General Questions
How much do your courses cost?
The cost for either the Home Alone & Stranger Safety program OR the Babysitters Training Course is $75.00 plus HST.
Do you provide financial assistance?
Please contact our offices regarding our assistance program. We work with many community partners and youth service providers to ensure that everyone is able to participate in our courses, regardless of their personal circumstance.
I have not received a confirmation email yet, should I register again?
You should receive confirmation instantneously upon regsitering online. If you do not see an email from us in your inbox, plese check your Spam or Junk folders. You may have a security feature which is preventing our confirmation email from reaching your inbox. If you have not received a confirmation after 1 hour, please email us at info@varisafe.ca so that we may send you confirmation directly and check that your registration was received. Please include your child's name along with the date, city and course type (Home Alone or Babysitters Course).
What safe guards do you have in place for the day of the course?
This is a question that we love answering because we care as much as you do about the safety of your child! The following precautions have been in place from day one and will continue to be in place at all courses:
Full sign in and sign out procedures: We have a secure procedure to ensure the safety of your child.
Contact information: We obtain all pertinent health, allergy or other information for each child upon registration and ensure that our professional instructors are aware of any special requirements and/or health concerns your child may have.
Student to teacher ratio's: We maintain a respectable student to teacher ratio of 20:1. At Vari Safe we are committed to providing a safe, interactive and excellent learning opportunity! Lower student to instructor ratio's will ensure that our participants have the opportunity to seek clarification, and gain assistance from our team with individual attention. Our goal is to ensure that every participant is engaged, supported and confident upon course completion.
SAFE classrooms: we utilize community centres, local schools, clubs and other clean, reputable classroom space. At times, we do offer our courses in conference centres with the added safety of security staff and we always work with on site management to ensure a safe environment.
Students remain in our classroom for the duration of the course with the exception of structured washroom breaks with added safety of a buddy system and hallway monitoring as needed.
Open door policy: We have an open door policy where parents are welcome to observe (from outside the classroom) our activities at all times during the course. We also encourage you to meet our instructors upon arrival and to get your child seated and comfortable before we begin our class.
Which course should we choose?
We are pleased to offer these two complimentary courses to best meet the needs of our students. Here are some of the differences to help you decide which course is best for you!
Home Alone & Stranger Safety (step 1)
This unique course is structured in content and delivery for the younger crowd (8-12 years of age). We focus on building independence and awareness in keeping yourself safe.
Topics covered include: getting home safely, communicating with parents, stranger safety, door and phone safety, staying productive and establishing your home alone rules, kitchen hazards for beginners, fire safety, how to call EMS/911 and basic self first aid. Upon completion of this course, we ask that you review the practical section of the manual with your children. At Vari SAFE, we want YOU to be as comfortable as your child - ultimately getting everyone ready for their role in this exciting challenge and responsibility.
Babysitters Training Course (step 2)
This course has been updated to support the mature crowd (10-14 years of age) and builds on the key points of our Home Alone & Stranger Safety course. The learning objectives of this course all speak to keeping others safe while in your care and control. There is an emphasis on self discovery and group learning, and the content includes; job readiness and getting your first job, differences between age groups and specific care for each, safe food preparation, how to handle temper tantrums and other challenges, safe and fun ideas for keeping busy, fire safety, next level first aid and rescue breathing. Whether it's to build on your Home Alone skill set, help with a sibling, prepare for a sitting opportunity or increase your babysitting knowledge base- this is the course for you!
Both courses are instructor led, supported with a detailed handbook and include much discussion, examples, activities and role plays for our students to get comfortable learning and experiencing the material. This is a valuable learning experience, not just a boring day in a classroom! Check out our FEEDBACK section for what our participants have said about their experience!
Who are your instructors and are they qualified?
Our instructors have been selected and screened to ensure a SAFE and valuable learning experience for our participants. All instructors possess a current and clean Criminal Records Check (and Vulnerable Sector Screening) in addition to CPR and First Aid certification. Our team draws from many relevant experiences or educational backgrounds including Health Care, Teaching, Early Childhood Education, Pedagogy, Policing, Social Services, Training and Parenthood!
We are very proud of our instructors, maintain this established team of professionals and work together frequently to meet our students needs in order to provide the best learning experiences possible.
How many instructors will there be?
We maintain a respectable student to teacher ratio of 20:1. At Vari Safe we are committed to providing a safe, interactive and excellent learning opportunity! Lower student to instructor ratio's will ensure that our participants have the opportunity to seek clarification, and gain assistance from our team with individual attention. Our goal is to ensure that every participant is engaged, supported and confident upon course completion.
How can I get a replacement Wallet Card?
Simply email us at info@varisafe.ca and provide the following information:
- Month, year and city of course completion
- First and last name of participant
- Complete mailing address
You can expect a replacement card to arrive via Canada Post within 4 weeks.
Do boys register for your course?
Yes! Many of our students are male. A typical course will include anywhere from 1/3-1/2 male participants.
Parent Resources
Here are some excellent website links that may assist you with answering more of your Home Alone and Babysitter questions: