How much do I pay my babysitter?

butler_helen

I'm 23 and when I was 18 I babysat like this for £25 per day- tax free and easy! Offer her £30 to allow for inflation perhaps and assuming this isn't her only income I'd have been pleased

gingernutbizkit

WOW! What a lot of responses already.... thanks all.

Ivrytwr3 I think you have been quite judgemental in your post.

'Quite a long day? She will see the kids more than you!!

Exactly as the poster said above. what you are asking isn't babysitting, it's childminding.

Does this 19 year old not have a life? Kids 0830 - 6:30? She may as well be a mum herself!'

Thank you though to Shellsuit for your support

shellsuit wrote: »

Hang on guys, it might just be for 1 day!

Is it a one off, or will it be a regular thing?

For 1 day, I'd say it was babysitting, but if it was more days then it would be classed as childminding and you'd want to be careful with that.

As it happens I am a foster carer with three children in my care. In two years I have not had them looked after once. She has offered to do this for the day when Mrs Ging and I have a training session that will ultimately benefit us all as a family. I hope to use her in the future once a month for a couple of hours to give me some time with my wife away from the kids. The children have high needs and this has placed a great strain on us as a couple and me as an individual caring for them 24/7. Most foster carer will place their foster children in respite care for 2 weeks per year to have a holiday without them. We have chosen not to do this as we don't think it helps the kids feel a sense of belonging to our family.

Spendless wrote: »

IIRC (unless the rules have changed) it is not childminding if it takes place in child's own home.
Personally I would not go for an exact hour by hour rate (though I'd take it into account for roughly) as what happens if your babysitter arrives a few minutes early or your 10 mins later back than to the exact hour.

Good to know, thanks

fawd1 wrote: »

It may also depend on where you are if you're talking about childminding rates. Where I am the going rate for a childminder is 5.50 an hour. I would think that if you offer her 40-50 pounds for the whole day then she'll be happy. Don't forget that babysitting during the day is a lot harder than babysitting at night when children are usually in bed. She will be working for her money!

She definately will be! £40-50 was what I was thinking too so I think we will put that to her and see what she says.

Thank you for all your support..... apologies if I have been a bit defensive.... to be honest I'm struggling with the idea of anyone else looking after that (although I don't doubt her ability at all and the boys will love it!).

Ging x

Mme.Hibou

Have you spoken to your social worker? Is she CRB checked? Does she need to be?

gingernutbizkit

Yes I've spoken to my social worker and the boys social worker. She's not having them over night and so doesn't have to be CRB checked.

Thanks. Ging x

feelinggood_2

If the kids have high needs, I'd want to pay more than the going rate. That said, I don't feel entirely comfortable with the situation. How much time has she spent with the children? Can you not get respite care, or swap babysitting duties with a fellow foster carer?

mitchaa

I would say £40 as its cash in hand and untaxed.

gingernutbizkit

The situation has been agreed with my fostering agency and the local authority management. It follows all rules and regulations.

I wish I had never posted.

daniel_owen_uk

How about £40 and a gift, even if it's something small like a box of chocs bottle of vino, at least then it's a "here's £40 for doing the the work, and here's a gift as a thankyou" (obviously you wouldn't do this every time, but as a starter for 10).

gingernutbizkit

daniel_owen_uk wrote: »

How about £40 and a gift, even if it's something small like a box of chocs bottle of vino, at least then it's a "here's £40 for doing the the work, and here's a gift as a thankyou" (obviously you wouldn't do this every time, but as a starter for 10).

Sounds like a good idea.
Thanks, Ging

alleycat`

gingernutbizkit,

You are doing a great thing and to continue to do such a thing you need to maintain a good relationship with your partner.

I don't think i could do what you do and i take my hat off to anyone who fosters kids.

As stated by quite a few people £3.50 to £5 an hour is the going rate for a childminder so a value of around 40 to 50 seems more than fair to me.

She's a brave 19 year old though