MAKE YOUR FREE Babysitting Instructions

This Babysitting Instructions template covers:

• the details of the parent(s)/legal guardian(s)

• the child’s or children’s details(s)

• the child’s or children’s medical information

• the child’s or children’s routines, rules and habits

• rules the babysitter must follow

• information about where the parent(s)/legal guardian(s) will be and when they can be expected home

• emergency contact details (including emergency services numbers)

While Babysitting Instructions aren’t essential, they are a great way of ensuring the well-being and safety of your children while in a babysitter's care. 

The main concern when leaving children with a babysitter is their safety. Babysitting Instructions help to create a safe environment by making the babysitter aware of any potential hazards and providing relevant information and guidelines for the babysitter to follow. Knowing any relevant emergency procedures allows the babysitter to respond appropriately in the case of accidents or unexpected situations, providing peace of mind to parents. Health considerations are also vital in Babysitting Instructions. If a child has any medical conditions, allergies or requires specific medications, the babysitter needs to be well informed so that they can handle any health-related issues that may arise. 

These Instructions also include the children's regular schedule, feeding times, nap times and bedtime, along with any specific rules and routines. Such structures are essential for maintaining a sense of familiarity and comfort for children. Following these routines can make the babysitting experience smoother and more enjoyable for your children. 

Clear communication between parents and babysitters is essential and Babysitting Instructions facilitate this. They include contact information for parents, allowing the babysitter to easily get in touch in case of any questions or emergencies arising. Additionally, knowing the contact information of a nearby family member, friend, neighbour and/or GP can be helpful. These Babysitting Instructions also set out what the babysitter may or may not do while looking after the children.

A babysitter is generally considered to be someone who temporarily looks after a child (ie anyone under the age of 18) or multiple children in exchange for payment while their parents are away or occupied with other responsibilities. The role of a babysitter is to ensure the wellbeing, safety and entertainment of the children they are babysitting. Typically, babysitters will be teenagers or young adults but they may also be older individuals.

For the purposes of these Babysitting Instructions, a babysitter may also be a family friend, relative or other adult who is looking after a child without being paid.

A babysitter is responsible for caring for children while their parents are unable to do so. This should be done in accordance with Babysitting Instructions. While babysitters’ responsibilities vary, especially depending on the age of the children they are looking after, they tend to include: 

• supervising the children, ensuring their safety and preventing accidents 

• providing meals and snacks for the children (you may ask the babysitter to prepare meals and snacks or prepare some yourself in advance for the babysitter to give to your children). The babysitter should always follow any dietary instructions that you provide 

• assisting with naptime and bedtime routines 

• engaging in play and activities (eg age-appropriate games, crafts, and other activities to keep the children entertained). This tends to be more relevant for younger children 

• administering basic first aid if required (eg handling any minor injuries that may occur, such as scraped knees)

Generally speaking, children should not be left unsupervised if this places them at risk. As a result, parents may need to ask someone (like a babysitter) to look after their children when they cannot (eg because of another commitment). 

Hiring a babysitter (or simply asking a friend or relative) to look after your children is a personal decision for you to make, based on your and your children’s specific circumstances. For example, you may wish to ask a babysitter to look after your children: 

• on a one-off basis because you have a date, are celebrating an anniversary or birthday or are attending a social event (like a wedding), and your children will not be attending

• because you have a work commitment or appointment that clashes with your children's schedules and/or requires you to be away from home at odd hours 

• on a regular basis, if you have a standing social event or gathering (eg a weekly book club) where your children may not be entertained or it may be inappropriate for them to attend

• in emergencies (eg if a family member falls ill and you need someone to look after your children while you are looking after the family member) 

• during the school holidays and half-term breaks

As every family situation is unique, the decision to hire a babysitter (or ask a family friend or relative to look after your children) depends on your personal preferences, needs and comfort level. However, when asking someone else to look after your children, it is important that you choose someone you trust who is capable of providing appropriate care for your children.

For more information, read Parent's rights and responsibilities and Children's rights and responsibilities.

These Babysitting Instructions are not legally binding. They are a simple document providing crucial information to a babysitter when they are looking after children. Babysitting Instructions allow parents to provide information, instructions and guidelines to ensure their children's safety, well-being and comfort while being looked after by a babysitter. 

While Babysitting Instructions are not legally binding, they play a significant role in establishing expectations and responsibilities. They help the babysitter understand the children's routines, dietary restrictions (if any), medical needs (if any) and other important information that can contribute to a safe and positive babysitting experience.

You aren’t required to have a written babysitting contract in place if you hire a babysitter. However, having a written contract in place can provide certainty for both parties and ensure that everyone is aware of their rights and obligations. If you require a babysitting contract, you can Ask a lawyer or consider using our Bespoke legal drafting service.

While these Babysitting Instructions aren’t a formal contract, they set out some of the babysitter’s responsibilities. They may also serve as evidence of the mutual understanding and agreement between the parties. This means that, if a babysitting situation were to lead to a legal dispute, the existence of Babysitting Instructions (in the absence of a contract) could be relevant as evidence to demonstrate the intended arrangement between the parties.

Babysitting Instructions provide babysitters with crucial information about the children they will be looking after. While Babysitting Instructions may seem less necessary when a family member or friend is looking after children, they are nevertheless important and provide crucial information to the babysitter to help them to look after the children. This is especially important in emergencies.

These Babysitting Instructions provide contact details for the police, fire department and ambulance and the NHS non-emergency line. Where relevant, they also provide the children’s home address so that the babysitter can provide the correct address to any emergency services. The Instructions also provide the contact details of the parents, so that the babysitter knows how and where to contact them.

Where relevant, these Babysitting Instructions also provide:

• the location of any first aid kits 

• the location of any fire extinguishers or fire blankets

• contact details for any other emergency contacts (eg family members, friends or neighbours). While these don’t have to be included in the Babysitting Instructions, it is a good idea to do so as they provide the babysitter with options of other people to contact if they cannot reach the parents 

• contact details for the child’s GP

Your Babysitting Instructions must provide accurate information so that the babysitter knows how to quickly reach you and/or anyone else. By providing this information you also help the babysitter be prepared to take appropriate actions in case of an emergency.

Generally speaking, babysitters should follow the Babysitting Instructions provided. However, there may be unforeseen circumstances that require the babysitter to deviate from the Instructions. If this is the case, the babysitter should speak to the parents as soon as possible and let them know why and how they deviated from the Babysitting Instructions.