News
Occasional short-term babysitter: The reasonable and prudent parent standard
By: Rachel Goldman Sklar, Permanency Analyst
Foster parents have waited a long time for the implementation of new regulations that would allow them to use occasional, short-term babysitters to provide care for their foster children. Foster parents don’t have to wait for these regulations anymore.
As of January 2006, caregivers can arrange for occasional, short-term care of a foster child for periods not to exceed 24 hours. The babysitter will not have to undergo the usual background checks, health screenings, and CPR training. Rather, they will be subject to the foster parent’s “reasonable and prudent parent standard.” The foster parent will need to make careful and sensible parental decisions that maintain the child’s health, safety, and best interests.
The new regulations are intended for caregivers who need to attend various activities, including, but not limited to: 1) a medical appointment; 2) grocery or other shopping; 3) personal grooming appointments; 4) a special foster parent event or training classes; 5) business- or school-related meetings; 6) adult social gatherings or an evening out.
Making wise decisions about who will watch children and how to maintain the child’s health, safety, and best interest can be a difficult task. When determining and selecting appropriate babysitters for short-term use, caregivers are expected to take reasonable steps to keeping children safe, and caregivers must be prudent in their decision-making.
Before deciding if a short-term babysitter is the right choice for your family, the State advises caregivers to consider these factors: the child’s age, maturity and physical health, developmental level, behavioral propensities and aptitude of the child and the ability of the babysitter to give necessary, appropriate care; weigh the foreseeable risks in leaving a child with a babysitter; and if unsure about the appropriateness of leaving the child with the babysitter, discuss your concerns with the child’s social worker.
The new law also requires that caregivers must make an effort to five the babysitter the following information before leaving the child with the baby-sitter for short-term care: information about the child’s emotional, behavioral, medical or physical conditions, if any, necessary to provide care for the child during the time the foster child is being supervised by the babysitter; any medication that should be administered to the foster child during the time the foster child is being supervised by the babysitter; and, emergency contact information that is valid during the times the foster child is being supervised by the babysitter. In addition, you should write a sheet with emergency information and review it with the babysitter before you leave.
From Contra Costa County Foster Families Newsletter, May/June 200