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Paid childcare

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

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Original poster

How did you recruit your babysitter?

60 replies

Chuffinnora · 04/09/2008 18:38

I need my social life back and need to find a babysitter. I can't ask any family members, friends all have kids and we wouldn't be able to go out together and none of my neighbours or friends have any handy teenagers I could ask. I checked the babysitting sites but none have a sitter in my area. Any ideas?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

nannynick · 10/09/2008 11:05

On FindASitter you need to search using the full postcode, not part of it. Picking an MK43 postcode at random... MK43 8GZ, there are 6 sitters within 10 miles.
As a babysitter myself, I travel up to 10 miles, thus why I searched at that radius. I have been registed with FindASitter for about a year now, but haven't had any enquiries. Many in my area show prices lower than I charge, so perhaps that's why.

overthemill · 10/09/2008 11:09

well sometimes there just aren't sitters in the area - good idea for a part time job then! i've done it myself via the site btw. and use it for sitters too.

nannynick, you've been registered for two years now! amazingly. sorry to hear no owrk from it but you do have fantastic array of other advertising your services. some sitters have had masses of work - it obviously depends.

MascaraOHara · 10/09/2008 11:14

Will try whole postcode then.. (stupidly) hadn't thought of that

nannynick · 10/09/2008 11:17

overthemill - I'm having trouble with photo upload. It does not produce any error message, so don't know why. Image is 150x154 pixels, JPG, 68Kb. Any ideas?

MascaraOHara · 10/09/2008 11:23

LMAO - sorry - I just searched on my full postcode and the first picture that came up was of a 16year old girl who looked like she was advertising an entirly different sort of service

Found quite a few options now though (with more conservative pictures lol)

nannynick · 10/09/2008 11:28

So from a parents point of view, you feel what the picture looks like is important. So out of interest, do you feel the picture should be of the person, or of the person actually caring for a child?

Overthemill - yes, I have quite a good internet coverage. Though most work actually comes via: Google, and people seeing my car and then using Google!

MascaraOHara · 10/09/2008 11:30

Harsh as it is.. people do make snap decisions based on what people look like.

I much prefer the lady sitting in the deck chair to the girl who;s face I can hardly see with lots of make up and strapless top

I didn't read the words.. made judgements based on picture/age/crb checked.. THEN read the words

I think pictures of with or without children are find.. just not pics that look like you are on a dating site lol

overthemill · 10/09/2008 11:36

i prefer a pic of the person themselves. i know that teenagers use daft pics of them selves based on what they think they look like. i always use my gut with child carer sand have never had a duff one yet (except with those via sitters, sadly)

btw, it is unbelievable the email addresses people use to register with!! honest sexieblondbabysitter at hotmail type stuff - do they really think a parent will use them once they see that??!! and these are often qualified people with loads of experience! maybe i am old fashioned....

nannynick, will ask my tech guy

MascaraOHara · 10/09/2008 11:40

LOL OTM I can see it now..

Requirements for babaysitter:

Young:
Sexy:
Blonde:

LOL

Theres a quirky one of a lady with a chicken on her shoulder. I like it because I could show dd and say something like "look that lady has a chicken on her shoulder, lets get chicken lady to visit us" lol weird example but it's a kind of ice breaker

overthemill · 10/09/2008 11:41

nannynick here is his answer:

have they tried re-naming the file? it may be that there are spaces in the name or something, tell them to make it a simple one word filename! that might be it!
try it and let me know

nannynick · 10/09/2008 11:43

Overthemill - tried using FireFox 3 and IE7. There is already a photo on my profile, so was trying to replace that. Hope that helps your tech guy.

overthemill · 10/09/2008 11:48

hey he says email the photo to
iain at woodit dot co dot uk

overthemill · 10/09/2008 11:50

hey he says email the photo to
iain at woodit dot co dot uk

nannynick · 10/09/2008 11:53

renamed to nick.jpg - still didn't work.
Wonder what else it could be.
If I hard code the URL string, I can get an error produced:
Folder e:\domains\f\findasitter.co.uk\user\htdocs\sitterPICS\29\ exists

nannynick · 10/09/2008 11:57

thanks... have sent to Iain. He can figure it out.

Oh don't you just love IT systems

FindASitter has been going 2 years now, I'm impressed. Doubt it has made your fortune, but with luck it does at least pay for itself.

overthemill · 10/09/2008 12:00

its done nick you are up all new and shiny.
now how's that for a responsive service??

overthemill · 10/09/2008 12:02

aha it no longer costs me any money. have just finished paying for the set up costs and initially advertising. i can afford to offera few 'free' memberships (which I often do to people refered via contact a family)

i hope that in a year or so it might even make a profit but as we are at this very moment updating the site i'm about to be in hock again.

but the best thing in the world is when a mum of a disabled child lets me know they got agreat sitter via the site. honestly makes it all owrth while.

Puddlet · 10/09/2008 12:09

This thread has some great ideas on it and I'll definitely take up some of the suggestions. I have got a question though - Our baby is nearly 5 months and we've only had family look after her so far so I'm not sure of the etiquette. If we put her to bed and then go out but she wakes during the evening would it be reasonable to expect the sitter to resettle her/ feed her if necessary? Or should we expect to come home early? She often does sleep all evening but I can't guarantee it and that makes me a bit nervous about going out.

LittleMyDancing · 10/09/2008 12:15

overthemill what does it mean on your site when it says 'Approved'? can't figure out what that's all about.

thanks

overthemill · 10/09/2008 12:16

absolutely ok to ask sitter to do this stuff as long as you make it clear before hand. most babies sleep through but i'd expect frequent checking/baby monitor.

in this case you'd want to make sure you ahd an experienced sitter/older sitter/one with under 1 experience

i wouldnt leave a baby with a non family teenager, for example
goo dluck!

overthemill · 10/09/2008 12:26

littledancing
approved means they have that approval thing so you are able to use childcare vouchers. used to be ofsetd registration. usually applies to qualified nannies/reg childminders

overthemill · 10/09/2008 12:31

masaraohara
sorry got sidetrack by tech issues:
lol at sexybabysitter

i too love quirky pics but do worry about what some people would think
we have chickens so a chicken on your shoulder is kind of a pre req for us!!
ps where are you?!

LittleMyDancing · 10/09/2008 12:32

aha, now it makes sense. perhaps a q about it in the FAQ would be a good idea?

hope you don't think I'm criticising

overthemill · 10/09/2008 12:34

there is something in FAQs (i hope

anyway am on livechat with tech guy at this very minute talking about changes we want. so tell me NOW what would help you use it/join!!!

LittleMyDancing · 10/09/2008 12:37

I couldn't find anything, but I might be being dim.

It happens a lot!

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