Babysitter vs Nanny

Babysitters, Nannies, Au Pairs and Parents Help. Who does what?

EVERY parent needs help, one way or another. The art and chaos of raising children REALLY requires a helping hand (or five). But what kind of help do you need?

What's the difference between a Babysitter and a Nanny, an Au Pair and a Parents Helper?
 

BABYSITTERS AND MUCH MORE
Babysitters, Nannies, Au Pairs and Parent's Help can all be found here. Each service is slightly different, but all of them have the potential to make your life as a Parent much, much better.

The different job descriptions are expanded on below, which should help if you're uncertain who does what.

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BABYSITTERS
Babysitters look after your kids while you're somewhere else. This is the broadest category of course, and ALL of the other carers (Nannies, Au Pairs and Parents Help) can offer babysitting as well. 

The work may be before school/drop-off, during the day, after schol/pick-up, evenings, weekday or weekends. Basically, it's whenever you need to be somewhere else.
Bookings can be one-off, weekly or school holiday time.
Babysitters can be highly qualified, or students working to help support themselves while they study.
They may be willing to pick up or drop off at school, using their car or yours.
They may have Police Checks or Working With Children certification, or they may be trusted locals who have been babysitting for years.
Rates will vary according to their experience, the locality and the type of job on offer.
PARENT'S HELP
Parent's Help generally assist you with your children while you are there.

They will also generally be willing to help with light household tasks to make your life a little easier.
They could be young people seeking to support themselves through their studies, or anyone who is good around kids and wants a bit of extra income.
Parent's Help is a job description that is fairly new in Australia, but it's a great idea and it's catching on fast.
Bookings can be casual, weekly or school holidays.
They may help with occasional babysitting, or things like picking the kids up from a friend's house.
Rates are similar to, or slightly below Babysitting rates as the job usually entails less responsibility.
 

AU PAIRS
Au Pairs are a fairly new phenomenon in Australia, but it is a job description that's very common in Europe.

An Au Pair generally lives with the family and offers a set number of hours per week.
They are paid by the hour, but simultaneaously pay for their accommodation and board, which provides them with some residual money each week for other living expenses.
Au Pairs will expect to help with the children, but may also help with cooking light meals and running up to the shops every now and then.
Au Pairs are usually young women who are travelling, who love children and who want the opportunity to live with locals, get safe accommodation and some spending money.
They will have their own bedroom and possibly a living space, and will normally join the family for meal times.
They may have child-care qualifications or just babysitting experience.
Au Pair assignments can be anything from 2 months to 2 years, and generally involve a probation period to ensure that everyone is happy.
Traditionally, advertised hourly "rates" for Au Pairs are quite low by comparison with other jobs, but that's because the "rates" actually represent income AFTER costs are taken out. So the real rate of pay will be much higher than the advertised "rate".
The number of hours per week that Au Pairs work can vary from 10 to 40.
NANNIES
Nannies are usually qualified childcare professionals.

Nannies will usually take on the care of the children in a more comprehensive way; assuming the role of a parent, while the actual parents are working.
They will often be employed for a significant number of hours per week, and sometimes for a number of years. They can live-in or live out.
Nannies will usually be more highly qualified, with more checks and references.
Employing a Nanny can involve more formality, usually requiring things like Workers Compensation, PAYG witholding, Public Liability Insurance and Superannuation payments. Your Nanny should be able to advise you regarding what's required.
Rates are usually higher than any other service but this still depends on qualifications, experience and other things like number of kids and location.
GET THE HELP YOU NEED - NOW
Babysitters Now - The perfect place to find Babysitters, Nannies, Au Pairs and Parents Help

You may need a little bit of help on a regular basis, or a lot of help over a short time, or you may just need a babysitter for an occasional Friday evening.

Whatever you need, there are wonderful, capable and reliable people who can help, whenever you need it.
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