Have the Parents You Work for Signed an Authorization to Treat a Minor Consent Form in Case of an Emergency?

Being Prepared for an Emergency

Make sure the parents you work for have signed an Authorization to Treat a Minor Consent Form which provides you written permission allowing the you to seek treatment, to authorize treatment, and to discuss treatment with health care providers. You will need a signature from a notary public to make the document legal.

You should also always carry insurance information and other payment options to allow the child to get proper care without delay. The nanny should also insist on an emergency phone number or signal so the parent can be quickly notified in event of an emergency.

In case of an emergency, your identification and contact numbers are stolen or unavailable, or your charges are hurt or missing, develop a system to retrieve vital information.

A quick option is to send yourself an email with the data police or medical personnel might need. Include images, even video, of your charges. Be certain you know how to access your email remotely.

When working with children, carry a cell phone with you at all times. When going out in public to the playground, the pool, an amusement park, or zoo take a photo of each child with your mobile phone in case you get separated. That way if the child gets lost, you can remember what the child was wearing and show security the photo of the child.