Frequently Asked Questions for Parents

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With hundreds of nannies and babysitters nationwide, www.babysitter.co.cr is here to help! Please read the following information explaining the site in more detail:

Why choose www.babysitter.co.cr?

www.babysitter.co.cr is the largest, most effective and affordable way to find a babysitter or nanny for your family in Costa Rica. We are proud to be the Costa Rican market leader, giving you a quality site with a range of helpful features.

What is www.babysitter.co.cr?

www.babysitter.co.cr is an affordable, efficient online introduction service, helping you find nannies, after-school carers and babysitters. You get two easy ways to find great carers at www.babysitter.co.cr.

1. You can send emails out to carers of your choice from our extensive database online.
2. You can use our Job Postings to attract ideal applicants to you.

It is a simple, thorough and cost-effective way for you to find the perfect babysitter or nanny for your needs!

How does it work?

There are 5 simple steps:

1. JOIN: Join online and you will have access to the detailed profiles of all the babysitters and nannies in your area! You can choose between 3 and 12 months of membership that will allow you to send emails to all the babysitters on the site or post job offers.
2. SEARCH: Enter your province and city and the search page will show the profiles of every nanny in your area. You can narrow down the search by choosing a suburb.
3. SEND: Send emails via the www.babysitter.co.cr site to arrange a meeting or phone call.
4. POST-A-JOB: Once you have your membership we recommend posting your job online to allow candidates to apply to you!
5. SELECT: Do the phone screenings, interview, reference check and select the right person! After the initial introduction through www.babysitter.co.cr, the babysitter or nanny is yours! No 'middle-man' and no ongoing agency overheads.

What will the babysitters’ full profiles show me?

You’ll see the babysitters’ qualifications, experience, skills, hourly rates, drivers’ licenses, first aid qualifications, police checks and references available. You will probably know more about your babysitter than you ever knew about babysitters you’ve used before, giving you peace of mind.

Do you have nannies or after-school carers?

Both! www.babysitter.co.cr offers a wide range of carers including nannies and babysitters. A nanny is an experienced person who provides childcare for a living and may have some professional qualification and training. A babysitter provides occasional evening or weekend care, and may also study or work in another profession.

Can I find a "House Keeper" at www.babysitter.co.cr?

We have surveyed our www.babysitter.co.cr carers and found that the majority (75%) are willing to do some house-keeping as part of their job. We suggest that you state this requirement in your Job Posting and emails to carers, to ensure you find the right match. House-keeping usually covers a range of duties for running a household including light cleaning, washing, ironing and running errands.

How many messages should I send & how long will it take to find a nanny?

It depends on your specific need - some carers are easier to find than others. So to make the most of the site we recommend that you send:
- 6 - 8 messages if you just need a babysitter
- 10 - 20 messages for a nanny or afterschool carer
You may get immediate replies from some nannies, others may respond within 24-72 hours.
If your first round of emails and interviews don't introduce you to the right person, simply send out a second round the following week - there will be more people to choose from and you are likely to succeed within that week. For very unique requests (e.g., unusual hours), you may need to allow an extra week or two. You may also need to consider varying your expectations (perhaps using 2 carers for split shifts before and afterschool). Make the site work for you!

How does the "Job Posting" feature work?

We highly recommend using Job Postings at www.babysitter.co.cr. The www.babysitter.co.cr Job Posting allows interested candidates to send applications to you via email. Your Job Posting can be kept online at www.babysitter.co.cr for the duration of your membership or until you fill the position. Applicants must be registered carers at www.babysitter.co.cr, so this will make sure that the people applying have come through our site review process. This will ensure that you don't receive lots of unsuitable applicants. All applications will be routed through www.babysitter.co.cr to your email, so you can be sure that your personal contact details are kept confidential.

How many babysitters or nannies are available?

We currently have over 400 babysitters and nannies registered at www.babysitter.co.cr. And the list grows daily. So no matter where you live or what you need – we hope to have a match for you and your family.

How do I identify the most updated profiles?

Every nanny profile has a line stating "last login" so you can choose to contact the most up-to-date carer. Your search is also sorted according to the most recently updated. So the first carers on the list are the most up-to-date and available within your suburb.

How is this site different to an agency?

Find a Babysitter is an introduction service – an easy way for you to meet and keep your very own babysitter or nanny. One membership allows you to contact all the sitters in your area directly. You get to select from a range of carers and find the perfect person for your needs. Because we are not an agency, we do not screen or make bookings, nor do we charge you any overheads, commissions, cancellations or other agency fees. Please read our Terms of Use for more information.

Does www.babysitter.co.cr screen the carers?

