Babysitting children: From what age, the law determines
Created: 06/24/2022, 16:00
By: Natalie Hull Drawbar
When mum and dad want to go out again, not only the grandparents but also babysitters can help out.
when is it allowed
Munich – When parents are looking for a babysitter for their child, what is most important to them is the trust, sympathy and reliability of the person who will take care of the offspring.
The younger the child, the more the baby's parents need the sense of trust.
After all, they give their little darling into the care of someone else for a certain period of time.
Ultimately, the babysitter must also meet legal requirements in addition to human qualities.
Babysitting children: Can infants also be looked after by someone else?
Parents decide if and from what age they leave their children at home alone with another caregiver such as a babysitter.
(Iconic image) © Kzenon/Imago
Above all, many parents ask themselves the question from what age they can have their child looked after by a babysitter.
"Since every child is different and reacts differently, there are no general recommendations," says pediatrician Dr.
Rüdiger Posth.
It is initially the decision of the respective parents whether and from what age they leave their child at home alone, for example with another supervisor.
Some parents then prefer to leave the child alone when they are sleeping peacefully in bed and rely on the baby monitor or baby app with camera.
Babies in particular require special protection, since incorrect handling – unintentionally and due to a lack of experience – can, in the worst case, lead to irreversible damage, such as traumatic brain injury from impacts or falls.
If necessary, newborns should only be supervised by an experienced caregiver and only for a limited time.
External care that is too early can also harm the little ones, according to psychologist Stefanie Stahl.
And finally, it can also be a challenge for the babysitter if he has had too little experience with babies.
Then the person can quickly become overwhelmed or unsure as soon as the baby cries a lot.
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Babysitting children: From what age, the law determines
According to Paragraph 5 Paragraph 3 of the Youth Employment Protection Act (JarbSchG), a babysitter must be at least 13 years old.
Only then and with the consent of the parents may a girl or boy work in childcare - and only between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. and for a maximum of two hours a day.
Young people between the ages of 15 and 18 are even allowed to look after babies and children longer – until 8:00 p.m.
Babysitting and childcare before or during school lessons is prohibited under the Youth Protection Act.
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This article only contains general information on the respective health topic and is therefore not intended for self-diagnosis, treatment or medication. In no way does it replace a visit to the doctor. Unfortunately, our editors are not allowed to answer individual questions about clinical pictures.
