey home a part of your conversation. Simply ask how they plan to travel (by bike, foot, or public transport?) and check the route together to verify its safety.
3. Take your babysitter home
If your babysitter is staying very late, offer them a ride home. Simply drive them yourself or, for shorter distances, cycle with them. If you are unable to escort them, call and pay for a taxi or an Uber. Providing this paid transport ensures their safe drop-off and demonstrates professional appreciation for their late hours.
4. Ask your babysitter to send a check-in message
If you cannot drive your sitter home, or if they prefer to travel on their own, agree on a simple check-in message. Ask them to text you as soon as they arrive home. You should know approximately how long the trip takes and plan to stay awake until you receive that message. If the text doesn't arrive, contact them yourself. While it's likely they've just forgotten, it's better to double-check their safety than to simply assume they're fine.
Juliana, a mother who uses babysitters, explains her best practice: “I usually have babysitters for the evenings. One of them prefers cycling. I always ask her to text me when she gets home so I know she has arrived safely. The other sitter travels by bus from Haarlem. When she leaves, we take her to the bus stop and wait until she is on the bus. We also ask her to send us a text when she is home.”
5. Request live location sharing
If your babysitter is travelling home alone after dark, ask if they are comfortable sharing their live location with you (or a trusted partner/friend) until they arrive. This small gesture offers you peace of mind and assures them that someone is actively monitoring their journey. You should still request a final text upon their safe arrival, just to close the loop.
6. Offer an overnight stay option
If you have a spare guest room, consider offering your sitter to stay overnight when the shift ends late. This eliminates the risk of a dark trip home. While this can be a fun bonus for the children, be sure to make clear agreements so there are no misunderstandings about childcare duties in the morning. Also, understand that this might not feel safe to the sitter, and be understanding if they do insist on travelling home.
Do it together
“Simple, clear agreements are the true foundation of your sitter's safety”, says Jules Van Bruggen, Founder and CEO of Sitly, a large online platform that connects parents seeking childcare with available babysitters and nannies “Don't decide what feels safe to you: ask your babysitter what makes them feel safe”.
Ultimately, safety goes beyond the road home; it’s about ensuring babysitters feel seen and supported. Babysitters are there for your children when they need them; make sure you are there for your babysitter when they need you.