What is the UK's babysitter culture like?

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everyoneelsehasadog@reddit

You might have better luck with in house dog sitting. I paid my neighbour's kid to do it once - but the kid charges a fortune so we've not used them again.

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coruptual@reddit (OP)

can i ask how much did the kid charge?

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Wanted £45 to sit in my house with my hound. Whereas my actual insured licensed dog sitter does £33 for an evening overnight at theirs. I get hourly for like a 2-3hour thing but for a whole evening of just hanging out in my living room, it feels a bit much!

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c-e-r-y-s@reddit

I posted ads on my Facebook town voice, with my training (child first aid, DBS etc) and my experience with working with children. I got three responses, two were timewasters. However, one asked for my history, a reference and my DBS and I'm still babysitting for her 1.5 years later! She picks me up and drops me off most of the time. I'm sure if you asked or let them know about your situation, they'd provide a taxi or pick you up. Yes, it's common for people to just have family or family friends, but some people are pretty desperate. I recommend to put an ad on Facebook for your area and surrounding areas. Or search on Facebook to see if anyone's looking for a babysitter.

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coruptual@reddit (OP)

Wow!! this sounds like a big commitment, i was only looking for something till the end of september as i am hopefully going to uni then. Thanks for your insight!

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c-e-r-y-s@reddit

I didn't expect to be doing it for so long, in fact she employed me in January for her shop 😂. Let people know that you're only short time, but it's good to have contacts that you've babysat for. They're good for babysitting in the future and even references.

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GrabbedByTheGhost@reddit

Are public transport servicing rural communities getting worse and worse? Seems to be a recurring complaint which wasn't heard as often a few years ago. Uni seems like the best escape. Ironically as people get older they crave what you're escaping!!

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coruptual@reddit (OP)

i wouldn’t class my area as rural, it’s just for public transport it is horrendous as it is a newish estate and most of the people that move here are affluent young adults, so basically people who have cars. i used to have to walk 25 minutes in the morning just to get to my bus stop to travel 40 minutes to school 😫

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GrabbedByTheGhost@reddit

That's not uncommon. I live in a big town and I used to walk half an hour to a metro to travel 40 minutes to uni. And I was in five days a week for three years. But yeah, uni is your way out.

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coruptual@reddit (OP)

i know, this is probably pampered way of life.. i meant most of my friends now can get a direct bus/tram and i have to take multiple

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GrabbedByTheGhost@reddit

Understandable to feel that way if it's easier for everyone else 👍

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Single-Aardvark9330@reddit

I've never known anyone hire a stranger, it's always family friends and neighbours

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davehemm@reddit

Need to check out Nextdoor app, so many people just straight asking for a random to look after their infant with zero notice, not asking for dbs, references etc. Scary...

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coruptual@reddit (OP)

yeah sounds it , but thanks! i’ll check them out

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ellie___@reddit

No, it definitely happens. Typically the parents will want you to have a DBS check, and to talk to you first to get to know you.

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coruptual@reddit (OP)

yeah this is what i’ve noticed

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coruptual@reddit (OP)

Thanks for the suggestions, i think it is true that the families here would rather ask a family member, unfortunately for me i have 0 family here other than my parents and younger sister. I think ill throw my hat in the ring at a random chain shop in the city.

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ellie___@reddit

Not everyone has family to help, or at least not family who can spare the time. These comments are unnecessarily negative imo. Try to find some babysitting work (word of mouth, Facebook, babysitting websites) and if it doesn't work, try something else. It's simply not true that babysitters don't exist anymore. Reddit isn't always representative of the real world.

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coruptual@reddit (OP)

thank you!! maybe i’ll ask my dad to put some stuff up on the estates facebook page, see if anyone is interested..

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FunkyYoghurt@reddit

You can do it though contacts and friends and maybe of friends (I babysit friend's children a lot and get paid at the pub through drinks) but in reality you'd need an Enhanced DBS if you want to babysit children you don't know and have it as bit of a money earner. Get an Enhanced DBS (preferably Children's Workforce) and then advertise yourself.

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Clearedthetan@reddit

You can’t just request an enhanced DBS in the UK, it has to be through an organisation. If OP were to sign up with a childcare agency they could sort it.

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takhana@reddit

I’m gonna be honest, I don’t mind the idea of using a babysitter, but paying £12.50 per hour on top of what ever activity we’re off to do is what stops us. We now live close enough to family that we don’t need to use one really but when we didn’t we considered it a few times but never pulled the trigger because it was the cost of a meal out and then £50 or more.

