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Who's minding your children?

You are a working or single parent, you leave home before your child goes to school and you're unable to be there when they come home. You are busy parents who need some 'time out'. School holidays are approaching and the holiday care is limited. Sound familiar?

How do you go about choosing the right child carer who treats your child with respect and dignity? Will the carer you select have your child's best interests at heart? Is it really all too much of a gamble?

It doesn't have to be. One option is to use a reputable agency to do the hard work for you or you can find your own carer by following these tried and tested tips:

1: Be careful where you advertise - it's better not to put your contact details on local bulletin boards.

2: Do not give out too much information over the phone when people answer your advertisements (eg. Don't divulge the children's name/s or where they go to school). Try to meet on neutral ground first or have another adult with you - after all you are inviting a 'stranger' into your home.

3: When you interview a prospective carer, be prepared with your questions; have them written down, since it's easy to forget what you wanted to ask.

Suggested questions:

• What kind of childcare experience have you had? Ask them to explain the best and worst experiences.
• How do they handle issues of discipline? Be specific. Ask what they would do if your baby cried for an hour or more. What if your toddler was defiant?
• Would they watch TV while your child was playing or napping? Would they offer television as a regular activity?
• How do they feel about the rules you've set for the children? If their philosophy differs from yours, can they comfortably follow your standards?
• Do they enjoy taking the kids outdoors to play? How much do they like to mingle with other carers, parents, and kids?
• Find out what they would do in an emergency such as your child suddenly becoming ill or a fire in the building.
• Do they have a valid drivers licence? A car? Child restraints? Insurance?

4: Check References (but be aware that these too may be unreliable)

Request proof of identity, current address, the names and phone numbers of the referrers, references and their relationship to the applicant. If references are from a previous employer, ask why the applicant is no longer working for that family. Would the former employer engage the carer again? Don't rely on general comments like, "Oh, she was fine..." Ask specific questions. Did she arrive on time consistently? Has she ever failed to turn up? Why? Were you given ample notice? Did the carer handle stressful situations competently? Discipline issues? Crying? How did the children relate to the applicant? Did they look forward to her arrival?

5: Check credentials:

Has the carer done any first aid or CPR classes? Carers should have first aid training.

6: Take a test run:

There are a number of things you can do without jeopardising your child's safety that will give you peace of mind:

• Ask the carer to come over to your home and watch the children while you are there (but do be prepared to pay her for the hours she is there).
• When you leave your child in their care, come home earlier than planned on at least one occasion, to see how your child is being treated.
• After leaving the house, wait fifteen minutes, then return to see how the carer is coping with your child.
• Observe the children's attitude/behaviour and listen to them when you pick them up or return home.

Once you have narrowed down the list of applicants, make sure your child is on hand to meet them. See how your child and the carer interact. If you have an infant, does the carer want to hold the baby? If you have an older child, can she engage and hold his attention?

Above all, go with your instincts. The most experienced carer with 'glowing' references can turn out to be a dud, while the younger girl who gets down on the floor with your two year old and makes mud pies can turn out to be a real gem. Just remember if you were hiring someone to work in your company you would undertake a rigorous interview and screening process. Why would you do any less when it comes to your own children??

Dena Blackman founded DIAL-AN-ANGEL over 40 years ago and today it is the only national agency specialising in the provision of home and family care. The company provides childcare, nannies, occasional babysitting, before and after-school care, emergency "fill-in" child carers, as well as housekeeping services, Eldercare-at-home®, in-home nursing, handyman services, in-home entertaining and corporate functions.

For further information contact Danielle Robertson, CEO, DIAL-AN-ANGEL Pty Limited on 02 9362 4225 or email on administration@dialanangel.com