I definitely can see that hiring a "random babysitter" would be uncomfortable and a terrible thing to do for your child.

Here are some ways to find a trusted sitter: Ask for referrals from your local parent group Ask for referrals from professors at your local college/university Actors can be wonderful babysitters. They are somewhat overqualified and need Hire from your local afterschool program Hire one of your daycare teachers Search care.com and sittercity for works like Montessori and Waldorf. You can find trained sitters there. Consider a service like Safesitter that certifies babysitters

In order to establish trust with your child, pay them to have a playdate with you and your child present so you can get to know them.