Help Finding the Right Babysitter Alvin Poussaint, M.D. and Susan Linn, Ed. Talk with them about their experiences with the sitter. Often several families share a particular babysitter. Reliable babysitters may have friends or siblings who babysit.
Colleges usually have student placement services that match students up with potential employers.
Colleges that specialize in early childhood education are a particularly good place to find students genuinely interested in children. As a special bonus they may have some background in child development. You could post a notice. The disadvantage is that you will have no control over the number and range of people applying for the job. Certainly if you advertise in a newspaper, or through a notice on a bulletin board, it is essential to meet a babysitter and carefully check all references before you hire her.