Child Safety Courses

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Safe Sitter® began because of a tragedy. In 1980, Patricia A. Keener, M.D. was pregnant with her third child and worked as the Director of Nurseries at Community Hospital in Indianapolis, IN. One spring morning as Dr. Keener was talking with a nurse who was a new mother, she received an emergency page; the ambulance was bringing in a child that had choked while eating breakfast that morning. She immediately rushed to the emergency room to help this child, but it was too late. The child had died.

Dr. Keener soon realized that little girl was the daughter of the nurse she had just spoken to. The child had been with an adult babysitter that morning, and the babysitter didn’t know how to handle a choking incident. Dr. Keener recognized the vulnerability of young children when cared for by unprepared providers and was surprised to learn how many people who care for young children were not equipped to prevent injuries and handle emergencies.

That afternoon, the Safe Sitter® course was born. The first Safe Sitter® class was held for about a dozen sixth-grade students at Park Tudor School where her children attended. After the first class, the need for a babysitting safety class for young teens became clearly evident. Just a few months after the very first class, Dr. Keener offered the class at Community Hospital East where fifty children attended.

Safe Sitter® babysitting classes have been preparing young teens to care for younger children for over 40 years and follow guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Heart Association.

Here at Sauk Valley CPR, we are excited to be affiliated with Safe Sitter® and offering the following 2-day course on 7/10 - 7/11/26 from 8:30a - 12:30p.

Safe Sitter® Essentials with CPR is designed to prepare students in grades 6-8 to be safe when they’re home alone, watching younger siblings, or babysitting. The instructor-led class is filled with fun games and role-playing exercises. 

• Safety Skills: Students learn how to prevent unsafe situations and what to do when faced with dangers such as power failures or weather emergencies.

• Child Care Skills: Students learn tips to manage behavior that will help them stay in control of themselves and the children in their care. Students also learn the ages and stages of child development, as well as practice diapering.

• First Aid & Rescue Skills: Learning skills such as choking rescue and CPR is often students’ favorite part of the class. Students also learn a system to help them assess and respond to injuries and illnesses. 

• Life & Business Skills: The ability to screen jobs, discuss fees, and greet employers will set students up for success now and in the future. Students practice these skills through various role plays.

You will be emailed a confirmation of your enrollment as well as an invoice for payment which is due prior to the day of class. Seating is limited to six (6) so enrollment is granted on a first come, first serve basis.

If you need help determining if these classes are suitable for your child, we encourage you to review Is My Child Ready?