South Georgia Medical Center and the Valdosta-Lowndes County YMCA are teaming up to offer one-day Safe Sitter® courses for boys and girls in grades 6-8 on June 26, July 12 and 22 from 8:30am-3:30pm in the SGMC B-Level Classrooms.  The cost of the course is $45 per child and registration is limited.

Safe Sitter® is a national, non-profit organization that provides programs to teach youngsters life and safety skills for when they are home alone, watching younger siblings, or babysitting. The medically-accurate course utilizes hands-on training to teach choking rescue and CPR principles so that graduates are prepared to act during a crisis. Most young teens lack the knowledge of first aid, rescue skills, behavior management techniques, and life experiences necessary for handling medical, behavioral, or household emergencies which might occur.

Participants of this course learn safety and security precautions and other tips that help develop their confidence in caregiving. They also learn safe and effective ways to promote their babysitting business.

SGMC has partnered with the YMCA to offer Safe Sitter for the past six years.  “The Y is Quality Rated and has a great track record teaching children. When you couple that with the hospitals desire to provide health and wellness education, it creates a perfect partnership in which to offer Safe Sitter,” said Laura Love, SGMC’s Community Relations Director.