Has anyone used one of the big childcare websites?

[Fleurocrat]

Has anyone used one of the big childcare websites? I’m thinking of Childcare.co.uk or Care.com? We’re going to need after school childcare in Edinburgh from August as our own wonderful childminder is retiring, and I’m thinking one of these could be the way to go. I’d love to hear if anyone has experience of either, whether good or bad!

From a childcare provider viewpoint, I've used Childcare.co.uk to find part-time nanny work. I have found two permanent jobs via the system and some ad-hoc work as well.

I am not sure how well it would work for finding a childminder when local authorities tend to list them all. Worth a try but I would also use the search system at Families.scot

I've used sitters.co.uk loads. Very good!

There are loads of childminders on childcare.co.uk the only problem with the site is you have to pay to contact them unless they have paid for membership.

i've used childcare.co.uk and findababysitter.com (now renamed to something else). both fine.

before you pay, see how much there is in your area.

Thank you, I will have a look at those. Some of the listings on Families.scot are 10 years old! But I guess they must be still working or they’d have taken them down.

Has anyone tried care.com? They have loads of sitters in our area but there are mixed reviews online.

Contact your Local Family information service too, who should have a list of local childminders and which schools they pick up from.

I used Childcare.co.uk to find a childminder to do odd days during school holidays for my then 1year old.

Families information tend to be less up to date as providers can only update once a month and tend to just leave details running our system also is harder to find local ones with vacancies.
Childcare is okay but can be strange on how you search, for example I have moved 2 roads if I search for nearest childminder to me using my old address others a 10 minute walk come up first even if its by distance not last logged in. When you go in like a profile and if they have paid they will message you, providing you put enough information many just say require a chidlminder, no details on age, hours, school needed. If you like their profile and don't want to pay you could then search for them on your local families information if they don't get back to you. The profiles show on last logged in basis unless you select by distance.

Jannier that's a shame about your FIS. We can update our details online and they go live more or less instantly.