The J’s Safe Sitter program was recently recognized as a 2023 Gold Level Safe Sitter Provider, which is designated for programs who teach more than 125 students annually.
In 2023, The J taught 280 students through Safe Sitter and an additional 130 through “Safe@Home by Safe Sitter” — almost triple the number of students who participated in 2022.
Safe Sitter began in 1980 as a way to prepare young teens to care for younger children by providing life skills, safety skills and child care training in order to build safer communities. The program provides medically accurate and developmentally appropriate curriculum for all participants.
The J was also recognized as the largest Safe Sitter provider in Kansas for 2023. The number of students was a record high for The J’s program.
“We love working with Safe Sitter to provide exceptional educational caretaking opportunities for young teens in our area,” said Anna Ferguson, Clubhouse Manager and Safe Sitter program manager at The J. “We know by offering this program, we are making a difference in the lives of countless families in our community.”
Safe Sitter courses are designed for young teens aged 11-14, while “Safe@Home by Safe Sitter” courses are for ages 8-11. “Safe@Home by Safe Sitter” is designed to prepare students to be safe and care for themselves when parents are away for short periods of time.
In 2023, under Ferguson’s leadership, The J began offering one or two private classes per month to youth sports teams, scout troops and groups of friends, which helped spur the record growth of the program. Additionally, Ferguson noticed that she’s begun to engage with students who’ve had friends or family members take the class previously.
“Word of mouth has been a powerful driver for the success of our program, and it also tells us that participants and their families are seeing tremendous value in the Safe Sitter courses we offer,” Ferguson said.
More information regarding the Safe Sitter programs is available at thejkc.org/safesitter or by contacting Ferguson at or (913) 327-4642.
