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

Original poster

Any luck with findababysitter.com?

19 replies

VentiPeppermintMochaWithWhip · 03/05/2011 17:59

I put an advert up last night and responded to over 10 profiles... and haven't heard a damn thing! (Not even a bugger off!)

I'm starting to think the site might be a con...

Are there any success / horror stories out there you're willing to share please?

A. x

OP posts:
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bellbottomedtear · 03/05/2011 19:25

i babysit for a lovely couple who got my details from findababysitter.com hang in there people might not have checked yet. Also are the profiles within date as sometimes when i check on there the ads go from present day back to last year ?

ChitChattingagain · 04/05/2011 11:56

Not a thing for me, either! I found my sitters on childcare.co.uk - they contacted me!

eastmidlandsnightnanny · 04/05/2011 16:04

I babysat for a family once who got my details from there they wanted a sitter that night but otherwise nothing - do gets lots of spam through them

although there is another site www.findasitter.co.uk and I get confused between the 2!!!

Mollymax · 04/05/2011 16:22

If you have no joy with them. It may be worth lokking into Sitters.Co.uk
If you go out frequently, it is worth the annual fee.

Original poster
VentiPeppermintMochaWithWhip · 04/05/2011 18:45

I don't need a sitter, we need another nanny

OP posts:
Mollymax · 04/05/2011 19:07

Only trying to help. Your op was not particularly clear. Sorry for bothering.

ChitChattingagain · 04/05/2011 19:09

Molly's right, your op wasn't very clear. Why would you look on Babysitter.com? I would assume the 'babysitter' part of it would put a lot of nannies off (except those that wanted to do extra babysitting work!) I would think you'd be much better off on childcare.co.uk for a nanny.

Original poster
VentiPeppermintMochaWithWhip · 04/05/2011 21:33

I'm registered on childcare.co.uk as well, and we found our last nanny there... I think I have gone through the local candidates pages like 100 times... I suppose I'm just getting a bit down and desperate about it... I flat out refuse to pay the hefty agency fees and last time we went with an agency, they couldn't find us a before/after school nanny either. Wage is good, conditions are VERY good, kids are great!

Didn't mean to be a bit off before, sorry. You're right, I should have been more clear. BTW, what does OP mean? In my world that just means a back to back baby. =-/

OP posts:
Mollymax · 04/05/2011 21:47

Do you have a college near you that have child care courses?
If so, it may be worth speaking to them, especially if you do not mind a newly qualified person.
Local paper advert?
The Lady?
Nursery Times, or whatever it is called.

annh · 04/05/2011 22:44

Have you also tried Gumtree? I have mixed success with ads on there but it's worth a go. I do think childcare.co.uk is a better site. You have my sympathies, we also only need an after-school nanny and you'd think we were asking for the moon on a stick! If people register as available for part-time work, it would be nice if they had the courtesy to reply.

nannynick · 04/05/2011 22:53

OP = Original Post/opening post (or original poster, when someone refers to The OP) - Least that's what I think it means.

Location may make a difference as to what things would work. Some agencies charge very low fees - one today I saw on twitter (and retweeted so those who follow me may have seen it) were charging a special offer of £24 to find a nanny in Kent and London area.

How about NannyJob.co.uk. That is where a lot of nannies look for work. Costs £25 to place an ad.
Also what about local advertising - postcards in newsagents window type thing.

nannynick · 04/05/2011 23:09

Word of mouth can also work sometimes, your current nanny may be able to help ask around anyone they know.

Not sure how much detail you can put on FindABabysitter but experimenting with putting more detail, less detail about the job may be worth a try - presuming the advert can be edited without there being a charge. It can help to say that you will be operating PAYE (if salary is above threshold or they have other income) it may also put some people off. It can help to have a picture with the ad, though it also may put others off. So if you can edit the ad, edit it every now and then so it contains more/less info.

Personally I don't log in to FAB very often. However the site does send me an e-mail once a week ish with jobs within a certain area. Always seems to come on a Sunday... so your ad would not get included in the local area e-mail until Sunday 8th May, if you added the add on Monday 2nd May.

nannynick · 04/05/2011 23:11

Also you can put an ad on Mumsnet: Mums wanting childcare
You could also put one on your local netmums childcare board.

The more ads the better I feel, especially if they are low or no cost.

Original poster
VentiPeppermintMochaWithWhip · 04/05/2011 23:11

nannynick you are on fire this week! Thanks so much to everyone for all of your kind words and excellent suggestions.

Off now to mooch...

A. x

OP posts:
nannynick · 04/05/2011 23:13

Wondering why the agency couldn't find you anyone when you used them... maybe your area is particularly hard - perhaps due to high house prices so meaning nannies don't live in your area.

Original poster
VentiPeppermintMochaWithWhip · 04/05/2011 23:28

She said b/c it wasn't enough hours (we were offering 16 in term time and 30 in hols)... But we felt like we were compensating w/ decent pay. :-/

OP posts:
ChippingIn · 05/05/2011 17:38

Venti - you are needed here

Miterra · 20/02/2015 11:19

Hi all - please beware if you use this site. They kept taking money out of my bank account without my knowledge and are now refusing a refund.

VodkaValiumLattePlease · 20/02/2015 12:52

Im sure they care four bloody years later. Don't spam up the topic because you can't be arsed to read the fine print.

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