Babysitterdirectory.com.au is a unique online community in Australia providing a way for parents to connect with babysitters and nannies. Parents can perform a postcode search and if they do not see a suitable profile of a babysitter or nanny they can post a job ad. Babysitters and nannies can upload their profile and sign up for Job Alerts, alerting them to when a job matching their preferences has been posted on the site. All services are available at no charge.
“For many families child care is a massive juggling act and for those parents who decide to use in home based care through a nanny or casual babysitting for example the key question becomes how to locate those babysitters and nannies in the first place,” says Nolan. “And not only how to locate them but how to locate them affordably without paying some ‘middle man’ a fee. Babysitterdirectory can assist with this.”
Nolan’s professional training in community development and her later experience working with some prominent websites in Australia as a website producer has given her a competitive edge on elements needed in building a successful online community. However it was her experience as a parent looking for a babysitter that has always a key reference point for her in deciding what Babysitterdirectory needed to offer.
A COST EFFECTIVE WAY TO LOCATE A BABYSITTER OR NANNY
Nolan says that the idea for Babysitterdirectory came about last year when she went looking for a babysitter online.
“ When I did a search for babysitters all l came up with were websites that charged subscription fees to parents just to view the details of the babysitter or nanny. It was ridiculous,”
NOT A CHILDCARE AGENCY
Nolan says that www.babysitterdirectory.com.au is for parents who want to access quality childcare in their home but for various reasons are unable to or reluctant to use childcare agencies to locate the nanny or babysitter for them.
“Parents are made aware than when they contact a babysitter or nanny on the site they will need to check references and screen the babysitter themselves as we are not a childcare agency,” says Nolan.
CONNECTING PARENTS DIRECTLY WITH BABYSITTERS AND NANNIES
“We provide a way for parents to connect with babysitters and nannies. Parents can perform a postcode search and if they don’t see a suitable profile of a babysitter or nanny they can post a job ad for free. Babysitters and nannies can upload their profile at no charge as well as sign up for Job Alerts, alerting them to when a job matching their preferences has been posted on the site,” says Nolan.
“I think there’s been a gap in childcare information in Australia that we have sought to fill with this online community. Our hope now is that the parents and babysitters and nannies agree,” says Nolan.
