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| Babysitting to supplement your income
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As a qualified and experienced early childhood education and care provider you have a special opportunity to build trust and connections with the children you look after on a daily basis. The relationship between families and carers can grow very strong over the years and may lead to an offer of babysitting after hours or over the weekend.
If you have the capacity to do some additional babysitting or nannying on top of your usual work, it is an excellent way to supplement the income you earn from your position with a service and is likely to be a lot less strenuous than caring for a group of children.
If you are offered babysitting or nannying work outside your usual employment arrangement and are keen to give it a go, it is worth keeping the following points in mind to maximise your chances of success:
Know the rules
Some early childhood services have strict rules which prevent staff from undertaking paid babysitting work above and beyond their usual employment. This may be due to concerns about insurance or conflicts of interest or more simply that it could be considered unfair to other staff members. Whatever the reason, if there is a policy in place preventing you from accepting paid work from parents then be sure to abide by the rules and politely explain to the parents that you appreciate their offer but are unable to accept.
If necessary refer the parents to the relevant policy or information so they understand the reason why you can't accept the work.
Even if there is no written policy in place which explicitly prohibits a staff member from accepting babysitting work, it is worthwhile discussing the situation and offer of work with your boss to ensure they approve of the arrangement.
Set the guidelines
If you have the capacity and are interested in occasionally working for a family as a babysitter or nanny be sure to set the parameters so that the family and children understand what the difference is between the care you provide in the centre and the care you are willing to offer in their home.
If you can only work evenings then be clear, if you are unwilling to do cooking or house hold duties then say it up front. Make sure the family is aware of your philosophy and approach to care, especially if it is different to the style of care offered in the service.
Be sure to outline how much you expect to be paid and what your expectations are if the parents return late. Remember this is a professional arrangement, even if it did arise from a personal relationship, and as such it is important to establish the guidelines from the outset so everyone is clear about how the arrangement will operate on an on-going basis.
As regards pay, be sure to set a rate which accurately reflects your experience and qualifications. As an early childhood education and care provider you have considerably more knowledge and experience than the teenager next door and the rate of pay you charge should reflect this experience. Don’t under sell yourself.
Maintain boundaries
Caring for children in their own home as a nanny or babysitter offers you the opportunity to get to know them in their own environment and may lead to a stronger bond. This bond may feel diluted once you are back in a group care situation where there are many children vying for your attention.
Try not to allow your relationship with the children you babysit for to affect how you interact and relate with the other children you care for when you are at work. If necessary take the time to explain to the children (and parents) that you babysit for that when you are at work you have to look after everyone the same and that may mean playing with and helping other children.
Children are very intuitive and can sense if one person is receiving more attention than another and this could easily lead to professional problems down the track if you are accused of 'favouritism'.
Be professional
Taking care of children in their home is a serious responsibility and requires a strong trust relationship. Be sure to respect this trust, avoid inviting friends/partners over while you are on the job, be restrained about what you take from the kitchen and leave the house as it as when you arrived.
Take care of yourself
Taking on additional child caring responsibilities above and beyond a position in an early childhood education and care centre can be exhausting. Only accept the work if you genuinely have the capacity and energy to do it without it affecting your main job or your responsibilities at home.
Be prepared to say no if the parents consistently come home later than they agreed they would and consider only working on Saturdays to give yourself the opportunity to rest and recuperate during the week. If your additional work has an impact on your day job your performance may be affected which could lead to complications down the track so be very careful about maintaining a healthy balance.
How we can help
If you are keen to do some afterhours babysitting but aren’t permitted to mind the children in your service due to workplace restrictions then consider registering with CareforKids.com.au. Registering as a babysitter, nanny or au pair with us provides access to a network of reputable agencies, which can help you find a new family to work with on the times and days which are most convenient to you.
Visit the CareforKids.com.au website for more info and to register.
Reference
Babysitting children outside work
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