Parents are particularly scrupulous when looking for daytime child care arrangements. But should you be any less careful when hiring a baby sitter for a one-night booking. It is equally important to make the right choice when hiring a nighttime sitter.

The Search Is on

Do not assume that a relative or family friend is any better than a sitter for hire the most important qualifications for a sitter are maturity and responsibility. Here three sources for finding people that meet these qualifications

1. Get Personal Referrals

The best referrals come from dependable sources. Inquire among people you trust: ask how they found the baby sitter if they were comfortable with the arrangement if they would ask the sitter back again and what they paid. Places to consider when sleuthing for names are your pediatricians office churches and your childs school.

2. Conduct a Self Search

A second option is to advertise. Consider a local paper or community or college bulletin boards. The New York City based Child Care Action Campaign CCAC recommends that your ad give the following information your childs age the hours during which you need child care the professional qualifications you require such as certification in CPR and the benefits that you as an employer will offer such as gas money to get to and from your house or free meals while on the job.

3. Contact an Agency

The CCAC offers a handy guide on choosing the right child care. You can also try the Yellow Pages looking under child care. Some local agencies such as the American Red CrossYWCA and Girls Inc. offer baby sitting training courses and job referral programs for prospective sitters.

Interview with a Sitter

Once you have the names of prospective baby sitters set up interviews to meet with them to determine their maturity level and to just get a feel for each person. Bruce Hirschfield Director of the Child Welfare League of America CWLA notes that maturity not age is the deciding factor. You can have a fourteen year old with a great deal of maturity and a twenty two year old without much maturity says Hirschfield. It really goes case by case. You must feel comfortable with the baby sitter.

Checking Background

Whether you do this before or after the interview its critical that you check to see how much baby sitting experience a candidate has. Some baby sitters may have completed training courses others might have experience with their own brothers and sisters. Check the sitters references before hiring. Ask past employers if the person is dependable what age children were cared for and how children got along with the baby sitter.

If you have an infant confirm that the candidate knows the proper procedures for feeding or burping bathing sleeping and playing. Because there are different qualifications needed to care for a 6 month old versus a 6 year old make sure to address age specific issues.