HI everyone,
I tried to set up something like this last year at our school, there were no takers. I desperatly want to help out with my kids, and really wanted to share child care with one other family, like Tuesday is my day to go help in class rooms and what ever other day is their day, I wanted to get a list of people together that were interested, then have everyone together to meet (coffee social type thing) then go from there and it would be up to the individuals and it would be in the caregivers home, not at school, because I think there are huge issues to sibs in the school, (there are in my town) not to mention our school is overloaded in students anyway, no room for child care room. so might want to think about that, as for evening meetings, I have problems there as well. My hubby is never home, so I can't count on him to watch the kids, I wanted to hire a teacher from a nearby preschool that was already fingerprinted etc. not to mention might know some of the kids because many of them have gone or do go there for care. we would pay a decent amt of money and let them watch the kids in the gym. for 1 hour it shouldn't be to stressfull. I used to do that for a boss of mine she was in the PTO and hired me, one of her preschool teachers, to watch the groups kids. I got paid $10.00 for an hour. heck that was almost double my pay at work and no taxes! we also discussed asking a teacher wse had heard offered to watch kids. but it never happened. but I wanted to share those thoughts with you all. I don't know about having them sign any wavers or such. I do agree with pto_prez, people are sue happy these days. very sad. Theyd go after the school first,, then PTO, then individual. gads, good luck all of you, I gave up on my quest. and now my 4 kids go with me and run amuck! oh well LOL
mesch

I think that the liability issue would be more if someone got hurt and there were medical bills associated with it. Some people are real sue happy these days.

On one hand I'm with plw but on the other my family is 600 miles away, I have a really hard time finding someone I can count on being in a new area too.
I do love the idea since I have a feeling it would encourage more moms to volunteer. Plus with three at home yet, this is an issue, "I can help but I will have the boys with me."
As far as liablity, don't most of us go through finger printing before we can even volunteer and couldn't a set of disapline rules be made up ahead of time and posted in the room? You follow or you can't be here?
This is a great idea though!

We provided childcare during a couple of our PTA meetings. We asked a boyscout troop to do it. We made a donation to the troop, and they received one of their badges (not sure which one). The liability issue is a big one. We had a PTA board member in there with them and had very small adult to child ratios. Didn't want to take any chances. We had success with it, but we only did it for an hour a couple of times. I don't think that I would want to do it on an ongoing basis.

I'm also interested in responses to this, or any PTO/PTA babysitting. We are now discussing providing babysitting for our monthly Board meetings (evenings) with the idea that members could bring children (toddlers and up) leave them in the gym with responsible teenage supervision. The gym is across the hall from where we meet and easily accessible. (Currently the kids, not toddlers, hang out and play basketball.)

The parent would still have primary responsibility for their child, but supervision would be provided. (i.e., if a diaper needed changing, child would be brought to parent.)

Of course, first question out of the box - can we even afford to do this, legally? What is our LIABILTY? What if someone goes for a jumpshot and sprains their ankle? Are we liable? Can we really just use responsible high schoolers or do we need bonded babysitters? What if we have the parent sign a waiver?

It's frustrating that letting our kids play UNSUPERVISED (i.e., individual parent decision, not PTO organized) might be safer LEGALLY than us providing babysitting.

We want to facilitate the parents' involvement and we want the kids to be safe. But these days mere common sense doesn't seem to be enough in making these decisions. It's so sad that those issues have to take center court just to provide supervision for 6-8 kids.

I don't mean to veer from the original post, but I think the several of the questions overlap. What would your advice be on TRUE babysitting? (i.e., can the sitters touch the child such that they could change a diaper, or is it a more limited version? What would the parent need to fillout/sign? What are the liability issues?)

[This message has been edited by JHB (edited 08-11-2001).]

I am interested also in responses to this. I never left my children anywhere with people that the family did not know. I cannot imagine having dropped them off anywhere like that for a few hours. Even if I did work it and get to know some of the moms.