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Original poster

15 year old - what should she charge?

30 replies

Brandyb · 05/01/2025 22:03

My daughter is 15 and a pretty experienced babysitter (been doing it two or three years, and has looked after her little brother when we go out since she was 11). She has been looking to earn extra pocket money and I've set her up with a mum at my local primary school to pick up her two kids (6 and 10) one day a week, walk them home (about half a mile) and look after them until parents get home at 6.

What might be the going rate for this? We are in South London. She charges £9 an hour for babysitting but I feel this is a more responsible job. £11 hour?

OP posts:
Elizo · 05/01/2025 22:06

£11 seems fine to me.

Inspirationfailure · 05/01/2025 22:16

Suggest £11, and be prepared to negotiate if needed? Yes it’s more effort than evening babysitting but it’s also a regular gig, so if she wants the cash she may want to be a bit flexible if needed.

Rolypolyup · 05/01/2025 22:19

You let an 11 year old be in charge of a younger sibling?

Chowtime · 05/01/2025 22:21

Rolypolyup · 05/01/2025 22:19

You let an 11 year old be in charge of a younger sibling?

I used to be in charge of 2 younger siblings when I was 11. It taught me resilience and independance.

Newmeagain · 05/01/2025 22:23

Isn’t she a bit young to be effectively working as a nanny???

StarDolphins · 05/01/2025 22:23

Rolypolyup · 05/01/2025 22:19

You let an 11 year old be in charge of a younger sibling?

What on earth is wrong with an 11 yo looking after a younger sibling? Builds resilience and I’m sure op trusted the 11 yo.

Mammyloveswine · 05/01/2025 22:37

Most schools won't let 15 year olds collect primary school children..

Nextyearhopes · 05/01/2025 22:39

£11 seems very low for someone who is responsible for collecting the children, walking them home, opening up the house a d probably getting them snacks and supervising them.

NewYearNewDietAgain · 05/01/2025 22:52

Mammyloveswine · 05/01/2025 22:37

Most schools won't let 15 year olds collect primary school children..

Yeah her age may be a problem. My DD at 16 wasn't allowed to collect her 9yo DB from afterschool club. Had to be someone 18+!

stichguru · 05/01/2025 22:56

Just be really careful.

Is your daughter a babysitter? If so she,
a) is looking after the children for less than 3 hours at a time
OR
b) she is looking after the children for more than 3 hours at a time, occasionally, on an an-hoc basis, no more than a handful of times a month.

If these things DON'T apply, she is a childminder. If she is a childminder, she MUST be

  • 18 years old or more
  • Ofsted registered
If she is looking after these children regularly for more than 3 hours, without being Ofsted registered she is an unregister childminder which is illegal, never mind the fact she is too young.
Thatcastlethere · 05/01/2025 23:19

£11-15 an hour seems reasonable to me dependant on the day and time. Probably charge 15 on a Saturday night past 9pm for example. 11 for earlier or weekdays?
11 for older kids and 15 for younger?

JimHalpertsWife · 05/01/2025 23:22

stichguru · 05/01/2025 22:56

Just be really careful.

Is your daughter a babysitter? If so she,
a) is looking after the children for less than 3 hours at a time
OR
b) she is looking after the children for more than 3 hours at a time, occasionally, on an an-hoc basis, no more than a handful of times a month.

If these things DON'T apply, she is a childminder. If she is a childminder, she MUST be

  • 18 years old or more
  • Ofsted registered
If she is looking after these children regularly for more than 3 hours, without being Ofsted registered she is an unregister childminder which is illegal, never mind the fact she is too young.

Well, she isn't a childminder is she if she's taking the children to their home?

FuchsAndMöhr · 05/01/2025 23:24

stichguru · 05/01/2025 22:56

Just be really careful.

Is your daughter a babysitter? If so she,
a) is looking after the children for less than 3 hours at a time
OR
b) she is looking after the children for more than 3 hours at a time, occasionally, on an an-hoc basis, no more than a handful of times a month.

