Has anyone used an agency to find evening babysitters? Can you recommend one?

[kitegirl]

We just need to find a few reliable, experienced (ie with childcare experience) babysitters for the occasional evening out, we don't have family nearby and am not comfortable with using the sulky teenager next door or the cleaner - there must be babysitter agencies that can help?! If you know one in London I'd be ever so grateful...

Sitters are the only one I know and they are meant to be great

\link{http://www.sitters.co.uk/\Sitters site}

I use this one , I think its a little expensive so we save it for when we just cant get any
one else. I think it works out at around £7 hr based on admin fees on top of the hrly rate. You also have to pay a qaurteerly membership. So far most sitters weve had fron them have been quite good. Good for last minute arrangments, they are open on Sat 10-2.

I've not but when I do I'm going to use sitters - all the people I know use it and say it's very good.

we used safehandsnetwork.com because we needed a sitter in a hotel, without them having sat for us at home first. cost £10 an hour (half of which you pay direct to sitter). don't have to become a member. and the sitter didn't appear to be an axe murderer :)

thanks guys - have just booked with Sitters for Sat night!

I work for sitters adn they make sure their staff are checked very well. They also have id cards to show new parents.

I use sitters. We paid a membership fee (not sure how much but it wasn't outrageous) and pay £5.85 per hour (London). We've used them 3 timed and were really happy. I think the minimum booking time is 4 hours which is normally about right for us anyway.

It is a minimum 4 hours to make it worthwhile.

good luck with it kg. I've used sitters for a couple of years now, and they've always been great.

Sitters are fab, have used them for a couple of years now.

I think HelloDolly has a nanny who might be glad of a change of scenery...

Kitegirl, you might find that once you've found a few sitters you like through Sitters, that you can drop the membership and hire them direct.

We arent allowed to do that or if they find out we could get sacked.

at greensleeves