Sitters Services: Anybody used them?

[TallulahToo]

We are desperately short of babysitting volunteers and I have heard of one or two sitting services / agencies. Anybody tried them? Were they OK? Did you feel secure leaving your little ones with them? Were police checks & references ok? Am I right to consider using them for the occasional night out with DH (which really is rare but very much needed)?

Yup, Sitters, it's fine - they use people with quals so childminders/teachers. One of my friends is a teacher (but currently a SAHM) who works for them.

We use a service which is run from a ggod nursery. All sitters are CAB checked and it has very strict rules with regards contact etc.
We couldnt have a social life without them.

It's the thought of trusting strangers with my two and my home within a very short time of meeting them. We've never even used a kids club on holiday before. BUT don't have family readily available and it's my DH birthday next week AND I also have a funeral to go to which I'm not sure my DS should go to. It's never really been an issue before but we need something ready for a back-up plan for future too.

Tallulah- i've thought about sitters too, but not sure what to do. Like you, no family around. We did speak to the local college - childcare tutor, and had one girl, who was nice, but she livd a long way away, didn't drive, then at the end of the evening had to wait for her dad ( who had stayed in town) to come and collect her. she didn't want a lift.
So thought about sitters, but you have to pay so much each month as well as booking fee and amount for sitter!
We desperately need some time to go out.

for a short time I signed up with Safehands, but they could only confirm a babysitter the day before required and then the second time I tried to use them they let me down at lunch time on the day. So I have stopped using them.
Nursery is now my best source of sitters, not that I have used one yet.

I use sitters
cheaper than the gym creche girls

One of my best friends works for them. She has 4 dcs, is well-educated, churchy (but not in a preachy way) and totally totally honest and trustworthy. I was one of her referees and the agency phoned me up to verify what I'd said. I think they try and have all their employees of that kind of calibre, so I wouldn't have any personal worries about using them, no.

Good luck!

we use sitters quite a lot. They are all CRB checked and all either have kids/work in childcare.

They are great as they allow us to have a social life! If you find a sitter you particularly like you can request them the next time.

It does feel very wierd to leave your child with a stranger the first couple of times you use them though

I use them a lot. As snechie says, once you've found one you like you can request them.

I still have that queasy feeling walking out the door: 'I'm free!!/oh my god, complete stranger looking after my children/I'm free!!'

repeat ad infinitim until at hairdressers or in bar.

Thanks for the reassurance all.

WBF - Exactly how I'm thinking! How long have you been using them for? Do you get the same person every time?

School nursery not an option for possible minder AND previous nursery girls were very expensive as they were so much in demand.

I checked Sitters site. Price seems very reasonable & actually cheaper than I had imagined. Are there any other similar organisations that I can also check out so that I have something to compare Sitters with? Any other suggestions on how I and my DH can be reassured it'll be ok?

I have used anything similar to compare. I used to use Childminders, then they were swallowed up by Sitters and tbh it became a little bit more impersonal -- but the girls are still great and I haven't had a bad experience.

But do be aware that they charge a booking fee for each separate session - so if I need to book someone over a week, I get charged 5 separate booking fees, even though it's the same person

We use Sitters. The first lady they sent was lovely. 4 kids of her own. Nanny qualifications. Very friendly and nice. We have asked for her each time since and always got her.

However, my DD is only 20 months and we don't go out 'til after she is asleep. I might feel less comfotable about leaving her with a stranger if she was awake when they were here.

reassurance is good, will also look into it more.

Have used Sitters a lot and all the babysitters have been very experienced and/or qualified.

I've used Sitters for a few years now and all their people have been fine without exception.

www.findababysitter.com

you could try this site to see if there are any local babysitters

Never used Sitters, but have used an agency which charged me £75 to join, £13 each time I book a babysitter through them and then around £9 an hour which I pay directly in cash to the babysitter. They are all meant to be CRB checked, etc. (but just take their word for this).

Haven't been too impressed by any of the babysitters they sent and have since used the childminder who lives across the road who only charges £6.50 an hour. Plus I know she's okay with children because I have spent a good few hours spying on her out of the window b4 approaching her to babysit.

I put an add on gumtree and got loads of replies. Some were clearly very unsuitable, but there were loads with extensive childcare experience. I interviewed, checked references etc as I would when employing a nanny. She spent time with us in the house with DD so we could all get to know her before we left them alone. She is now our regular baby sitter. I guess its only worth doing if you know you will be using someone fairly often - we go out together about once a week.

Now that's a very good idea Millie. I go out a lot too and my babysitter isn't always available.
Did you CRB check the successful candidate, and if so, how did you go about it?

I've used them in the past they're good imo. A friend of my step sisters was the first one they sent me and she told me they're very rigourous in the application process, they only take registered childminders or nannies etc.