Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

Original poster

Babysitter for 72 hours

32 replies

MumOfOneAllAlone · 09/04/2024 20:00

Hello everyone

I'm hopefully going in for some surgery soon - hopefully in the summer - and will need a babysitter for my autistic 5 year old daughter.

It's hard to get a quote without a set date, and I don't want to lead any babysitters on when I don't know for certain.

Could anyone who has any experience in this area suggest how much I'd be expected to pay?

My child would do 5 hours at school and typically sleeps through the night - the babysitter would need to do drop off and pick up

Tia xx

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Danikm151 · 18/04/2024 22:43

@MumOfOneAllAlone understandable.
a lot has changed over the years though. As this would be planned you’d be able to meet the respite carers - social services is there to support those who need assistance.

if you don’t have friends and family you could ask then it’s worth just enquiring if you can’t find a nanny to assist/can’t afford

MagicLemon · 18/04/2024 18:24

I think you need to speak to social services you don't seem to have the money to pay someone to have your child for that long so it's not realistic, is there no one you know personally that you could pay to have her? A friend?

PTSDBarbiegirl · 18/04/2024 18:06

I'd ask your healthcare worker or social worker about possible respite for 72hours. They can be very, very good and experienced in autism care.

Blondeshavemorefun · 18/04/2024 18:01

Yes childcare site will charge you but do it for a month so can send messages and then cancel

Think it's about £25per month

Original poster
MumOfOneAllAlone · 18/04/2024 17:17

Destiny123 · 13/04/2024 22:17

I regularly did this at medical school for single mum of 2yo and 13yo. Slept over (£50 flat rate) then think £7.50/h when looking after them, I dropped him to preschool on the way to uni the collected and made them food. Loved it as house was so posh was like being in a hotel

You seem like a nice person, I'm expecting I'd have to pay much more per hour and overnight xx

OP posts:
Original poster
MumOfOneAllAlone · 18/04/2024 17:11

Sorry for the late reply all

Ok I still havent had the courage to ask one of her teachers 🥺. I will do this on Monday!

My SD was a social worker, @Danikm151 , and would scare us all, including our poor mum, with horror stories (not a nice man) so I'm truly petrified of social services

I tried to put out a job on childcare.co.uk but they want me to pay a fee to get responses. Not gonna bother

@NewmummyJ , that's what I was expecting cost wise, I'm also in London

OP posts:
theeyeofdoe · 16/04/2024 19:54

happytobee · 13/04/2024 22:12

I am a live in carer and I get £35 from 10pm-8am providing the client doesn’t wake up. Kind of shocking but that’s the legal requirement for a sleeping shift.

Show quote history

Appallingly it changed after a couple of legal reviews. Working time over those hours though is at NMW.

Still you're never going to get a nanny to work for a £35 overnight fee, it was £50 10 years ago.

Danikm151 · 16/04/2024 14:22

You may not want this option but if you have no family help at all you can ask social services for temporary support. The hospital may be able to help you with this too. There are emergency foster carers for this type of scenario. If you were rushed into hospital etc they would arrange a placement for the few days.

NewmummyJ · 16/04/2024 14:14

We have a temp nanny live in coming in two weeks as I'm pregnant and have a 3 year old and no family, she charges £22 per hour (fairly standard London temp rate) and for being a proxy parent overnight (i.e. when I go into hospital with partner for birth) she charges £60 a night. It's not cheap but my son is a bit younger and we wanted someone we could trust/quality childcare. We also have to pay agency (they provided v high calibre experienced, trained and vetted individuals).

Blondeshavemorefun · 13/04/2024 22:48

@happytobee you don't even get nmw? That's awful

I don't know a single nanny who would do overnight for that amount

£35 for 10hrs 🙀🙀🥲🥲

Many do charge a sleepover fee so maybe

7-11 usual rate so £12/15

11/6/7 £50 sleepover fee

Then from 7 normal money so 12/15

Destiny123 · 13/04/2024 22:17

I regularly did this at medical school for single mum of 2yo and 13yo. Slept over (£50 flat rate) then think £7.50/h when looking after them, I dropped him to preschool on the way to uni the collected and made them food. Loved it as house was so posh was like being in a hotel

happytobee · 13/04/2024 22:12

Blondeshavemorefun · 12/04/2024 00:38

£35 for 9/7. Not going to happen

Show quote history

I am a live in carer and I get £35 from 10pm-8am providing the client doesn’t wake up. Kind of shocking but that’s the legal requirement for a sleeping shift.

