How to get professional childcare in an emergency or one off situation

[ParsleyCake]

People have suggested hiring a babysitter off gumtree, but how does this work? Are they professionals? How do you tell they aren't paedophiles lol?

Is there such a thing as a nursery that will look after children overnight in an emergency? For instance, what if you are a single mum and are ill enough to be rushed to hospital and have to stay for a few days?

What do people do when they need a professional child carer on an irregular basis, or in an emergency?

I'm a little concerned because I'm quite cut off from my family, and have no friends to help me. It's not only emergencies I worry about, I also get melancholy because I am NEVER child-free. Sometimes I feel like I have forgotten how to speak to grownups! Sometimes I am invited out by work friends but can't go. I accept this as normal but I feel like other people wouldn't...

I would find a babysitter that you like and trust so you can have the occasional night out and your child gets used to being left. Hopefully they would also be able to help out in a short term emergency.

Haven't used them myself but know of a company called sitters.co.uk that might help. You pay a monthly fee to be a member I recall and then they have a bank of sitters you can have access to. Sometimes, if your child goes to nursery, some of the nursery staff will usually act as babysitters in the evenings.

Yes sitters.co.uk

Contact a nanny agency, they can help verify that the person has suitable experience and carry out a background check (DBS check if you are in England). They do charge though.

Emergency Childcare. Sitters, LikeMinders - they may be of help in providing someone for a one off occasion and you may be able to request the same person each time though that won't be guaranteed.

I would talk to the staff at the nursery and see if any of them want extra money for babysitting. It means you know they are trustworthy and have been checked, plus the added bonus that your DC already knows them