Overnight babysitting in London for twins - recommendations

[Bougie]

Could anyone recommend a good way of getting overnight babysitting for 1 year old twins in NW London. It's only needed occasionally but I was using an agency which costs £240 a night which is just too expensive and last time the nanny let us down by arriving late. I would ideally like someone that the twins can get to know in the daytime first.

Any thoughts, experience or suggestions welcome.

Bloody hell! I'm tempted to offer to drive up from Wiltshire for less than that!
Do you have any friends who would have the kids overnight occasionally? Preferably with children also so you can return the favour. That's much easier/cheaper than finding an overnight sitter

Childcare.co.uk is good. I am a nanny and find a lot of my childcare jobs on there, even occasional ones. I would jump at the chance of this!

Is it weekend or weekday nights?

Word of mouth is probably the best way. You can ask around at baby group/nursery/friends etc. In London you're never too far away from a nanny or an au pair.

Otherwise put ads up locally, advertise on childcare.co.uk, nannyjob or gumtree.

Recruiting privately will save the agency fees, but obviously you'll have to check references etc. yourself.

I'd happily come and look after your twins. NNEB nanny with 30 years plus experience. .

Thanks for the thoughts everyone.
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OutragedfromLeeds, it's just odd nights occasionally when we both have to be away. The problem with very active crawler twins is that there is still only one of YOU - and if you are not used to dealing with twins it can get pretty full on and might actually not be very safe. We went for agency so we could specify someone with multiples experience who would definitely be able to deal with one squirmer kicking their dirty nappy off the changing table and the other instantly grabbing it and eating it and getting covered in poo..... etc. :)

How about trying to find a local childminder who will abysit at yours. We are very used to dealing with multiple children, are crb, first aid, Ofsted reg etc. I have 17yrs childcare exp, own children, childcare qualified, ex nanny and maternity nanny ( so far more experienced than most agency nannies) I also babysit and do overnights at the PARENTS house. I am reasonably priced (in London) at £7ph and a flat sleepover fee of £50 from midnight-6am

Sorry typing on phone.. Obv Babysit and sleepover fee should have said £30 not £50! Must remember to proof read.

Shame you aren't closer. Blondes loves twins. Have 15mth ones at mo and been there a year. Do mixture of days and nights

Where excalty are you? I'm kent and have occasionally done London night jobs but hate driving to London

I think that's roughly the fee tbh.
It's not babysitting, that's listening to baby phone 7-11pm once already asleep usually, with you 10 mins away in emergency

In your case it's overnight proxy parenting as no parent in area at all until the next day. Plus babies so maternity nanny rate.

The only way it would be cheaper would be to take on an inexperienced maternity nanny. They should be fine as already usually experienced as a nanny.

They are in your house as nighttime so twins should be very safe with regular nanny. What harm in the house would they come to? You should be able to let one baby crawl around room safely whilst other is changed, if not maybe need to rearrange/ change some parts of home?

( at one stage we had X1 2 year old, x2 1 year olds, and x2 newborns. Home needed to be made safe enough that x4 could wander/ crawl/ lay in same room that I was in whilst I changed/ fed/ entertained X1)

Art that sounds crazy busy for you :)

I would say if they are sleeping all night you will pay a babysit fee til midnight and then a flat overnight rate til waking then hrly rate.if 24hrs you are looking at £150-£220 per 24hrs dependant on nanny experience.

If babies still wake at night hrly rate applies throughout and can be £12-£20 an hr again dependant on nanny/maternity night nanny experience.

You could try Sitters and ask for a Sitter who has twins herself.

My twins are 2 and I regularly sit for families with twins (the youngest has been 6 months and the oldest 11). Parents request me and they feel comfortable as I have done it all myself :)

Good luck!