What qualifications should a babysitter have in Sweden?

Unlike preschool teachers, there are no formal legal requirements for a private babysitter in Sweden. That means responsibility for vetting competence and suitability falls entirely on you as the parent, or on the platform you book through. Knowing what to ask for is half the work.

Police criminal record extract

This is the absolute minimum. The extract (utdrag ur belastningsregistret) is free for the individual to order from the Swedish Police and arrives in a sealed envelope. At HemmaPro this is required before any sitter profile is activated.

Child CPR training (Barn-HLR)

Basic paediatric CPR training is strongly recommended. The Swedish Civil Defence, the Red Cross and several private providers offer courses for 500–1,200 SEK. Always ask whether the sitter has completed it within the last two years, skills lapse without practice.

References and experience

Ask for contact details for at least two previous families, and actually call them. The most revealing questions: 'Would you book again?' and 'What was the biggest challenge?' The tone of the answer usually tells you more than the words themselves.

Bonus qualifications

Formal preschool teacher (förskollärare) or childcare assistant (barnskötare) training, comfort swimming with children, a driver's licence for pickups, hands-on allergy experience, and additional language skills for multilingual households.