As Casa Grande personal injury attorneys, we want to remind parents that there are several steps you can take to ensure your children are safer when you leave them with a babysitter or a relative. It is important to take these precautions to make sure your child is protected from injury and abuse. Here are some things to consider.
Check the person’s background. Whether it is a relative or a person outside of the family that you are hiring to watch your children, consider running a background check. This will give you an idea of whether the person has ever committed any crimes, especially crimes against children. If they have, do not leave them with your child. Running background checks is common practice when hiring a stranger; not enough people do it when asking a relative to watch their children. Your relative may have a history you do not know about.
Ask for references. After you’ve decided upon someone to watch your children, ask for references. The person you choose to entrust with your children should have at least two or three references that will vouch for their ability to watch children in a professional, non abusive way. If the person doesn’t have references, find someone else.
Leave specific instructions. Have the person arrive at your home 30 minutes early so you have time to go over all the instructions involved in caring for your child properly. This includes any information about allergies, bed time routines, what they can watch on TV, and more. Consider writing everything down so they have something to refer to.
Consider asking a neighbor to check in. If you have a neighbor who is willing to check in, ask them to walk over to your house and say hi at some point in the evening. This will give you peace of mind that your child is being well cared for and that someone you trust will be able to check in.
Call home. Calling in a couple of times while you are out will give you a chance to talk to your child and assess how things are going. If you are concerned in any way, come home.
If your child is injured or abused by a caregiver, contact us at Breyer Law Offices, P.C. immediately. We work closely with parents whose children experience Casa Grande child injury to seek settlement against the at-fault party.