The American Red Cross is now offering Advanced Child Care Training, a course for people 16 years and older who are or plan to become nannies, sought-after babysitters or who are caring for kids for the first time in a residential setting.

Parents value a well-trained sitter, as more than 80 percent of parents say they would pay more for a sitter who is trained in CPR, first aid and child care skills, according to a 2012 Red Cross survey. The course also is a good option for grandparents and other relatives who might want a child care refresher before watching young children.

This Red Cross course enables people to learn while having fun by blending tried-and-true information with digital learning techniques. Participants will learn the most common child care routines and behavior along with safety inside and outside of the house. The course also includes Pediatric First Aid, CPR and AED training and certification.

Other features of the training include:

• 24/7 access to the self-paced, online training portion

• Hands-on skills training and assessment

• A resource center with downloadable skill sheets on child care subjects, lesson summaries, fact sheets, templates for résumés and business cards, administrative forms and age‐appropriate activity ideas.

People who would like to sign up for the program should visit redcross.org/childcare for more information. The course is eight and a half hours and costs $129. It combines two hours of self-paced online learning and six and a half hours of in-person training and skills testing. Upon completion, course takers will receive a two-year certification in both Advanced Child Care Training and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED. Advanced Child Care Training is not a licensing program and does not meet all state requirements for child care centers or day care providers.

The Red Cross also offers babysitting classes through tradition classroom and online classes.