Caregiver / Sitter Interview Checklist

General Questions

• What is it that you enjoy most about babysitting?
• What do you look for in any particular family that might hire you?
• What is your hourly rate?
• Have you ever been convicted of a felony or arrested?
• Is it acceptable  for you if a job runs later than planned?
• Have you got your own transportation?
• How quickly will you let us know if you can’t do a specific assignment?

Background and Previous Experience

• For how many years have you been working with children (seniors / pets, if appropriate)?
• What child care roles have you done in the past: nanny, sitter, coach, tutor, etc.?
• For how many families have you cared for in the recent past and how old were the kids?
• Do you have experience in bathing children?

Caregiver’s Circumstances

• Do you live nearby to New York City? How could you get to your job at our home? Car, underground, etc.?
• What is your course of study in college (alternatively, what is your current full time job)?
• Have you got any allergies to dogs, cats, or other pets? Are you uncomfortable around any particular pets?
• Do you have any particular religious affiliation that might affect the way you care for our children?
• Are you planning on taking any time off within the next 6 months? (Question for nannies)

Training and Safety

• Do you know First Aid?
• Do you know CPR (i.e. cardiopulmonary resuscitation)?
• Are you familiar with the Heimlich maneuver (i.e. emergency technique for preventing suffocation)?
• Can you swim?
• Are you familiar with emergency numbers (e.g. 911)?
• Can you drive to an hospital in an emergency?

Behavioral Questions

• Have you ever faced any particular crisis on one of your previous caregiver jobs? Tell me how you handle it, at the time.
• How would you keep my children busy on a day like today’s?
• How do you normally handle a situation when a child refuses to go to bed and sleep?
• How do you normally handle temper tantrums? If a child starts whining, crying, screaming, kicking, hitting, breath holding, what do you normally do for each situation?
• What is your best achievement in caregiving and why?
• What was your worst experience in senior care / child care, and how did you sort it out?
• Do you normally rely on spanking in order to ensure discipline amongst children? And are you willing to change your current methods if we ask you to?

Tasks and Responsibilities

• How do you feel about play dates for my children? Can you assist in getting them planned?
• Can you care for more kids if we organize a play date in the house?
• Have you got skills for assisting my children with homework, possibly even making dinner or doing light housework?
• Would you consider helping with overnight care, if needed?
• Can you travel with my family if we need you to?

If Newborns are Involved

• Are you comfortable caring for newborn babies?
• Can you change a diaper?
• Do you know how to handle CPR (i.e. cardiopulmonary resuscitation) for a newborn?
• Can you properly carry and pick up a newborn?
• Do you know about SIDS (i.e. sudden infant death syndrome) and how to prevent it?
• Can you prepare and heat infant formula adequately?
• Are you familiar with Shaken Baby Syndrome?
• Do you know the proper size for baby chewables and how to prevent choking?

If the Caregiver will be Driving a Car

• Are you comfortable driving children in a car?
• May I see your driver’s license?
• For how many years have you been driving?
• Have you got any marks against your driving record (speeding or accidents)? DWI (Driving While Intoxicated)? DUI (Driving Under the Influence)?

If the caregiver / sitter you are interviewing has not run a background check yet, you can run them through NY Caregivers’ partner, Investigations 123 People Search. It’s only $1.00 for a 5-day risk-free trial and will provide you with unlimited membership for conducting all sorts of instant background checks before you hire a sitter / caregiver for your home. A Background Check Sample Report is provided below.

Please check here, for a specific methodology and questions to ask before you hire a tutor / private teacher in New York / New Jersey.

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