The number one thing on everyone’s mind in a child care scenario is the safety of everyone involved. And it’s a good thing too. Here are some trust and safety tips to keep in mind when you’re leading an Adventure.
Keeping Yourself Safe
You’re your own best advocate for your safety. Here are some things to keep in mind:
Communication
We encourage all of our members to keep communications on the platform even after a relationship has developed. Just like with your profile description and job applications, it’s not allowed to share personal contact information like a phone number or email address where anyone can see them.
Parent Screening Process
Do what makes you feel comfortable, but make sure you do have a process for screening parents who reach out. We highly recommend our members meet via phone/video chat or in a public place for that first in-person introduction.
Payment Method
Have a couple of methods of payment options for the parent to choose from so that you both feel comfortable. To avoid any potential monetary disputes, discuss very clearly ahead of time the amount you’ll be paid and when you expect it to be paid.
Child Safety
Keeping kids safe is already part of any child care job, but here are some things to keep in mind specific to leading Adventures:
Verify Ages & Number of Children
Make sure you and the parent are clear about how old each of the kids is going on your Adventure. This is critical to making sure what you’re planning is appropriate.
Verify Special Needs and Allergies
When talking through the different activities that make up your Adventure with the parent, check in with them if their child(ren) has any special needs or have any allergies—whether it’s food or something that touches their skin or can be breathed in.
Adult Supervision Reminder
Accidents can happen. Anticipate how they could arise during your Adventure and be sure to be explicit with the parent about how you’ll be protecting the child and practicing safety in those instances.
Building Trust With Parents
Building trust with parents is also an important part of leading a safe Adventure—as it is in any child care setting. Here are some things to keep in mind:
Have An Up-To-Date Profile
When viewing your Adventure, parents will likely tap to view your babysitter profile to learn more about you. Make sure that your photo, bio, experience, and references are current so they feel confident in reaching out to you.
Run A Recent Background Check
Seeing the badge you’ve earned on your profile has a powerful impact on the first impression parents have. It gives them extra peace of mind to move forward in meeting someone new.
Emergency Contact Information
Being able to get in touch with the parents, neighbors, and doctors is important in leading Adventures, just as they are in any child care scenario.
As always, you can visit our Trust & Safety Center for more information on how to safely find child care jobs online. Please report any suspicious activity or accounts you encounter as soon as possible so that our team can address them to help keep our community strong and safe.
