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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think the quality of babysitters from Sitters is going downhill?

39 replies

StripeyCustard · 15/02/2015 15:15

I thought the whole point of sitters was that you paid for someone who was a child care professional (teacher, TA, nursery assistant etc). We've had some recently who have been really disappointing - there is no way I would have left a very young child with them.

Is it just our area?

OP posts:
Duckdeamon · 15/02/2015 15:17

I wouldn't expect teachers or TAsto be doing it, profiles near me seem to be mainly registered CMs/retired CMs, or nursery workers.

grocklebox · 15/02/2015 15:39

Isn't that a country wide site? So thousand and thousands of people? And you're talking about a couple.
This is a daft post. And not really an aibu either.

Original poster
StripeyCustard · 15/02/2015 16:01

Why a daft post grocklebox? It's an agency people trust to provide good child care and the last couple of people haven't been very suitable. You would expect an agency of that quality to have standardised procedures to make sure quality remains high - so it makes me think that if standards have lapsed for those we have had recently, they may have changed vetting procedures. If you are using them you are inviting a stranger into your home to look after your child.

OP posts:
Original poster
StripeyCustard · 15/02/2015 16:03

duck I'd be very happy to have those people looking after my children. Not someone whose main concern whether they will be able to get access to wifi as was the case yesterday, and who had not looked after children for years and seemed unable and unwilling to engage with them at all.

OP posts:
TeddyDreadful · 15/02/2015 16:08

Are they expanding the business? They could be letting standards slip in the vetting process if so, or to save money.

Original poster
StripeyCustard · 15/02/2015 16:33

I imagine so Teddy. It's tricky though when you are having sitters into your house for the first time - you really want to be sure you are getting really good people.

OP posts:
Chippednailvarnish · 15/02/2015 16:36

So when you complained to Sitters, what did they say?

TheIronGnome · 15/02/2015 16:45

That's not good... I've got a nanny friend who has registered with them but doesn't seem to get much if any work through them despite being qualified and a current nanny as people seem to request babysitters who they've had before. I get why people do it but it doesn't help her.

They had quite a thorough process- she had to interview etc. I haven't bothered signing up as I get more money from babysitting I source myself.

Have you complained op? What actually heppened when your babysitter turned up? did you send them away??

BMO · 15/02/2015 16:48

You're getting a babysitter paid minimum wage, Sitters don't even bother with their own CRB checks. I wouldn't expect a "childcare professional".

Original poster
StripeyCustard · 15/02/2015 17:36

I have given feedback.

Then they shouldn't place themselves as offering that BMO.

OP posts:
Duckdeamon · 15/02/2015 18:50

They get much more than minimum wage in the SE.

ImperialBlether · 15/02/2015 18:53

It's expensive to carry out your own police checks though and they only employ people who have their checks as part of their employment.

I don't see what's wrong with asking about wifi password as presumably there would be a few hours when the babysitter is sitting there without much to do, but their response to your children sounds very worrying.

I babysit for them but don't find there's much work in my area.

Original poster
StripeyCustard · 15/02/2015 18:55

imperialblether the conversation went like this on our return:

me: how was it?
her: I found a wifi hotspot
me: OK, and the children? Hmm

OP posts:
pippitysqueakity · 15/02/2015 18:56

Sitters do 'bother' with their own CRB checks. They could not function as a childcare service if they didn't.

ImperialBlether · 15/02/2015 19:07

They don't carry out their own checks, pippity. You have to have been checked as part of your job and then you show Sitters the evidence.

Stripey, that is really bad. The first response should always be to do with the children and how they've been. I don't know why she even mentioned the wifi when you returned - did she think you'd been worrying about it?

Camolips · 15/02/2015 19:15

I'm a TA and babysit for children I know. I only charge £5.50 an hour and I know the parents pay a lot more for other sitters but I don't feel I can suddenly up my rates! I was considering joining Sitters and wondered if someone can tell me how much you get paid.

BMO · 15/02/2015 19:31

Sitters don't carry out their own DBS checks and don't require their babysitters to have one, they state this on their website:

Q: Are all Sitters babysitters police checked?
A: More than half of Sitters babysitters have experience working as a Registered Childminder and would have been cleared through the CRB (now DBS) as part of their OFSTED registration. Nannies working for families have not yet been required to obtain CRB (DBS) checks and for this reason we are very thorough in following up references with previous employers.

BongoT · 15/02/2015 19:38

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

JsOtherHalf · 15/02/2015 19:41

Camolips

This is what the site says about how much the sitters get paid:

www.sitters.co.uk/cost.aspx

ImperialBlether · 15/02/2015 19:50

"Now then, now then"?

Was he Jimmy Saville?

sharonthewaspandthewineywall · 15/02/2015 20:06

Sitters are twats.
I had to cancel a booking as my husband was in hospital and they text me the following week saying they've had to void my registration with them.
Shower of cunts

Camolips · 15/02/2015 20:23

Thanks js, didn't think of looking at the website!

Artandco · 15/02/2015 20:29

They recommend from their website though £6.50 an hr to the sitter. That's far less than most ' professional' nannies can earn, hence you are getting those who generally can't get work elsewhere.

We pay £12 per hr for a nanny in the evening here. I think £10 is the cheapest a nanny with qualifications and experience will sit for

Original poster
StripeyCustard · 15/02/2015 20:31

sharon - wow! I've had to cancel before because of illness etc and they didn't do that. Had you done it before.

Imperial I don't think so. I know she had been talking to my husband about it and the only conversation she had with my oldest was where there was a plug so she could facebook and watch TV at the same time!

OP posts:
ImperialBlether · 15/02/2015 20:34

Sharon, how much notice had you given them? Had you had to cancel before? I've always found them very good.