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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:
dreamer24 · 06/01/2025 08:43

I also wouldn't pay a 15 year old £11 ph when I could book DC into Ofsted approved after school club for 2 hours for £6.50, including a snack and a drink. I'd go for that option because 1) it's cheaper, and 2) adults are in charge of my child which would be my preference.

IdaClair · 06/01/2025 08:51

Starting to think my teens need to charge more. They are £5 an hour for babysitting and even then there is a wince and a sharp intake of breath.

Our primary school lets older siblings collect younger on the daily, most of the high school kids swing by the primary to collect younger kids before heading home.

Nurseries not letting kids out for under 18s is bonkers, they do know you can have a baby if you are under 18.

JimHalpertsWife · 06/01/2025 08:51

dreamer24 · 06/01/2025 08:43

I also wouldn't pay a 15 year old £11 ph when I could book DC into Ofsted approved after school club for 2 hours for £6.50, including a snack and a drink. I'd go for that option because 1) it's cheaper, and 2) adults are in charge of my child which would be my preference.

6.50 per child. Per hour. And you have to go and collect them and bring them home.

dreamer24 · 06/01/2025 09:11

@JimHalpertsWife
No, not per hour. That's from 3.15-5.30pm in the after school club near me (north England). Collecting is not an issue, we live 1.5 miles from the school and my work is within the same radius.

Geneticsbunny · 06/01/2025 09:22

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.

I that's only if it is in her own home. If it is in the parents home then it could possibly tip over into being a nanny but that is a while different issue.

My main concern is whether she is self employed or the parents are her employers and that is only because of possible liability if anything were to go wrong. I.e. who needs to buy the insurance?

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