babysitting charges

Raspberry_Swirl

considering the minimum wage is £5.05 only once you're over 21, then paying a 15/16 year old babysitter that amount is not a necessity.
i would've thought that £15 would be about right for a 4 hour evening, if the children are only up for an hour or less.

shops pay less than that for that age and work you much harder.

ruthyjo

£7 an hour near us. Depends how many people locally need the cash I guess.

mentaljessie

I'm paid £7.50 per hour plus mileage during school holidays if we go out. Although I'm a CRB checked nanny. The little boy I look after has special needs and can be a handful, I'm a student nurse and he was my child placement. My friends still in the nursery nursing world all of whom are qualified get upwards of £5.00 ph for babysitting.

LondonDiva

In London, it's about £5-7 cash in hand + lift or transport back home.

I have however, gone to £15 when I felt I could get away with it and £2.50 for a family I really felt needed a break, but didn't know well enough to offer for gratis.

You can charge more if you are 'poached' or reccommended by a family you are working for as people like to have you 'vetted' somehow. If, you're not too troubled by false pride in milking connections (unlike me:(), put the word out with friends & family and in a couple of months, you'll be swamped.

Would reccommend you doing a first aid course through work or something and if you're CRB checked, it's even better.

Sort out price before hand, include some (gratis) time to meet the kids first if you can & check it's not a night they've agreed to host a sleepover for 4 of the little darlings' friends.