Short-Term Babysitting of Child in Foster Care; Reasonable and Prudent Parent Standard

1. Law
2. Georgia Code
3. Social Services
4. Programs and Protection for Children and Youth
5. Children and Youth Services
6. Short-Term Babysitting of Child in Foster Care; Reasonable and Prudent Parent Standard

1. As used in this Code section, the term:
   1. "Caregiver" means a foster parent with whom a child in foster care has been placed.
   2. "Occasional" means once per week or less on varying days and not exceeding twice per month.
   3. "Short-term" means no more than 72 consecutive hours.
2. A caregiver may arrange for occasional short-term babysitting of a child in foster care placed with such caregiver and allow individuals age 18 or older to supervise such child for purposes including medical or other health care appointments for the caregiver, grocery or other shopping, personal grooming appointments, special occasions for the caregiver or caregivers, foster parent training classes, school related meetings, business meetings, adult social gatherings, or an occasional evening event out for the caregiver or caregivers.
3. A caregiver shall use a reasonable and prudent parent standard in selecting and arranging for appropriate babysitters for occasional short-term babysitting pursuant to this Code section.
4. A caregiver shall make all reasonable efforts to provide the babysitter with the following information before leaving the child with the babysitter for short-term babysitting:
   1. Information about the child's emotional, behavioral, medical, and physical condition, if any, necessary to provide care for such child during the short-term babysitting period;
   2. Any medication that should be administered to such child in foster care during the short-term babysitting period; and
   3. Emergency contact information that is valid for the duration of the short-term babysitting period.

(Code 1981, §49-5-8.1, enacted by Ga. L. 2020, p. 191, § 5/HB 912.)

Download our app to see the most-to-date content.