FAQ's for Parents

What do we do?

SureSitter was founded by parents, for parents, to help make it easy for you to find childcare that others in your community know, trust and use.

The first thing to say is that we’re not a babysitting or nanny agency, but a marketplace, with the aim of giving all of us as parents the ability to view, review and make choices about the childcare options available to us.

We are not a childcare agency. We do not personally meet or vet the caregivers on our platform. Instead we provide parents with the tools and connections to help find the best caregivers that will work for you and your family.

How do I sign-up to SureSitter as a parent?

Signing up is really simple.  Click on this link. You will then receive an email asking you to confirm your account. You must confirm your account before your profile will be live onSureSitter.

I have registered so how do I find a childminder or babysitter?

You can then post a job for a childminder, nanny, babysitter or au pair. Your job post should include details of the role and the type of carer you think would be suitable. It's free to post a job. You can also search for caregivers in your area using our Search Sitters tool

Once you have published your job it will be posted on the jobs board. Childminders/babysitters will be able to see open jobs here and apply if they are interested. Parents can also search through smart matched carers, view their profiles and invite them to apply for the job.

When there are interested sitters that you wish to connect with or if you want to send messages directly to caregivers then you simply pay and receive their contact details.

How much does it cost?

It’s FREE to post a job and review childminder profiles. You only pay when you find suitable carers that you want to connect with. We offer a number of options to suit all families. This includes a one-off, no-commitment option of 3 months full access or a monthly subscription option, which can be cancelled at any time. See our pricing page for further details. Also included in the annual subscription is Garda vetting on request. See our Garda vetting page for more details.

SureSitter does not set the rates of pay for childminders and babysitters. Parents and childminders agree on this together once we have made the introductions.

How do you match me with a suitable childminder or nanny?

Our smart matching system reviews your requirements against childminder profiles. Based on location, job type/availability (eg.after-school care) and then other requirements you will see first the most suitable carers. This makes it easier for parents when looking through profiles as they will see the best matches first.

Garda Vetting

We are registered with An Garda Siochana to process Garda vetting on behalf of our members. If caregivers are garda vetted by SureSitter then they will have a “Garda Vetted by SureSitter” badge on their profile. 

Caregivers may have been garda vetted by other organisations. If that is the case then it is up to the parents to check this certificate. We always recommend that you ask all potential caregivers for a copy of their garda vetting cert before you employ them to mind your children.

We can Garda vet any applicant for you. Please see our Garda Vetting page for more details.

Are the carers background checked?

Trust is at the heart of our platform. As parents ourselves of small children we understand how important it is to find a trusted childminder or nanny. We do not carry out background checks. We recommend that you check all employment history, references, immigration and visa status so you can be sure that you are making the most informed decision possible.

We provide parents with the tools necessary to enable you to find the right caregiver for you and your family.

We also carry out ID-verification checks. This provides you with an additional layer of trust. If a sitter has been ID-verified you will see the following badge on their profile. We do this by working with the 3rd party providers used by some of the world’s biggest financial institutions and marketplaces like us.

If the caregiver has been Garda vetted then this will be noted on their profile. It is up to parents to check this.

What happens when I find the perfect childminder?

Once you are happy that you have found a childminder and do not want to receive any more applicants, go into your jobs dashboard and archive your job. This will mean that your job no longer shows on the Jobs Board.

If I archive my job does this automatically cancel my subscription?

No, if you archive your job your subscription will stay active until you cancel it in the Account Settings page. You can continue to post unlimited jobs until you cancel your subscription.

How do I change my membership plan?

You can upgrade or downgrade your plan at any stage in the Account Settings page of your dashboard. Scroll down to the Your Subscription section where you can amend your plan.

How do I close my account?

You can cancel your membership at any time and downgrade to an unpaid plan. You can do this in your Account Settings page.

If you wish to permanently close your account you can do so in your account settings page.

When you close your account we delete all of your data. This means we will not have a record of your prior jobs or applicants to your jobs should you wish to get those details back in the future.

What's the difference between cancelling my membership and closing my account?

Cancelling your membership stops your membership payments. You will still have full access to your account and you will continue to be able to post jobs and search for sitters without being charged. If you would no longer like to be charged for membership but would like to continue having access to your account, this is the best option.

Closing your account deletes all of your details and means you will no longer be able to use or access SureSitter.

Should I leave a review for a childminder or babysitter?

Yes! Carer reviews are extremely important. Word of mouth recommendations from other parents provide an invaluable level of trust and comfort. If you leave a review then your friends will see this and are more likely to book that carer.

What should I think about when meeting a childminder for the first time?

You should consider meeting in a public place for the first time – for both yours and the childminder's safety.

Be sure to ask for references from previous jobs and to check these later with the referee. Talk through your expectations with the childminder to make sure you are both on the same page eg. are you expecting the childminder to prepare meals. Discuss the hours that you need childcare for and if you need flexibility with regard to these.

It's better to talk through exactly what you need at the beginning so that don't run into issues at a later stage.

How do I change my password?

You can change your password at any time. Log in to your dashboard and go to your Account Settings page where you can change your password. Then click Update Password.

Who is behind SureSitter?

SureSitter was founded by Sinead and Paula, two Irish workings Mums who struggled to find suitable childcare. The business is backed by a great team of advisors, parents, and childminders whose ultimate goal is to create the best experience possible for parents and carers. Here is some information About Us.

Where does SureSitter operate?

We operate nationwide throughout Ireland.