A babysitter looks after children of any age in the family home usually for a short time.
Most babysitters are friends or relatives who baby-sit as a favour whilst parents enjoy an evening out or have to work late, etc.
Some babysitters are local teenagers who like to look after children whilst earning some extra money. If you have any friends with children, they might be able to recommend a babysitter to you.
Safety checks
It is up to you to choose a babysitter whom you trust to look after your children, as they are not registered with Ofsted. Choose carefully, particularly if the babysitter is under 16 years of age.
Prices
This is up to you and the babysitter and should be agreed before they start babysitting.
Choosing a babysitter
Remember that you are leaving your child and your home in the care of the babysitter, so make sure you can trust them. You should consider:
- How much do you know about them? If they have any references make sure you check them.
- Are they mature enough to look after young children?
- Could they cope in an emergency situation?
- How would the babysitter enforce house rules such as your child’s bedtime, the snacks they can eat and the TV programmes they can watch?
- Would they respects your wishes regarding having friends at the house and consuming alcohol whilst they are babysitting?
- Make sure your child has met the babysitter and that they are happy and comfortable being looked after by them.
When you hire the babysitter:
- Make sure they have your contact details and any emergency contact details
- Make sure they know if your child has any allergies or medical conditions, etc
- Make sure they can get home safely, especially if they are a teenage babysitter. You can order them a taxi from a reputable company and ask the babysitter to ring you when they arrive home.
Finding a babysitter
If a family member or friend cannot baby-sit for you, there may be advertisements in the local press or shops.
Also, we have a list of registered childminders who are willing to baby-sit and also a nanny agencies list. You can contact us for copies of these lists.
Contact us:
Families Information Service
2nd floor, New Town House
Buttermarket Street Warrington, WA1 2NJ
Tel: 01925 443131
Email: fis@warrington.gov.uk