"Sitters"

[GreatDadinTraining]

Hello
Anyone experience with
www.sitters.co.uk
I feel slightly nervous about leaving the kids with a baby sitter who has not been personally recommended, or who I have never met. On the other hand have had a recommendation for the company. Oh and need a night out!!!
Anyone got any experiences to share?
Thanks!
GDIT

I haven't but a friend of mine used to use them fairly often, mainly for daytime sessions when she had to do stuff to which she couldn't take 2 or 3 v young kids. She was very pleased with the service.

We use them all the time. All the babysitters have been lovely and booking system is very efficient, even at short notice. My DCs have been very happy with them - even asking when are we going out again so that nice lady can come and play with us again!

Not expensive, either.

I would suggest you go for it - you won't regret it.

Been brilliant every time I've used them. Had 3 or 4 different people, all really nice and competent seeming and professional. Usually try and get the same person now as she's local but they have all be great

Go for it and have a good night out

I've used them and been very pleased. They even found me a sitter at 2 hours notice once, and she was fab.

Blimey you lot are quick off the mark!
I was expecting a single reply after a couple of hours.
Thank you very much, that's very reassuring.
The one other report I had was favourable, but it seems kinda counter-intuitive to trust someone you have never met etc.
Anyhow thanks again

We use Sitters. I know what you mean about trusting a stranger with your child without getting used to them, but we booked her for half an hour before we were going to leave, and worst case scenario was that I would stay if it didn't work. In the end, she was great. A full time nanny, but worked in the evenings/weekends for extra money. I had the kids ready for bed, and she read them a story watched Peppa Pig

Oh, and wanted to say that even though you haven't met the sitter, he/she has been vetted and checked out. Having said that, I wouldn't ever leave my kids with someone I wasn't comfortable with, and would trust gut instinct no matter what.

The trusting someone you haven't met is a potential problem, though I expect parents with older children are more likely to go with it as the children can say if they didn't like the person.
Once you have had someone, you can request them in future... if they are available. You may end up having a few different local people who you book via Sitters.

If you use a babysitter quite frequently, they can be a lower cost option then using a local childcarer directly. If you don't go out very often, then it can cost you more.

For example... babysitting 3 Hours per evening, for 6 evenings (not a Satuday night) in a one year period (in GU postcode area)
Sitters would charge:
Minimum Fee (4 Hours x £5.80 per hour) £23.20 multiplied by the number of evenings out (6) giving us £139.20
They then add the Booking Fee (£ 4) multiplied by the number of evenings out (6) giving us £ 24
Then we add the Membership Fee (£ 12.75 per quarter) thus £51 for a year.
This gives us the following calculation: £139.20 plus £24 plus £51 which gives us a grand total of £214.20

In comparison, for evening babysitting I would charge 3 hours @ £8 per hour (£ 24) multiplied by the number of evenings out (6) which gives us a grand total of £144

Why I have used 3 hours in the calculation? Because I have found that parents I typically babysit for only go out for 3 hours, unless they are going into London. So to get most value from Sitters... try to be out as close to the 4 hour minimum period as possible.

Try it for a while, see if you and your children like it. You may find that in your area you have great people doing the babysitting... or you may find your children don't settle with them.

How old are your children? Will they be awake when the sitter arrives... if so, then they could interact with them for a while before going to bed.

I am a 'Sitter' and a registered CM. I was interviewed and had to provide 3 different types of references, so I assume everyone is vetted well.

All the families I sit for are really happy with the service and i've only heard postitive things, so I would say go for it.

I have used them for years and have no complaints at all. We've had sitters from fantastic to absolutely fine and the are all good with the children. We've also used them on occasions in hotels and again been very happy. The main bonus is that you never get let down because if your sitter cancels they'll always replace.

We use them quite a lot, we've only once had a problem in them not being able to find us a sitter. Everyone we have had has been lovely and very capable if DD woke up etc.

We have used them too. Never had a problem. And I love being able to book sitter on line.

Another "we use them all the time" here! And always happy. We once gave them about 5 hours notice and they came up trumps

I use them all the time too.

They are fab.

Have always found us someone. Sitters all very nice but we have had a couple who have not clicked with the kids ..... and we have just asked not to have them again.

Online thing is great. No phoning around trying to have someone who is free. Never being let down at last minute.

Can't recomend them enough.

I don't like to add a negative but feel i need to be honest for the parents.

I am a fully qualified NNEB Nanny with 13yrs in childcare, recently being as a childminder since having my own family. I know i am genuine, trustworthy, honest etc and due to being who i am at the moment have to have CRB etc etc....

Sitters were very, very thorough with my checks etc at the time of registering... in 1999.

Never have i been checked since or asked for an update etc..

I may have slipped through the net, but wonder how many others have too?

Personally i don't babysit through them at the moment due to the short notice not fitting in with my family...like i said i know i am little old me, but its not on is it?

Thanks again all,
Itssocol - thank you. I shall ask them how often they review/update their checks on Sitters....!
I agree with the "gut instinct" thing, and also agree with the comment about potentially just having one of you going out if any concerns.
However I think we'll give it a go.
Cheers all!
GDIT

Can I poll opinion on CRB checks here?

Should all "agency" baby sitters be CRB checked?

I see that Sitters have "about half" checked.

More paranoia

Sorry

Yes, I feel ALL childcarers working for an agency should have been checked - either by the agency or by a regulatory body, such as Ofsted. If relying on the check done by the regulatory body, the registration status of the person I would expect to be checked on a regular - say yearly - basis.

Are sitters really saying that only half their childcarers are CRB checked? Are you sure they don't mean that half are Ofsted Registered, whilst half are not Ofsted Registered thus will have had checks done by the agency rather than Ofsted?

I have used sitters for many years and always been very happy.

It looks like they don't do their own CRB checks. If the Sitters come with CRB check via Offsted then they keep a copy of that, but they don't do CRB checks themselves.

Copy/Paste:

Q: Are all Sitters babysitters police checked?
A: More than half of Sitters babysitters have experience working as a Registered Childminder and would have been cleared through the CRB as part of their OFSTED registration. Nannies working for families have not yet been required to obtain CRB checks and for this reason we are very thorough in following up references with previous employers.

I'm surprised by that. Fortunately more nannies now are Ofsted Registered and from July a new system - www.isa-gov.co.uk - starts to kick in, though don't think the new system becomes law until Nov 2011.

I find the whole idea that if someone has a CRB check in place, they are suitable to look after your kids bonkers. They are a snapshot in time. Would you expect to be able to hire a car based on 'well when I had my licence issued I had no points then?'

Wmmc - agree with you on that one. Thus why the CRB system is being changed to the constantly updated ISA system.
However, knowing someone's criminal background has been checked at some point I feel does help give parents some reassurance. It does not replace other recruitment procedures, such as checking references, checking identity, doing an interview etc.

GDiT - how about making a list of pros and cons of using an agency babysitter v using a local babysitter (teenager, childcare worker, a mum/dad)

WMMC - I also agree completely, however the reality that those who seek to abuse children will do anything to get close access to them, and at least CRB check will weed out the few who have been caught and convicted (although clearly those who have not been detected remain the greater threat).

BUT - I know we're getting off the point - I'm very reassured by the feedback from Sitters, and I'm sure they are fine, and we will use them.

Nannynick - Thanks - I'd much rather have someone who is a child care professional than the local teenager etc - unless we knew and trusted a nice sensible local teenager (we don't) rather than getting one from an ad in the newsagents!

Thank you all again for the comments. However I shall be gently suggesting to sitters they might consider CRB checking all their staff in the future.....!