Hiring a Sitter

Where to Turn
When it comes to finding childcare, friends and family are often parents’ biggest lifesavers, but relying on them too much can strain your relationships. Here are four more places to look for quality care and support:

• Consider placing an ad at a local university or college. You might be surprised at how many behavioral science students or education majors would be interested in spending time with your special needs child.
• Locate support groups or foundations associated with your child's condition. (Search online or contact larger hospitals in your area.) You can ask those parents for referrals, or see if any of them swap childcare duties within the group.
• Contact your church or synagogue. You might find another church member who is available to watch your child, or you might get a referral to a reliable sitter or professional caregiver. Many churches even offer regular parents’ nights just for families of children with special needs.
• Ask your child’s pediatrician if she can put you in contact with a special needs sitter or offer other suggestions in terms of where to look.

Hiring a Sitter

for your Special Needs Child

By Candi Wingate

Edited by Amy Crelly

Finding the right babysitter for your child is tricky enough without adding special considerations into the mix. Of course, you want a babysitter who will focus on your child as a person, rather than on his disabilities, but you’ll also need to ask specific questions about each caregiver’s experience. 

Before hiring a sitter, ask if she’s ever dealt with an emergency special needs situation. If so, what was the situation and how was it handled? You’ll also want to make sure your sitter will be comfortable handling any routine medical procedures. (Explain if the babysitter will be responsible for things such as finger prick tests to check blood sugar levels, and let the babysitter know if your child needs help with braces, artificial limbs or other equipment.) Good communication skills are also important. You should have open, honest communication with any babysitter, so you can assess how your child is doing.

Once you’ve found the right sitter, consider what special-needs-specific information you need to share. In addition to everyday routines (medication schedules, assistance with braces or wheelchair transitions, etc.) and illness-specific care instructions (i.e. feeding instructions or pre-seizure indications, in the case of epilepsy), be sure to cover these topics:

• Your child’s capabilities. (Can he speak distinctly, feed himself, etc.?)

• Behaviors to expect and strategies for managing those behaviors. (For example, if your child acts out physically, how should the babysitter respond?)
• How to effectively relate to your child.
• Which tasks or situations will likely require the most patience from your sitter?
• Safety preparedness (i.e., ensuring that all exterior doors are locked to prevent a child with autism from wandering).
• Allergies or other sensitivities.
• Favorites or fascinations.
• Emergency response protocol.
• Doctor’s name and contact information.

Of course, nobody knows your child like you do. You know your child’s condition thoroughly, and you have learned, via the sometimes tricky trial-and-error process, what works best for your child in different situations. Communicate as much of this information as possible to your new sitter. She will still have some trial-and-error experiences ahead of her, but proactively sharing your insights will make the process of adapting easier on her and your family.

Candi Wingate is a mother of two and an expert in the child care industry with over 20 years’ experience. She is the founder of Nannies4Hire.com and Care4Hire.com.