how do I find an ad hoc daytime babysitter

[curableromantic]

We just moved to London. DS is 8 months and where we lived previously I paid an hourly rate for someone we liked and trusted to look after him while I worked away from home or really needed to get stuff done - only occasionally, perhaps three days a month.
I have to go away on tomorrow and don't know anyone here I can ask. DP will be around but working/going to uni so they won't be completely on their own with him.

Is there a good agency or list anyone can recommend?

Whereabouts in London are you?

Netmums, Gumtree, your local post office/newspaper - all may have people advertising.

Various agencies will place temp nannies but you won't be guaranteed the same person each time.

Malovitt, I'm in Islington.

It's just one and a half days - I don't usually need childcare.

I've looked on gumtree and had one reply - she's going to come round and meet us later. But she can only do tomorrow and I need someone Thursday morning too.

I feel uncomfortable using somebody I don't know which is why I wondered about a more formal agency agreement.

There's an agency called Hopes and Dreams in Islington. We used them to get a nanny to babysit DD when she was much younger and I had no one I felt I could trust. We had two nannies from them - both very professional.
It's v expensive though - £75 to register and then I think it was about £9/hour which you pay to nanny directly in cash.

I'm a cm in Camden, and deliberately just have part-timers/term-time only so have a fair bit of time free. I do quite a bit of ad-hoc short notice care, mostly mums wanting to go running on the Heath or to the gym/cinema for a few hours here and there or odd 'getting things done' days.

I'm away this week though or I would have offered!

If you are desperate, I am a well known childminder on here, I could help you out as I am on half term. I am very good with babies!

Alibubbles are you available Wednesday (tomorrow) 10-6 and Thursday 10 - 2?

curableromantic, I am so sorry that I didn't see your response as I have been out all day. I did check my email on my iphone to see if you had sent a CAT message.

I hope you have got something sorted out, I would loved to have helped you out, even at really short notice but I am now out for the day.- Sorry!

No problem alibubbles, I went with hopes and dreams agency, they've been great. It was a bit expensive but they sent someone very nice. DP is around for most of the time so she's not on her own and apparently DS is thrilled to have someone whose sole agenda is to play with him!

I also found someone on childcare.co.uk who came round to meet us and we think she's really great.