We are an introduction service only, so we do not do screenings. www.babysitter.co.cr encourages parents to conduct thorough phone screening, interviews and reference checking before scheduling a date. www.babysitter.co.cr provides you with everything you need to make the right choice. Online profiles show which carers have police checks and references available. The carer brings these documents to your interview and shows you first-hand, so you can be certain that the checking is complete. Feel free to conduct an additional background check.

Can I get references and recommendations?

Babysitters are asked to supply references or referees phone numbers to you directly. We recommend that you contact 2 or 3 current or past employers to ask questions.

How are the babysitters and nannies recruited?

Many babysitters and nannies have been recruited from selected courses from reputable universities. Some are students of professional nanny courses, early childhood education, teaching, nursing, midwifery and allied health. Experienced babysitters, nannies and childcare workers have also registered with us through classified print and online advertisements.

Can I find someone with lots of experience?

www.babysitter.co.cr has a broad range of babysitters and nannies available. From experienced nannies who have worked for other families, carers who have worked in childcare centres, to the ‘girl-next-door’ who has babysat for years. So, no matter what level of skill and experience you need, www.babysitter.co.cr has it!

What are the hourly rates? How much should I pay?

Babysitters display their individual hourly rates on the site. You are free to negotiate rates with sitters, keeping market-demand and industry rates in mind. You pay the sitter directly; there is no agency 'middle-man'. During the day expect to pay between $2/hr (few responsibilities) to over $5/hr (or more for experienced nannies). Rates vary according to sitters' experience, the duties required and your location.

Do your babysitters or nannies have other educational or cultural skills?

Our babysitters and nannies have listed a range of wonderful skills and talents on their profiles. Many speak languages (English, French, and Portuguese), play music (guitar, piano), do sport, dance or create art! So you can enrich your child’s care experience by selecting a carer with specific skills!

Will I get value for money?

You will have access to Costa Rica’s #1 Babysitter Directory 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for three or twelve months. Just one membership payment will allow you to access the directory as many times and post as many jobs as you.

What are the membership options?

3-Months Membership: US$49.00

Allows you to email the babysitters via the site for 3 months. You will have every opportunity to find the perfect babysitter over the three months!

12-Months Membership: US$119.00

Allows you to email the babysitters via the site for 12 months. You will have every opportunity to find the perfect babysitter over the twelve months!

How do I pay?

You can pay by credit card, online. We use encryption to keep your credit card details safe. Your credit card details are never stored by www.babysitter.co.cr.

You can pay via bank transfer (Banco Nacional and BAC). We also accept checks and cash at our office in Oficentro La Sabana, Building 6, Floor 1 from Monday to Friday from 8am to 5pm.

What quality control is conducted by your site?

All of the carer profiles are viewed online. Any discrepancies or concerns are followed up by www.babysitter.co.cr staff. Any negative Parent Feedback is checked and acted upon IMMEDIATELY. Feedback is sought from a random sample of site members every 3 months, to ensure that quality standards are maintained. Babysitters who are inactive for a number of weeks are removed from the site, so we ensure the list of www.babysitter.co.cr sitters is as current and accurate as possible. We also ask for parents' help in monitoring quality by using our ratings system to provide feedback.

What can I do if a carer doesn't respond to my email or fails to turn up to an interview?

In an ideal world we would love every carer to reply to all their emails and attend every interview scheduled. We do our very best to set this expectation and prompt them. Many carers do follow through appropriately. Unfortunately, however, there will always be a small percentage of carers who do not.

Are my personal details kept confidential?

Yes. Your initial request goes out via the www.babysitter.co.cr site, so your personal contact details are not shown. Once you wish to make contact with the babysitters or nannies, you may choose to give your details. Until then, all communication goes through the www.babysitter.co.cr site. Please read our privacy policy for more details.

If I am having trouble logging in, what do I do?

After we process your payment, it can take up to 5 minutes for your account to become active. www.babysitter.co.cr will send an email to your inbox the minute your account is ready. You should be able to log in then! If you have forgotten your password, just click the "forgot your password" link located under the log in box. www.babysitter.co.cr will email your password to you immediately.

Am I guaranteed to find a babysitter or nanny?

www.babysitter.co.cr has a database of over 400 carers available across Costa Rica, and the list grows daily! We cannot guarantee that there will be one person to meet your exact needs (particularly for very unusual hours or short notice) within one week - but we expect that you'll find the right person within 2-3 weeks. So we ask that you log in regularly, use the Job Posting and send a good range of emails to make the site work for you! If you are having trouble finding a carer please contact us asap and we'll help.

How soon can I get started?

You can log on right away and search immediately. To get started we recommend that you contact the nannies in your neighborhood. You should have a selection of www.babysitter.co.cr carers to help you within weeks! You don’t have to wait for an advertisement to be placed and hope the right person reads it. You don’t have to wait for an agency to find someone and call you back. You can place a job posting or email your babysitter or nanny right now!