
Research presented at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference and Exhibition in San Francisco says that nearly all of 11- to 13-year-old babysitters know who to contact in the event of an intruder or if a child is sick or injured or poisoned.
However, 40 percent of younger babysitters reported that they had left children unattended while babysitting, and 20 percent opened the door to strangers.
In the study, "Babysitter Safety Training: Are Children Aged 11-13 Years Prepared to Deal with Emergencies While Caring for Younger Children?" researchers surveyed 727 pre-teens who have cared for a younger infant or child as a babysitter.
The study provided a snapshot of pre-teen babysitter strengths and weaknesses, said lead study author Nicole M. Hackman, MD, FAAP, of Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital. "By identifying the unsafe behaviors, we have the opportunity to design specific educational programs to prepare pre-teen babysitters to safely respond to common emergency situations."
Source: Eurekalert