If these things DON'T apply, she is a childminder. If she is a childminder, she MUST be

  • 18 years old or more
  • Ofsted registered
If she is looking after these children regularly for more than 3 hours, without being Ofsted registered she is an unregister childminder which is illegal, never mind the fact she is too young.

A childminder works from their OWN home, not the children’s!

HPandthelastwish · 05/01/2025 23:25

Issues

  • Her age and picking up the children from their school
  • Revision classes she needs to attend on the build up to GCSEs
  • Presumably she doesn't get detentions often if at all but be aware of over zealous supply teachers who give same day detentions which means she can't pick up the boys or contact their parent to pick them up instead.
fairylights79 · 06/01/2025 07:45

She wouldn't have been old enough to pick them up from dc's school when they were there.

CleftChin · 06/01/2025 08:05

I had a similar gig 30 years ago, and was paid 4 quid an hour - so a bit over minimum wage at the time for my age. 11 quid is fine - but a bit stingy - if the kids were difficult I'd ask for a bit more, but I can see that as a day rate it's not bad (mine was a shorter gig than 3-6 - sometimes just 30 mins if the parent had a quick journey home that day)

sunshineandshowers40 · 06/01/2025 08:08

DC's old primary school doesn't allow under 18s to pick up from school.

CleftChin · 06/01/2025 08:12

At our school a responsible 10 year old would be allowed to take their 6 year old sibling home, so this would likely be allowed (but non-UK), and I definitely recall when we were in the UK older siblings (as in secondary school age) took a couple of kids home.

Rolypolyup · 06/01/2025 08:14

There is a huge problem with the 'I did this when I was....and it was fine'
The world is a very different place, the children are different, the problems are different.
Personally I think the whole situation is hugely irresponsible. It's always fine until it isn't. I feel the risks for things to go wrong is too high.

Monstermashermashedthemonster · 06/01/2025 08:16

I don't know about all school but any primary school my children have attended the person collecting needs to be over 18

roses2 · 06/01/2025 08:21

We're in London and secondary school siblings (age 11+) are allowed to collect younger siblings.

I'd go with £10/11/hour. She's 15 so there is no minimum wage and it's nice little pocket money for her.

Our babysitter is a teaching assistant, mid 20s, has a DBS certificate and charges £14.hour which is London Living Wage. He also does homework with them and cooks.

PokerFriedDips · 06/01/2025 08:22

I think £11 is a bit steep for a 15yo when you could get a fully grown adult for not much more. I say this from the point of view of the enploying parent - given a choice between an adult and a 15 yo I would choose the adult if the price was similar. The reason to go for a 15yo, if sufficiently responsible, would be if significantly cheaper. I think the £9ph normal rate sounds reasonable personally but if you really think an uplift is appropriate then £10ph max

kate592 · 06/01/2025 08:32

11 year olds shouldn't be responsible for younger siblings, one of the things made very clear on a fostering course I went on was that children shouldn't feel responsible for their siblings or be taking on a parental role - that's what parents are for. An 11 year old may be old enough and sensible enough to stay at home by themselves for a few hours but they are not old enough to be responsible for a younger child and shouldn't be expected to look after them. Parents need to parent.

pinkroses79 · 06/01/2025 08:36

My eldest picked up his brother from school once or twice when he was about 14 and they let him. However, last term when I was working in a school, a 14 year old tried to pick up his sister and she wasn't allowed to go with him, they wouldn't let her go until a parent came, despite knowing the sibling and them seeming responsible and only living around the corner.

dreamer24 · 06/01/2025 08:38

sunshineandshowers40 · 06/01/2025 08:08

DC's old primary school doesn't allow under 18s to pick up from school.

Came here to say the same. My DD's(3) nursery have only just started to allow my eldest DD (18) to collect her, she turned 18 this year. They wouldn't even let her take her at 17 with my written permission!