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NOFEETPLZXOXO@reddit

I’ve only ever been babysat by neighbours or older neighbourhood kids - maybe if you go to a mums and toddler group you’ll find someone who needs an evening off and you can market it as “evening off services, go get you to the pub” Problem is that household budgets are tight as fuck at the moment - nobody’s gonna have £60 for 6 hours of babysitting if they’re a parent of a young kid and then once the eldest of the kids is 12 the eldest gets babysitting privileges. It’s that 5-11 age gap that you’ll be babysitting for

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thickasabrick89@reddit

We used a teenage babysitter when our daughter was already asleep so basically someone to be in the house with her. She lived down the road and advertised on our street FB group. The other babysitter I'd known for years and she works in a school. My first choice would have been grandparents but they need to be willing. Otherwise we'd never go out ever as a couple and I think that's important for couples relationships

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GlitchingGecko@reddit

20 years ago it was way easier, and you just got by on recommendations from others, but now a lot of people want you to be insured, DBS checked, and have medical training for infants/children. Even dog walkers/sitters need insurance and pet medical training now.

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Amddiffynnydd@reddit

You need a working visa too and paid tax too

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coruptual@reddit (OP)

??? why would i need this im a uk citizen??

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Iamtir3dtoday@reddit

I got into nannying through babysitting but that was 15 years ago now and things have changed a lot. Families trust less and ask for more. I think babysitting is dying out, unless you live in specific areas.

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BarbiePeonies@reddit

My dad worked in an affluent area so I just ended up babysitting a bunch of the neighbours kids People in rich areas are always looking for babysitters

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Short-Shopping3197@reddit

I’ve not been 18 for a long time so I’m not sure how it is now! Dog walking seems like something people do, and I guess retail and pub work was always traditional when I was that age. I think most of the jobs I got were through friends, what kind of things are your mates doing?

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coruptual@reddit (OP)

my friends are mostly all working at mcdonald’s 😅😅. but i live quite far away from them all , i don’t really know any teens in my area, but i think a 30 min bus ride isn’t that bad

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Adventurous_Spot1183@reddit

People either use family/friends/children of friends or one of the nanny for a night services. I don't know anyone in my circle who'd trust a random babysitter.

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coruptual@reddit (OP)

yeah this is completely understandable

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Uhura-hoop@reddit

I’d have loved a local trustworthy babysitter a few years ago. Not everyone has family nearby able to help them out. We just ended up not going out very much. I think there’s definitely a market. If I were you, I’d offer to come over to meet the kids and parents, show them how good you are with the kids, provide a clean DBS, and character references from respectable people (maybe teachers?). I’d have been happy with someone I and the kids felt comfortable with. It does take time to develop trust, so don’t rush the process.

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coruptual@reddit (OP)

Thank you!!! i think i’ll definitely get some of my teachers to write me a character reference, even if im not going into childcare

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crispycat40@reddit

Most parents will want you to have a DBS, insurance, references and a first aid certificate. You could join an agency like childcare.co.uk. When I’ve had a babysitter, I tend to use teachers who are looking for evening work or student teachers if I don’t go via an agency. I wouldn’t have left my baby or toddler with an 18 year old, personally. Now they’re 10+, I’d be more comfortable with someone your age because all they need now is someone to get them to actually do their bedtime routine.

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coruptual@reddit (OP)

yeah i completely understand.. i think babysitting is a slight reach for me...

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crispycat40@reddit

You could work for summer holiday childcare places. There are loads of places that need extra hands when schools are closed. They’d help you get a DBS and it’d be good experience for your CV. If you intend to continue working with children, you can sign up to the DBS update service, which is about £13 a year, and you don’t have to get a new DBS every time you get a new job.

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coruptual@reddit (OP)

i think £13 a year is a little lower than what i was expecting.. jk . But yeah maybe i’ll try like summer camps and stuff thank u for this!!!

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Bowtie327@reddit

I’m in my 20s now but any time my parents needed a babysitter the hierarchy went; Grandparents, Uncle & Aunt who lived a mile away, and on a few occasions, a friend of my older sister who did a project on me for her dissertation when i was a baby and lived close by

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coruptual@reddit (OP)

what was the project about??

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Bowtie327@reddit

Not a clue, but it’s how she introduced herself to me as I didn’t remember her the first time she came. I was 10 last time I saw her and I didn’t care/bother to ask, we just played Mario Kart all night

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DearDegree7610@reddit

Should we talk infant attachment theories and cognitive development or do rainbow road? RAINBOW ROAD RAINBIW ROAD DUH DUH DADAD DUH DUH DADA DUH, DUH DUH DADAD DUH DUH DADA DUH

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LJ161@reddit

I wouldnt use a stranger that isnt a professional child minder with all the relevant courses, ofstead reports and an enhanced DBS check. Its nit really a thing in the UK.

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Voodoopulse@reddit

I'd never use a service, if someone is coming into my house for baby sitting I want to know who they are

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isve99@reddit

if you get a DBS check that you’ll have to pay for, you could ask your neighbours if they are in need of babysitters + show them your clean DBS record and start from there ☺️

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Barry_Chuckle99@reddit

Too many nonces around these days, to bring a strange person in to look after you children.

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FunkyYoghurt@reddit

Yeah...babysitters, nannies, and private tutors literally don't exist.

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peppermint_aero@reddit

Could you ask around people you know on your estate? If it's a fairly small community, someone who knows you will probably trust you.

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