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

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

Childcare

£10 per hour for babysitting? Is this reasonable

78 replies

Yena · 10/08/2007 12:21

This is the first time I'm having to pay a babysitter for my little one. Her childminder has said she can do it over the weekend at £10 an hour, we'll drop her there and pick her up. Is this reasonable? I know she will be in an environment that she is familiar with since she is there during the week, but I thought £10 an hour was abit steep. Any thoughts on this please?

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WanderingTrolley · 10/08/2007 12:27

Where are you, Mayfair?!

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gringottsgoblin · 10/08/2007 12:31

how much would it cost for you to give up your weekend? if it was a teen babysitter its steep, for a chilminder i would just be grateful they agreed tbh!

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eleusis · 10/08/2007 12:31

Not in my world. Especially not if you have to bring the baby to her and pick her up.

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Yena · 10/08/2007 12:35

I wish - in my dreams. No in roehampton/putney. D'you think its steep? I do, but because I don't know what babysitters charge I had no basis by which to backup my views.

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Oblomov · 10/08/2007 12:39

I think it is steep. We are going out for dh's birthday today. Our babysitter is £15-£20 for the night.

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eleusis · 10/08/2007 12:39

Join sitters at www.sitters.co.uk. They come to your house and cost less than £10/hour.

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Yena · 10/08/2007 12:41

Hi GGG, its only going to be for a few hours, myself and my husband are going to see a show at the Southbank - which by the way have already cost us quite a bit. Its just ended up being a very expensive couple of hours, I suppose thats what comes with parenting - we can't really have it both ways.

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WanderingTrolley · 10/08/2007 12:41

I reckon nannies charge c.£8/hour in your area, but your childminder runs a business, so she may feel she's working overtime on weekends.

Agree with eleusis - join sitters.

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hatwoman · 10/08/2007 12:43

if we use our nanny we give her £7 an hour plus taxi home - that's in Kingston

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hatwoman · 10/08/2007 12:45

agree with WT about the weekend overtime bit - but,ironically, if you're taking her to the CM's house your cm will be a lot less put out, as it were, than a baby-sitter coming to yours. If it'w what she wants to chanrge then fair enough - but you could get cheapre and more convenient

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mogs0 · 10/08/2007 13:54

If I babysit in child's house I charge £8 ph. If child comes to me, it's £6p/h.

I know a family who won't pay £8 for someone to watch their tv.

I have a nanny friend who works 12 hours as a daily nanny so if someone wants her to babysit outside her usual hours then it has to be financially worth her while.

I personally think that £10 an hour is a lot if cm is looking after your dc in her own home. Do you have any alternatives? Could you negotiate with cm for a slightly lower rate? Is this rate on your contract for out of hours rates?

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CarGirl · 10/08/2007 13:57

If you are having a child whilst they are awake it's very different to sitting in your house once they've already been put to bed IYSWIM.

Most childminders charge extra per hour at weekends as this is their time off.

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eleusis · 10/08/2007 14:02

When I used a childminder, she babysat in my house for £6/hour.

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Yena · 10/08/2007 14:09

Thanks so much for all your comments, Eleusis, I've looked at the site you sent and I'll definitely be trying them out. I think because its the first time that I'm getting into such an arrangement, for my peace of mind and because she'll be a familiar face, I'll just go ahead. But after all your helpful comments I shan't be travelling this expensive road again. Plus I'll feel a bit bad if I suddenly pulled out. And to be fair, perhaps thats the premium she puts on her weekend time since this will be out of hours rate.

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kkey21 · 10/08/2007 15:24

From my point of view, if one of my mindee's asked me for a daily weekend rate for childminding i wouldn't do it unless it was worth giving up the day for and to me that would be at least £50. I don't think i'd even do 2hrs at £20 as weekends are so precious.
For evening i would babysit at theirs for £7 per hour, minimum of 4 hours.
I am in hertfordshire and i am also a NNEB qualified nanny with 10yrs experience.

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hockeypuck · 11/08/2007 07:41

Do you have any friends nearby who you could do babysitting swaps with?

I have 3 friends who I babysit for about once every couple of months, they can then return the favour for me so I can go out and it's free. These were friends from ante-natal groups, toddlers etc so I know they know what they are doing with children and know my children.

Also, have just started using the 17 year old daughter of a friend who lives 5 minutes walk away and she charges £2.50 per hour. Bargain!

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Phraedd · 11/08/2007 11:20

i charge £8 per hour (£10 per hour after midnight) with 3 hours minimum.

I go to their house though.

I don't think i would be happy to pay my sitter £10 per hour to sit in her own home and then have to wake my child to bring them home.

Teenagers are a lot less (we pay ours £20 per night) but they are only worthwhile if their parents are close enough if there is a problem.

Depends on the age(s) of your child aswell. If they are very young, it is worth paying that extra bit and at least you know your child is in very good hands.

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looneytune · 11/08/2007 11:40

Agree I wouldn't pay that myself as a parent, however, I am a CM and would charge about the same as my weekends are precious and it would affect my whole family having mindees over the weekend in my own home. I've only ever done it once before and did charge silly money but that's because I don't want to work weekends and if I do, it's got to be well worth my while (and dh's and ds's)!!

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westendgirl · 11/08/2007 17:35

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westendgirl · 11/08/2007 17:38

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saffymum · 11/08/2007 17:45

I haven't read the other replies but I think you have probably been told by now that this is a rip off and they should at least come to you. I pay a student about £30 for the night and send he home in a cab. In north London. From about 7 to 12. Otherwise I hear Sitters is good. Hope you get that night off that you deserve.

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MrsSpoon · 11/08/2007 17:56

£10 an hour seems very generous to me. We usually pay £6 an hour and generally round up, ie if we owed her £24 we would usually give her £30.

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beforesunrise · 11/08/2007 19:06

i pay my nanny 8.50 an hour, her normal daily rate, for the evenings plus taxi home. thats in north london. i do think it is expensive, but it is overtime for her really so only fair. and also i wouldnt feel comfortable leaving my dd, 18months, with a stranger. peace of mind is priceless. as this is your first time out with dh, i think you should just go for it, enjoy your show safe in the knowledge your lo is safe and happy, and dont think too much about the money!

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Genidef · 11/08/2007 20:58

We pay £7-8 per hour plus cab home. £10 plus drop off and pick up - ridiculous in my opinion. It sounds like she's not that interested in the extra work to be honest.

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smeeinit · 11/08/2007 21:06

£10 does seem a little steep,i charge £7.50 p/h.and go to my mindees homes to sit.
BUT you are paying for an ofsted registered and crb checked childminder and if you are 100% happy and confident that your LO will be well cared for and stimulated while she is there then £10 doesnt seem so bad!
also your cm may be having to pay tax on the hourly rate,as someone else said,childminding is a buisness.

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