Whether you need a new babysitter or if you have had a baby and are going to be looking for a sitter, you have several options open to you when it comes to finding quality child care. Here are some tips that you can use when it comes to finding a new sitter for your children or child:

  • Ask references from those in the area who use babysitters.
  • Ask at your local church.
  • Ask at the local school.
  • Use a baby sitting service.

Remember that no matter who you get to watch your children, you should do as much as possible to find out all you can about them before you have them care for your children while you are not there. Going through the community is often a good idea, although it is not a sure-fire way to get the best babysitter available.

If you know other parents in the area who use babysitters, you should ask them who they use. Keep in mind, there are pros and cons to this type of reference. The pros are that you are getting an honest opinion from someone in the area about how they feel about a certain babysitter. The cons are that their idea of quality child care may not be the same as yours. You also have to consider that you will be competing with them for the babysitter on nights that you may want to go out.

If you belong to a church, you can ask for someone from the church group to help you find someone for babysitting services. However, although you may feel safe in your church community, you still have to realize that these people are strangers to you for the most part. A recent incident in the California in which the daughter of the church pastor who taught Sunday School killed a child who trusted her is a clear example. Many people may feel intimidated into doing common due diligence when investigating people from their church. While the church can be a good place to start, do not make an assumption that everyone who is a member of the community is safe for your children.

The local high school is another place you can check out babysitters. The trouble with this is that once teenagers start to get older, they start to focus more on their own personal lives than the lives of your children. You should still check them out very carefully, including checking out their parents. If you are looking for someone to care for your children during the day, however, teenagers in school are usually out of the picture. They work best for a night out to dinner.

A babysitting agency is often a good idea for finding quality child care in your home. They can match you with someone who is ideal for your children and who will be able to work around your schedule. In addition, quality babysitting companies do background checks on their employees and make sure that they send in qualified and well trained child care experts. In addition, if you are using a child care service, you can write off the cost for the service from your taxes, which is something that you cannot do if you decide to pay a babysitter who works only for cash.