Community Standards

Community Standards

Guidelines for our Community

Babysits is an online childcare platform, meaning that our babysitters and parents will be in contact with one another. As such, we have created guidelines that we recommend all of our babysitters and parents to adhere to. These guidelines are created to maintain the trustworthiness and reliability of the Babysits community, so that babysitters and parents are more likely to have a great experience.

For babysitters, it is important to keep in mind that every family is different. Not all of the children that you babysit will be the same age and the rules and ways of doing things for each family will also be different. Therefore, it is important to respect these differences and try to adapt your babysitting to each family to provide the best service possible. Above all, we ask that babysitters give the best care that they can to the children that they are minding.

For parents, it is important to keep in mind that each babysitter is different and has different expectations. They may expect different working hours, different tasks, or differing levels of pay. Therefore, it is important that you get to know and clearly communicate your expectations with the babysitter, before you have them babysit for your children. We ask that parents always treat the babysitters respectfully and professionally.

For your own safety and protection, only pay and communicate through Babysits. Never share personal information like ID documents and bank details with someone you have never met. Learn more

Disclaimer

Parents and babysitters are responsible for screening, interviewing, and making their ultimate choice. This document contains guidelines for behavior. Babysits cannot accept responsibility for platform members or their actions. To read more about trust and safety on Babysits please visit our Trust and Safety page.

Trust & Safety

Babysits reserves the right to deny access to members who violate our community standards or terms and conditions.

Section 1: Babysitter Guidelines

General Guidelines

  • The babysitter is to honestly and accurately represent themselves, their certifications, and their qualifications.
  • The babysitter is not to communicate in a discriminatory manner based on appearance, race, ethnicity, religion, gender, culture, or that can in any way be interpreted as violent, harmful or inappropriate. However, this list is not intended to be exhaustive.
  • When a babysitter agrees to babysit for a family, the babysitter is to be fully responsible for the children in his or her care.
  • The babysitter is to follow the parents’ instructions with regards to the babysitting job (e.g. house rules, playtime, bedtime).
  • The babysitter is to contact the parents when he or she is unsure about how to handle a certain situation involving the children in their care (e.g. giving medication, putting a child to bed, etc.).
  • In case that the babysitter has to (unexpectedly) cancel an upcoming babysitting job, the babysitter is to try to let the parents know at least 24 hours before the start of the babysitting job.
  • The babysitter is never to threaten or blackmail the parents, or children in their care.
  • The babysitter is never to take anything from the home that is not theirs.

Before Babysitting

  • The babysitter is to discuss, with the parents, and be prepared to deal with any specific needs of the children.
  • The babysitter is to vet and speak to the parents, in advance, to ensure their own safety.
  • The babysitter is to arrive at the agreed upon time for the babysitting job.
  • The babysitter is to let the parents know well in advance if he or she is running late or off schedule and if they will not be able to make the start time.
  • The babysitter is to dress appropriately for the babysitting job (e.g. no clothing featuring cuss words or inappropriate images).
  • The babysitter is to ask the parent upon arrival if they have any expectations for the babysitter outside of the childcare role (eg. cleaning, cooking, or answering the phone).

Whilst Babysitting

  • The babysitter is to assume full responsibility for the children under his or her care for the duration of the babysitting job.
  • The babysitter will not, under any circumstances, resort to using physical or verbal punishments on the children in their care (e.g. grabbing, hitting, shouting, shaking, swearing, etc.).
  • The babysitter is to contact the parents as soon as possible when problems arise that the babysitter cannot handle by him or herself.
  • The babysitter is to call the emergency services in case of an emergency when the parents are unreachable.
  • The babysitter is not to open the door to strangers (that is, anyone that the parents haven’t explicitly approved).
  • The babysitter is not to invite other people into the house during the babysitting job, unless the parents give permission to do so.
  • The babysitter is not to consume alcohol, take drugs or engage in other harmful behaviors that will affect his or her ability to properly care for the children.
  • The babysitter is to return the house in the same condition as he or she found it in upon beginning the babysitting job.

After Babysitting

  • The babysitter is to be honest to the parents about how the children behaved during the babysitting job.
  • The babysitter is to notify the parents of any items damaged or broken during the babysitting job.
  • The babysitter will expect to be paid what was agreed upon beforehand.
  • The babysitter is to relay any complaints about the job to the parents, within a reasonable amount of time.
  • The babysitter is to let Babysits know if the parents themselves behaved inappropriately or unreasonably towards him or her.
  • The babysitter is to write a review for the family, to help other babysitters on the platform.

Section 2: Parent Guidelines

  • The parent is to honestly and accurately represent themselves, the job, and the job requirements.
  • The parent is not to communicate in a discriminatory manner based on appearance, race, ethnicity, religion, gender, culture, or that can in any way be interpreted as violent, harmful or inappropriate. However, this list is not intended to be exhaustive.
  • The parent is to set clear instructions and expectations for the babysitter (e.g. house rules, playtime, bedtime).
  • The parent is to tell the babysitter if they have any expectations for them outside of the childcare role (eg. cleaning, cooking, or answering the phone).
  • The parent is never to endanger, threaten, or physically harm the babysitter.
  • In case that the parent has to (unexpectedly) cancel an upcoming babysitting job, the parent is to try to let the babysitter know at least 24 hours before the start of the babysitting job.
  • The parent is to provide a list of contact details (phone numbers, emergency contact details), details of sleeping schedules and any possible medications.
  • The parent is to update the babysitter if they are running late. In case of emergencies, the parent is to try to be reachable by the babysitter, or is to provide an alternative contact who the babysitter can reach.
  • The parent is to pay the babysitter the amount agreed upon beforehand.
  • The parent is to relay any complaints about the job performance to the babysitter, within a reasonable amount of time.
  • The parent is to let Babysits know if the babysitter behaved inappropriately during the job.
  • The parent is to write a review for the babysitter, to help other parents on the platform.

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