In-Home Care/Babysitting
In-home child care, or babysitting, is unlicensed, full- or part-time care provided in your home. You may find someone by using an online child care network, placing an ad online, contacting other colleges or high schools to post a job opportunity, posting notices in your community, and/or contacting outside agencies. The nanny or sitter may commute to your house each day or live in your home, and sometimes in-home arrangements can be made with students in exchange for room and board.
Things to Consider
Using a babysitter or nanny can be convenient and flexible, allowing children to attach to a single provider. It can also mean dependency upon a single person for childcare and isolation for the individual providing the care.
Rates vary according to your needs and the responsibilities of the child care provider. The cost of in-home care is generally between $22.00 and $27.50 per hour, varying by platform and location. Nannies may prefer a salary, and additional costs to you may be incurred through using a nanny or an au pair agency.
The effort and time you put into choosing a babysitter or nanny is very important. You should interview several people, check references, conduct background checks, have the provider spend time with your child while you are present, and, in the end, trust your instincts. Overall, you must ensure you feel comfortable with the person you entrust with your child’s care.
Once You Hire Someone
After you have hired a nanny or babysitter, it is important that you spend enough time explaining your expectations for how they will care for your child. Also, plan unannounced visits so you can assess what is happening when you are not there. Observing your child, both with and without your nanny or babysitter, and ongoing communication with your child care provider will help you determine the success of the care arrangement.
How We Can Help
The Family Resources Office can assist you in making informed decisions by providing you with information to help you conduct your babysitter or nanny search. By providing these resources, the University makes no representations regarding the competence, ability, training, or experience of any babysitter or nanny found through these resources, and it is not responsible for the acts or omissions of any such person. It is solely your responsibility to choose the appropriate person to meet your needs.
Contact Us
If you would like more information about babysitters and in-home care, please complete and submit the Referral Statement Form. When completing this form, please note that you are interested in resources for babysitters and in-home child care. Someone from our office will then contact you to learn more about your specific child care needs and share how we can assist you.