How much does findasitter cost?
- Membership is FREE FROM 1 FEBRUARY 2010
What happens when I register?
- We send you an email confirming your registration and once you click on the link, your registration becomes active (you might want to add info@findasitter.co.uk to your contacts list)
- You can do a trial postcode search to see how many babysitters are registered in your area
- You can post a job advert, perhaps if you want someone with very special skills or for a particular job. To contact respondents to your advert you need to become a member.
What happens when I become a member?
- You will be sent an e-mail. All you have to do is click on the link provided to confirm your membership and you will automatically become an active findasitter member
- You can then contact as many potential sitters for a personal interview as you like.
What are the benefits of becoming a member?
- You can contact as many sitters as you want, when you want, 24 hours a day without going through an agency.
- The directory is updated daily with new babysitters registering every day.
- You can contact an unlimited number of babysitters while your membership is active
- You can also use findasitter to find a babysitter if you are going away in the UK, perhaps on holiday or to visit friends and family
- Findasitter is a national service across the whole of the UK
- You can post a job advert, perhaps if you want someone with very special skills, only members can make contact with respondents to adverts
But please don’t join unless there are babysitters in your area. If you register and don’t find any sitters in your area let me know and I will do my best to get babysitters where you live to sign up.
How do I select the right babysitter?
- Use the new full search option. In this option you can search the sitter information on your postcode and specific criteria
- Be choosy if you have specific requirements, like CRB or be experienced in looking after twins perhaps.
- Interview and check references
- Have the babysitter do a trial hour when you are there to see how they fit in with your family
How do I know if a babysitter is right for me?
- As an potential employer, you should interview and check out the babysitters who seem to fit what you need.
- Always ask to see CRB (or police checks), first aid certificates, references, and anything else that is important to you.
- Always choose a few babysitters to check out and always meet and get to know any babysitter before you arrange for them to look after your children for the first time. This is your opportunity to see if it will work out and to test how well you get on with them. Remember, they are looking after your precious children. Are they friendly towards your children? Do your children like them? What are their views on television and bedtimes? Check the blog for more tips.
How does a babysitter contact me?
- Once you have made your selection, you will be able to contact the babysitters via an e-mail link in which you can put your relevant contact information or make contact via text or telephone call. Remember that most of our babysitters will carry their mobile around with them so texting/calling their mobile will be the fastest way of getting in touch.
- You might want to tell the babysitter about: the type of sitting you need, how many children you have, your pets, special requirements, etc. The sitter will then reply and you can make arrangements for an interview.
- If you find that there are no babysitters registered in your area, please let me know and I will do my best to get babysitters where you live to register. Please, DO NOT become a member of findasitter until there are babysitters in your area. I am happy to let you notify you by email when there are babysitters in your area.
Perhaps you have friends or family who might be interested in babysitting? Don’t forget this is a great way for them to advertise their services and it is free for babysitters to register. You can help me by printing off our poster and putting it up around your local area (in cafes, libraries, doctors’ surgeries perhaps).
What is babysitting?
- Babysitting is a term used for evening care of babies, newborn babies, toddlers, children, and younger teenagers.
- Babysitters are people who enjoy spending time with children who work as a babysitter generally to supplement their other income. They come in all shapes and sizes from the teenager who lives next door, mums and grandparents looking to earn a bit extra, to highly trained and qualified individuals who work in a regular day job in child care or education.
- Babysitting is usually seen as occasional or more regular evening childcare. Your own personal preference is always important in your decision of whom you choose to use.
What is the difference between a babysitter and a nanny or childminder?
- A nanny is trained and qualified to care for all ages of children in the parents’ own home, performing all the child care duties a parent would be doing; feeding, playing, bathing, cleaning, taking them to playgroups, to and from activities, some shopping and meal preparation
- A childminder is someone who works with children in their home, very often around the needs of their own household and family. Childminders have to be registered and are regularly inspected
- A babysitter looks after your children while you are out - usually in the evening or at weekends - so that you can socialise, have a meal, visit friends or do the odd evening meeting. Basically a babysitter helps you keep or rediscover a social life and maybe your sanity too!
Nannies,childminders and babysitters can all be great and each can provide excellent child care for your child. I have used each for day time childcare and evening babysitting and had fantastic experiences with both, remaining firm friends with many.
What is an approved carer/sitter?
- Someone who works with children and who has been have been checked and met basic criteria as a childcarer. This means that they are not unsuitable to care for children and have some understanding of their needs and what to do in an emergency.
- By using an approved carer you may be able to access financial support through the childcare element of the Working Tax Credit or through employer supported childcare.
How much does a babysitter cost?
This depends on all sorts of things which is why findasitter doesn’t set a rate. In the area in which I live, the going rate is about £5 - £7 an hour. For weekends or Christmas it might be more. When there’s more than 1 child, an extra £1 or 50p an hour might be normal. For children with disabilities the rate will be a little higher. It depends on things like:
- The age of your babysitter
- The distance your babysitter has to travel
- The number of children you have (and the closeness of their age)
- How many hours you need
- The experience of the babysitter
- Whether your children have any disabilities
- How many babysitters there are in your area
which is why the babysitters on findasitter say what they would like to be paid as a starting point for negotiations. Always agree the hourly rate before booking a babysitter and findasitter suggests that you round it up to the next half hour, so for example if you have agreed £6 an hour and go out at 7.30 and get back at 10.45 you’d pay £21- three and a half hours’ pay.
How does feedback work?
- You can give a feedback rating and write a comment about the babysitters you use.
- This is averaged out to give each babysitter an overall star rating.