Blondeshavemorefun · 12/04/2024 00:38

happytobee · 11/04/2024 23:18

I would expect to pay £15ph & a set rate of £35 overnight (say 9pm-7am) but if your child wakes up expect to pay the hourly rate for each wake up.

£35 for 9/7. Not going to happen

Starsandflowers · 11/04/2024 23:23

I paid 350 for my babysitter to do two and a half days and two nights.. two children aged 8 and 5. 5yo has asd but not too effected by it.
I found her through friends as she had been a nanny for one of their kids. Also works as a supply teacher. I used her for just a few hours in the evening every now and then so the children knew her and liked her.

happytobee · 11/04/2024 23:18

I would expect to pay £15ph & a set rate of £35 overnight (say 9pm-7am) but if your child wakes up expect to pay the hourly rate for each wake up.

Original poster
MumOfOneAllAlone · 11/04/2024 23:05

Blondeshavemorefun · 11/04/2024 21:39

They shouldn't laugh you off

But you could ask the school if they have a list of approved cm and maybe one of them could help

Tho your dd would be at cm home and not hers

Ask about on local Fb group town

What area are you in ?

Yeah I will ask them as soon as shes back. Now I think of it, I have seen a childminder picking up one of the kids so I could ask her too. I'm in east London

OP posts:
Blondeshavemorefun · 11/04/2024 21:39

They shouldn't laugh you off

But you could ask the school if they have a list of approved cm and maybe one of them could help

Tho your dd would be at cm home and not hers

Ask about on local Fb group town

What area are you in ?

Original poster
MumOfOneAllAlone · 11/04/2024 20:56

delilabell · 10/04/2024 20:18

Could you ask her school for any staff who would want to do it?

Do school staff do this kind of thing? That would be such a simple solution but I'm so scared they'd laugh me off

OP posts:
Original poster
MumOfOneAllAlone · 11/04/2024 20:56

Blondeshavemorefun · 10/04/2024 22:11

You would be better off seeing if a school friend would have her her to stay for a few days

Assume you don't have any family
Or friends you could ask ?

You would need to pay the nanny - not babysitter - all day as she can't go
And get another job 9/3 and if dd sick /bangs head etx then nanny would need to go and collect

Yes rare but I had to go and pick up mini blondes the other week as earache and tearful

🥺 so so expensive - I agree, they'd have to be available all day. I do have a neighbour that has a couple of kids - it's such a lot to ask though 😔

OP posts:
Original poster
MumOfOneAllAlone · 11/04/2024 20:54

determinedtomakethiswork · 11/04/2024 07:34

I agree with asking if anyone from school can do it.

Will your little girl be okay when you are away? You say it would be better in the summer but surely it would be better in term time?

I think she would be ok when I'm away tbh, as long as she has her comforts. I don't really know anyone at the school but I could ask the teachers what they recommend

OP posts:
Original poster
MumOfOneAllAlone · 11/04/2024 20:53

IHopeYouStepOnALegPiece · 10/04/2024 20:16

I would charge £930 for that (based on £13 x 72h) my normal rate is £21ph but generally will offer a lower rate ph for a large booking but many other Nannie’s or babysitters will charge full rate ph

Given the nanny needs to be available for 72h (as if a problem at school they would be called to pick up I assume) you should expect to pay £700+ depending on experience

Thank you so much for this - i can't believe how expensive it is but I defo do understand

OP posts:
determinedtomakethiswork · 11/04/2024 07:34

I agree with asking if anyone from school can do it.

Will your little girl be okay when you are away? You say it would be better in the summer but surely it would be better in term time?

Blondeshavemorefun · 10/04/2024 22:11

You would be better off seeing if a school friend would have her her to stay for a few days

Assume you don't have any family
Or friends you could ask ?

You would need to pay the nanny - not babysitter - all day as she can't go
And get another job 9/3 and if dd sick /bangs head etx then nanny would need to go and collect

Yes rare but I had to go and pick up mini blondes the other week as earache and tearful

delilabell · 10/04/2024 20:18

Could you ask her school for any staff who would want to do it?