To be down about no babysitting work ?

[ToSunshineAndRainbows]

I am really wanting to babysit but literally cannot find any work. I only charge £11 per hour , I am qualified and experienced in childcare but despite having all my profiles up on the main sites such as bubble and childcare I cannot find any babysitting work. I’m near London too. I’m thinking it’s either how I look (I am unattractive), my age (Almost 40) or the fact I don’t drive. Maybe all three ?

I imagine it’s a combination of price being too high and not having enough reviews on the sites yet. £11 is over NMW and probably more than a 19/20 year old student (for whom NMW is even lower) will be charging. I expect faced with a 20-year-old charging £9 an hour and you charging £11 a lot of parents are going to go with the student regardless of whether you are more experienced. Maybe if you had a lot of positive reviews and ratings they might choose you based on that but right now you are probably on the pricier side but without the reviews to back that up.

Perhaps you need to lower your price to get some work and get more reviews/ high ratings and then put it back up once you have a good reputation on the sites.

You should offer on local WhatsApp groups and Facebook pages - more of a community feel

You could also drop your fee for a few weeks until you get more reviews then raise them again

Are there any hotels or groups of holiday cottages nearby ?
Get some cards made up with your details and your rates and see if you can get some work that way.

I wouldn't use a babysitter that I don't know from a website (not sure if many people do)- you may have more luck spreading the word through family / friends and people you know.

You noted you work in a nursery - staff from nurseries I have used have offered babysitting to us after we left and I think this is common and people would feel more comfortable as the kids and parents will know you.

Our daughter’s (qualified, experienced) nursery staff babysit for a couple of families who don’t have any family or other folks nearby when they need help, and they get paid £14-16 an hour because it’s essentially them doing parents a favour after a full working week of childcare and they spend the whole time on the go with a three year old, doing interesting activities that they plan out. I think that is fair, tbh, so I wouldn’t say you were overcharging at £11 for evening/ late night babysitting. If you get yourself home, I don’t think not being able to drive would be an issue. That said, I would never get someone off a random website, because you just know nothing about them, so going via the nursery and saying that you offer babysitting may be the way forward.

Going by the responses on this thread, there seems to be only 2 camps of opinion on this. One side perfectly happy to pay low prices to a teenager; the other side preferring to pay high prices to qualified folk their children already know. There doesn't seem to be much appetite for the 'middle' service you offer. Middle pricing so no appeal to the teenager camp; and not known to their dc so no appeal to the high price camp.

I have 2 young children, but I wouldn't use a paid babysitter I'd use family or maybe a friend unless I was desperate. It's hard enough to afford a night out nevermind babysitter on top. I realise this isn't that helpful, I just don't think that many people actually use paid babysitters (I don't know any who do!)

People undervalue childcare. They pay more for cleaning and dogcwalking!

I was paying £50 a night 8 years ago! Not London either.

Are you a man or woman?

Why not join an agency like Sitters. We use them over individuals who advertise, as we know they have had DBS checks done and we can see reviews. The sitters round here (just outside of London) all seem really busy, and the advised rate is over £11 (so may be be more in London). We pay that direct to the sitter

I think you’re talking about a nanny? Paying an evening babysitting £15/hour is not usual (and I live in a London commuter town).

OP just sign up to sitters.

Nope definitely not nannying was evening babysitter. In my area cheapest was £10 most expensive was £18. However that's per household not per child not sure if that makes a difference Afterschool and childminders £6.50 - £8.

We only used 1 site though childcare.com. Seems prices must vary greatly though. For us personally having a sen child + 2 we thought £14 was too low and paid more.

I think that you not driving might have resulted in you being overlooked for work in some instances. Have you put this on your advert? Some people might think you are too far away or assume that you need a lift home at the end of an evening (which they obviously can’t do if they’ve had a drink; or worry about you having to catch a bus/train alone late at night). Most people also wouldn’t be comfortable leaving a total stranger in their home with their children. They might consider it if a family/friend had used you and given amazing feedback. Your business needs to build up via word of mouth and personal referrals. I’m always seeing call-outs from other parents on WhatsApp groups asking for a babysitter and people recommend who they have used.

Some parents really struggle with not being able to collect their children from school or drop them off. Could you build up a client base doing this for regular parents each week? This then should lead into you being recommended for more evening/weekend babysitting by people who trust you and want to recommend you to others.

If you don’t want to do this then maybe try advertising yourself on other sites/places. Could you print off a few adverts and put them in places near you that others visit regularly? Local cafe/library etc. Also are you first aid trained and if you are, do you state this on your advert? This is very important for some people, especially if you will be looking after young children.

Good luck!

I think babysitting is a word of mouth thing. I would never hire a stranger from the internet to have sole care of my child. I ask other parents for recommendations, or ask school if any teachers do it, etc. I know it’s annoying but I think that’s how you get babysitting work. Try asking all your friends / ex employers to pass around your phone number to parents.

Looks don’t matter in childcare.

I am the same. It's the cost of living. I have recently started babysitting again and I am struggling to get bookings. Before the pandemic I had them sometimes twice a week £10 an hour plus a taxi home if the buses had stopped. Now I'm lucky to get a booking a month.

Go on bubble! We use it all the time!

@TomatoSandwiches Does gender of the childcarer make a difference? It shouldn't but I expect it does.

Being known In local social circle is a factor, back in the 1990's I was known in my local military area as I was helping at the pre-school. Postcard ad in the NAAFI shop, a mention in the Wife's Club newsletter. and word got round that there was a late teen who has a knack of caring for babies, toddlers & pre-schoolers, who would babysit for all the ranks, including the C.O. That word of mouth referral is invaluable, but can be hard to get established.