Get the training you need to babysit for foster families.

Yes. If you would like to send your certification to additional agencies in the future, reach out to us and we can assist you in transferring your certification to additional agencies.

Yes. You can become certified as a babysitter for as many agencies as you would like, so long as you are connected to at least one foster family licensed through each agency. You will not need additional fingerprints for each agency, but each agency will need to run its own background check.

Once your application has been submitted to your indicated agency (or agencies)s, you should receive information from the agency regarding how to complete fingerprints. If you do not receive information from the agency within 2 weeks, please contact us. Fingerprints must be completed within 30 days of your background check. If fingerprints are not completed within this timeframe, your application will need to be resubmitted.

For safety, security, and efficiency reasons, we ask that each participant have a preexisting relationship with a foster family. We want to ensure that foster families are supported by babysitters they know and trust, and we want to ensure that those intending to babysit have already taken steps to connect with the family. If you would like to become a babysitter, but you are not yet connected to a family, we ask that you reach out to a church, neighborhood community, or one of the participating agencies. You can also reach out to us and we can do our best to connect you to a family in your area.

If you bring a foster child into your home to babysit, every resident 14 years or older may be background checked (this requirement differs between agencies). Any person 18 years or older who anticipates being left alone with the foster child must complete the babysitter certification process. In some cases, depending on the agency, the age requirement may be 21.

If you have a qualifying CPR/First Aid certification, you will not need to attend the CPR/First Aid portion of the training. You can simply upload a copy of your certification with your application. To qualify, your CPR certification must be less than 12 months old and include Infant, Child, and Adult CPR as well as First Aid training. It must be issued by a training program approved by local EMS authority (American Heart Association, American Red Cross, etc). It may not be completed by online instruction ONLY or by self-instruction

Our hope is that participants would pursue certification as a way to provide support to foster families, not as a source of income. There is no requirement for foster families to pay for babysitters. It is up to the foster family, babysitter, and agency to determine whether compensation is appropriate.

Yes. All are welcome. There is no requirement for participants to attend a church or to be of a particular religious preference.

We are constantly working with other agencies to grow our list of partners. If your preferred agency is not listed, but you would like to attend, please reach out to us at kathleen@riversideproject.org.

CPR training cost is $25 per person (paid directly to the CPR Instructor). We work hard to find donations and sponsors to cover the remaining costs for CPR/First Aid to ease the financial burden for potential babysitters. Fingerprinting is $38 for each person who gets fingerprinted and is paid directly to the fingerprinting provider.

We take great care to make sure information is kept safe and secure. You may also indicate during the process that you would like to send your information directly to the agency contact. All documentation must be sent to the agency in order to complete your application process.

Because each placing agency has different requirements for babysitters, we have included the basic requirements shared by all agencies. For many agencies, this class will cover everything necessary. However, for some agencies, there may be a few additional requirements that are not offered at the certification class. When you submit your application, you will be informed if there are additional steps needed.

Registrants will be sent a link to the online application that includes consent to a background check, Confidentiality Statement, Discipline Policy, Environmental Checklist, and consent for The Riverside Project to allow your indicated agencies to access your application for approval. You will also upload your DL, social security card, and auto insurance (if you anticipate transporting a child).

All training (excluding CPR) can now be accessed virtually. The trainings cover Medication, Transportation, Trauma-Informed Care, and an option for the CPR/First Aid certification.

Once all of your documentation (including fingerprints) has been completed and you have attended the class, your agency (or agencies) should let you know that you are ready to babysit! This may take a few weeks. If you have not heard from the agency, please let us know.