According to a 2012 survey conducted by The American RedCross, good babysitters are often hard to find. The survey reviled that fiftyfive percent of parents stay home from activities because they could not find asitter. (http://www.redcross.org/news/press-release/Survey-Shows-Parents-Struggling-to-find-Trusted-Babysitters-and-Would-Pay-More-for-Well-Trained-Teens).This same survey also found that nearly 30 percent of parents rejected apotential babysitter due to safety concerns. 

During the month of February 2018, FCS agent Shannon Smithand 4-H Youth Development agent Molly Jordan and the FRYSC, partnered togetherto offer a babysitting training course using the updated 4-H Babysitting forFun and for Profit curriculum. There were a total of 12 participants rangingfrom grades 5th through 8th.  Of these 12 participants, 45% of them statedthat they watch younger siblings or other family members from time to time. 

Throughout four afterschool classes the participants,covered the different stages of child development. This included a trip to thelocal daycare for hands on activities with various ages of children. The localEMS came to a class and taught basic first aid. They also taught theparticipants how to do the Heimlich maneuver. The participants were ablecomplete stations that involved bottle making, changing clothes, changingdiapers, and checking toys for choking hazards. At the end of the series, thestudents received a babysitting bag with fun toys, wipes, choke tube testers,first aid kits, and manuals to help them in their babysitting endeavors. By theend of the series, 9 of the 12 participants scored 80% or above on their post-test for a new skill learned.