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Paid childcare

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

finding babysitting work through agencies such as sitters, findasitter etc: anyone experienced this?

4 replies

whatstream · 29/07/2011 12:28

I'm thinking of taking on extra work doing babysitting. Used to do it years ago as a teen, ads in local shops etc., but now there are all the online agencies such as sitters, findasitter etc. Has anyone found any work through any of these? Are they any good? Do they take money off you? etc etc.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
badgerhead · 29/07/2011 16:38

I sit for Sitters, they will give you an interview & check references before they take you on.
You will be text a possiblity which if you are interested in you respond to, quickly normally or the position could have gone. If you get the booking they will then text you a confirmation giving more details. the parents pay you direct with a minimum amount for sitting of 3 hours during the week & 4 hours at the weekend. The rates vary depending on where you live as far as I know.
You don't pay any fees, the parents pay them to Sitters direct.
I get a reasonable amount of work through them, you can pick & choose to an extent how much you do. I tewnd to sit about 2 or 3 times a month, could do more if I wanted.
Sometimes you do have to drive a distance to get to the booking so I only go for those ones if the lenght of time sitting makes it worthwhile paying out for the diesel getting there. When they yext the initial enquiry it will give you the date, time & postcode of the booking, you then have to decide on that information whether you want to do it or not. If you get a regular family they can ask for you by name & then the enquiry will come through that .... family have asked for you on .. date..time.. which you still need to respond to quickly in case another sitter snaps it up!

redglow · 29/07/2011 21:35

I work for sitters too. They pay badly but there is a lot of work if you want it. Also you do not get too involved with the family so if you do not like it you do not have to go back you can babysit for another family.

I also babysit privately which pays better.

eurycantha · 30/07/2011 10:54

I dont know what area you are in but in our west kent area I know many nannies who are babysitting through local nanny agencies that as well as nannies also run a baby sitting service.I dont actually sit for sitters who don`t pay as much as I can get from other agencies or as Redglow says privately.Have you a qualification which most will want and a CRB check

sjdrewroman · 01/08/2011 11:46

Have you tried working as a host family during school holidays? I do very well at this. You will need a CRB and references but Guardianship companies are always looking for host families near to private boarding schools and you only have the children full time in short school holidays when they can't go home
but the pay is quite good. I work with Crest guardians as a host mum, take a look on their website.

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