Babysitting services in Middlesex Area

[Corky]

Does anyone have any recommendations on how to find a reputable babysitter for my 2 children. We mainly want sitting for the occassional night sometimes Saturday nights. I don't like to ask friends on a weekend and we don't have family locally. I don't mind paying someone but am unsure about leaving them with a stranger I found off the internet!

Try sitters

Not sure how a stranger you meet via the internet is any different to someone from an agency - you still don't know them!

Ideally you want to find someone reasonably local, who can babysit for you whenever you need a babysitter - so you don't have different people caring for your children, thus your children get to know their babysitter and you also get to know your babysitter.

How about looking for a local nanny, or other childcare worker - so you get the reassurance that the person knows about children.
NannyJob.co.uk has a babysitters list.
FindaSitter.co.uk also lists childcare workers who will babysit.
By contacting a childcare worker directly, you skip the agency membership fees and booking fees. Some internet sites charge a search fee, but this tends to be quite low and only payable when you have found someone to contact.

if your loacl area has a 'netmums website' (sorry if this is seen as competitive!) there are occasionally babysiters advertised. i know my local one has a couple of recomended babysitters.

Hi, where abouts in middlesex do you live?

I am biased as I run one of the new internet directories of babysitters but I honestly think it's no less safe than someone you know of via friends. Using one of the internet sites that list people who are willing and able to babysit is just a newish way to be introduced to them. and much more affordable than the agency fees (who run a different service so need to charge more) If you aren't lucky enough to have family close by it can be the only way to find someone.

Usually they are child care workers by day (so they should be reliable and confident and should be able to show you copies of references/crb check etc) and then it's whether you 'like' them really isn't it? Most sites will have hints and tips about how to make a sensible choice about who to use but I say you should always meet a sitter before you leave your dc with them (I wouldn't leave mine with someone I'd never even met!)and my advice is to meet and interview 2 or 3 and who knows you may end up with a few people you can use for years to come.

I set it up because I was amazed that there wasn't anything like this already.

whereabouts are you Corky?
there are a number of girls at the nursery who babysit - i would trust them 100%. Is there a nursery nearby? Worth asking there or someone you know who has children there.

good idea, lots of sitters on my directory work at a nursery.