Canada's Babysitting Boom Sparks Red Cross Training Efforts
The Canadian Red Cross is running training courses for would-be babysitters in Toronto. The sessions are part of an effort to increase training for babysitters as the gig economy flourishes among teenagers.
A recent study by Vancouver-based polling firm Angus Reid Institute found that almost 50% of young people were engaged in some kind of informal employment, with babysitting being the job that had risen the most in popularity since 2014.
The training courses cover topics such as first aid, including choking, poisoning, burns, and broken bones. They also include a section on leadership, teaching would-be babysitters how to earn and command the respect of their infant.
According to instructor Sarah Falconer, the classes teach teenagers important skills such as being responsible, caring, and kind, and how to look out for other people. She notes that there is no legal minimum age in Canada for when children can start looking after other children.