What a Certified Babysitter Actually Is
Every sitter says they are good with children. Very few can show you paperwork. This page explains what the credentials mean, how to verify them, and what to ask - written so it is useful whether or not you ever book with us.
The three certifications, and why each one matters
- CPR including infant and child technique. This is the one that is most often missing and matters most. Adult CPR technique is different from infant technique and is not adequate on a choking infant - the compression depth, the hand position and the rescue breath volume are all different. A certificate that says only "CPR" is worth asking about.
- Standard First Aid. A full recognised course covering bleeding, burns, allergic reaction, head injury, and the judgement of when to call 911. Not a thirty-minute online module with a printable certificate at the end. The issuing body should be one you recognise.
- Food Safe. This sounds like restaurant paperwork until you consider that a sitter warms bottles, reheats leftovers and prepares food for a child with a nut allergy. Formal food-handling training covers cross-contamination, holding temperatures and reheating properly.
The check most people ask for is the wrong one
A Criminal Record Check and a Criminal Record Check with Vulnerable Sector screening are different documents and the difference is not a formality.
The Vulnerable Sector Check is enhanced screening designed for people who will work unsupervised with children or dependent adults. It surfaces records a standard check does not, including pardoned sexual offences. It has to be requested by that name.
If you ask a candidate for "a police check" and they hand you a basic one, you have received the weaker document - and in most cases they will not realise there was a stronger one. Ask by name: Criminal Record Check with Vulnerable Sector screening.
How to verify any of it
This applies to any sitter from any source.
- Ask to see the certificate and photograph it. A genuine one shows the issuing organisation, the holder's full name, the issue date and an expiry. CPR and First Aid typically run three years. If someone will not let you photograph it, you have your answer.
- Check the date. "I took my First Aid in university" is not a current certification, however capable the person is.
- Check the name matches the person standing in front of you.
- For the record check, look for the words "Vulnerable Sector" on the document itself.
The question almost nobody can answer
Beyond paperwork, ask this: "If you are sick on Friday, what happens?"
A private sitter, however good, has no answer. You are left at 4pm on the day with a booking you have already planned around. Booked through an agency, a named backup who has already met your family and read your care plan takes the shift.
The other one worth asking: "Are you insured, and if something happens in my home, whose insurance responds?" When you pay an individual directly to work in your home in Canada, you may become their employer in the eyes of the law - with the liability that follows.
What our caregivers hold
Every caregiver on our team holds all three certifications, current, and completes a Criminal Record Check with Vulnerable Sector screening before their first booking. They are covered by our commercial liability insurance.
We bring the certificates to the free meet-and-greet without being asked, because a family that has to chase the paperwork has already learned something about how a business operates.
What certification does not tell you
Worth saying plainly: paperwork is a floor, not a guarantee. A certified sitter who does not connect with your child is the wrong sitter. That is exactly why the meet-and-greet exists and why the children are part of it - twenty minutes in your own home, free, with no obligation to book anything afterwards.
Book a certified sitter
Call or text 306-700-6576. From $28 per hour, two-hour minimum, and the meet-and-greet first.
See our full babysitting service, the rates page, or regular nanny care.
Common questions
What certifications should a babysitter have?
Three, held currently rather than once: CPR including infant and child technique, Standard First Aid as a full recognised course, and Food Safe if they prepare food. On top of those, a Criminal Record Check with Vulnerable Sector screening - which is a different and stronger document than a basic record check.
What is a Vulnerable Sector Check and why does it matter?
It is enhanced screening designed specifically for people working unsupervised with children or dependent adults. It surfaces records that a standard criminal record check does not, including pardoned sexual offences. If you ask a sitter for only a basic check, you have asked for the weaker document.
How do I verify a babysitter's certificate is real and current?
Ask to photograph it. A genuine certificate shows the issuing organisation, the holder's name, the issue date and an expiry - CPR and First Aid typically run three years. If someone will not let you photograph it, that is your answer.
Are your babysitters insured?
Yes, through commercial liability insurance held by the business. This is one of the biggest practical differences between booking through an agency and hiring privately: pay an individual directly to work in your home and you may become their employer, with the liability that follows.