Agency babysitters...Whats the verdict?

[stripeypineapple]

Just remembered that we have tickets booked for Tuesday to go and see some comedy.

We have no babysitters in this county (we moved here late last year).

Have any of you ever used an agency babysitter, were they any good?

Can anyone recommend a national one or one specifically for Herts?

Thanks Luvs

we use sitters.co.uk

Thanks Eldon.

Do you have to pay a registration fee and then pay the sitter her/his fee directly?

Have you and your dc's always been pleased with the person you've got?

mummyknowsbest is in herts - though not sure which part

You pay a quarterly membership fee and a booking fee for each booking to the agency

You pay the sitter in cash, it's a 4 hr minimum

We've only had one person I wasn't happy with (not related to childcare)

We use sitters too. Good rates. Always been impressed.

Thank you for these I'll check them out.

Sitters are the most well known national agency I feel. Families I babysit for use Sitters when I can't babysit myself.
With regard to their fees, I did a comparison of Sitters v NannyNick - Sitters can be cheaper than using a local nanny or more expensive... really depends on how often you use them and how long you go out.
The plus point about Sitters is that you contact them and they supply you with someone, simple as that. A negative point is that you may not get the same person each time you want a babysitter (though I believe you can request your favourite). If this is a one off booking and you decide to use an agency which charges Membership Fees, remember to cancel your membership subscription after the babysitting evening.

Parents who use my service have told me that when they use Sitters, they aim to have the children in bed by the time the sitter arrives... where as with me, they leave the children awake. Think I may get the raw deal there

In your particular circumstances, your main issue I feel is a lack of time. Join Sitters (click the banner advert that appears on Mumsnet from time to time, or this link which I hope will give Mumsnet the advert credit) and then with luck they will send you someone suitable - probably someone local who is a Childminder or Nanny.

MKB is st albans direction. You could try the mn local site, there may be something on that.

Im one... and im ok (I promise) (although i may be biased?)

am with sitters... but saying that the pay is so rubbish i very very rarely actually sit for sitters!

I would recommend looking at the babysitters thread I started on here there are lots of nannies and childminders listed on there who will come and babysit for you with their rates and times available and the areas they cover.

I am in Herts (St Albans) as some of the lovely people here have already told you but I am already busy Tuesday - sorry.

Nanny Job has lots of herts nannies - perhaps one of them will be free to babysit for you.

I am in Herts too (Hertford) and can do Tuesday. I too get work with sitters and safehands, but very rarely babysit for either as pay is very low and usually get a text on the day of babysitting being needed and with my own young family we often have things planned!

Don't use Sitters if you have a special needs child, Sitters discriminate against Special needs children and won't accept a child over the age of 4/5 years still in nappies.
They also refused to send a sitter for an old boss of mine because her DC has food allergies and can get Diarrhea.
Another was refused on the basis her child had nut allergies.

sleepyeyes these tend to be the families i get contacting me to babysit as a qualified childrens nurse get lots of families with children with additional needs such as nut allergies, epilepsy, heart conditions, prem babies etc.

sleepyeyes - I read on here a while back that some parents with children who have special needs, just didn't tell Sitters!
Unlike Sitters, many nannies will care for children with various special needs. I quite often care for children with dx (and non dx) Autistic Spectrum Disorders.

im with sitters.

I couldnt care less if a 5 year old wore nappies or had special needs or nut allergies or anything else. It has never been mentioned to me as a sitters sitter, and i wouldnt even think of being bothered by it if i was asked to sit for a child with allergies / nappies etc!