Transcript
[Music] Well, we knew that across Oregon there was a lack of childcare for a very long time, and when the pandemic hit, that need just grew. Families were without childcare, schools were closed, kids went home to do distance learning, and daycares were either limited on the capacity that they could have or they closed their doors altogether. We also were seeing that teens were taking on that responsibility. They were watching younger siblings, family members, and even their neighbors. But also, the issue was that teens were struggling. They were isolated socially. So we were feeling this need for responsible caregivers, but also teens needed social support for their own mental health.
4-H and Extension are here to respond when a need arises, and we already had a babysitting curriculum in place, and it was being taught in multiple counties throughout the state. All we had to do was change our platform in order to meet the needs of the community. The number of youth who took this training more than quadrupled because we were able to do it virtually, and because of that, hundreds of families across Oregon have been safer.
The babysitter curriculum covers pillars of character and child development, including age-appropriate activities, germs and sanitation, safety, injury management, food and nutrition, and babysitting as a business. The resources are chock full of videos, online links, and handouts for the kids to use at later dates.
"I learned about babysitting and responsibility, and I used it when I helped with my baby cousin. The class helped me feel more confident about handling babies and toddlers because I learned about things like first aid and feeding. This class helped me feel more confident in an area of how to keep kids entertained because I didn't know that little kids like different things. I'd recommend this class to any teenager or older kid who wants to babysit because it can make babysitting a whole lot easier and you can enjoy the experience while keeping the babies safe." Thank you. [Music]
Oregon lacks childcare options. Access to childcare was reduced during the pandemic. Kids were doing distance learning and many daycares closed their doors or ran on reduced capacity. Families were without childcare and schools were closed. Teens began taking on care of their siblings and neighbor kids. Teens were also isolated socially. OSU Extension Service had a babysitting curriculum in place before the pandemic. A shift to an online platform allowed more kids to participate around the state to better meet family needs for childcare.
