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

[StripeyCustard]

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?

Imperial we have always had a fantastic experience with them until the last few - that's why I wondered if they had changed anything.

I used to babysit regularly when I was a qualified childcare worker. The pay is shit. I got better finding clients privately and I built up better rapports with the families too.

I gave a days notice as I didnt expect him to be admitted to hospital with a brain tumour.
This was a booking with me as the sitter.
Clunges.

sharon that is absolutely dreadful. Is your husband OK? If they did that knowing he had been diagnosed with a brain tumour then I will cancel my membership tomorrow. I have heard that they are brutal with their sitters re cancellations and wonder whether local sitters have gone to a competitor instead.

Yes he made a full recovery thankfully.
They are just tossers tbh.

That is really terrible. Anyone can expect to cancel bookings at some point in their life, but your poor husband really was in a life threatening situation.

I haven't had any problems with sitters recently. They are usually quite experienced nannies and I have no qualms about leaving the house.
Sorry to hear about that sharon that was awful of them.

sharon did they get rid of you even knowing it was a brain tumour?

I rang the office and told someone the situation. She was sympathetic. Yet I received the text a few days later.

About a year later I emailed them about it as I was looking for some extra work. The owner emailed back saying we wouldn't have done that if we'd known why and said they would reinstate my registration. Even though I'd explained the situation to the person on the phone.
So my registration was reinstated. I then got exactly the same text a few days later despite the fact I'd not even booked any jobs since then.
At that point I just thought fuck you and the horse you rode in on sitters!!!

sharon that's very poor. They are so automated that they didn't take into account our request after first poor sitter and continued to send next inadequate one. It's not like booking a car valet - I don't want a mindless response when booking a babysitter, I want to know I have someone responsive I'd looking after them.

Well, they did my police check, Am in Scotland, so maybe that's the difference. Was also only a renewal which might have helped.

Don't work for them now, but certainly didn't work for them because I could not get any other agencies to employ me...

I have recently registered with Sitters.
I had a face to face interview and they have been very very thorough in checking all my documents, 1st aid, verbally ringing references etc

I have in the past got full time nanny jobs with high profile agencies who have carried out fewer checks than sitters!

I would use them as a parent as well.