How to become a Babysitter?

What do Babysitters do?

Your daily tasks are going to be very similar if you are looking after children at the same time every day. Babysitting in the morning or evening, you must feed, bathe and dress children whilst changing the nappies throughout the day.

For their development, you teach children basic social skills and hygiene for them to function, preparing them for primary school. Other aspects include helping children learn through different activities and playing. Organising opportunities for them to interact with other children their age to healthy mix their interactions.

Other basics required of you are doing nursery and school runs at the normal rush hour times. Preparing meals and snacks which are following health and nutrition regulations.

After teaching and developing children's skills, the rooms or areas you have been to may be dirty and messy. Tidying and cleaning up the rooms after use is an important task you need to complete. Your job is to provide a safe setting for children to learn and grow daily while not with their parent(s) or guardian(s).

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Qualifications to become a Babysitter

Education

Courses

At college, there are plenty of opportunities to start your career as a babysitter or childminder. There are three great courses available that come with low entry requirements, so you do not need to worry about being the best in your class to enrol. These courses are:

• Level 1 Award in Introduction to Health, Social Care and Children's and Young People's Settings
• Level 1 Award in Safeguarding
• Level 2 Certificate for the Children and Young People's Workforce

As mentioned previously, these courses have very low entry requirements. For level 1 courses, you need 2 or fewer GCSEs between grades 3 to 1, whilst for level 2 courses, you’ll need the same amount of GCSEs just between 9 and 3 to enrol.

Work Experience

An apprenticeship that may appeal to you is an “early years intermediate practitioner apprenticeship.” The usual entry requirements into positions like these are some GCSEs, including English and Maths between grades 9 and 4.

Requirements

• Enhanced Background Checks
• Be over 15 years of age

Skills needed to be a Babysitter

First Aid Skills

Children are always prone to injuring themselves or those normal bumps and scrapes. Having the knowledge and skills to deal with the situations is vital when working with children, as children tend to overreact. But if you have acquired your first aid certificate and have demonstrated your advanced knowledge, you are more likely to be hired by an agency or by parents of the children.

Conflict Resolution

If you are working with multiple children at a time, your conflict resolution is vital, as children always find something to fight about. Resolving disagreements and teaching children how to deal with situations are great ways to incorporate useful skills into childminding.

DBS Check

When working with children, a DBS check is mandatory to notify employers of your criminal record and to see if you are legally allowed to work with children or vulnerable adults. DBS checks normally show convictions, warnings and cautions throughout your life.

What is the salary of a Babysitter in the UK?

Depending on the hours you work or who you work for, your pay can always differ. The average hourly salary for a nanny is £8.80 per hour, which works out to £19,200 per year. However, if you are being paid yearly, you can expect to make £26,000. Of course, for different types of babysitters and nannies, it does depend. This chart here tells you the different hourly salaries of nanny jobs.

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Babysitting Jobs

Overview of a Babysitter

Profession Group	Childcare
Minimum Age	15 years of age
Education Requirements	GCSEs and DBS Check
Salary Indication	£26,325
Related Jobs	Teacher, Counselling or Home Care

FAQs about Babysitters

• What are other words for Babysitters to use in my CV?

Some other words you can use are caregiver, nanny or au pair. Using these words is great to use in your CV if you are looking for a job working with children.

• Can I babysit in my own home or be registered?

Yes, babysitters do not need to register with an agency if they are babysitting in their own homes.

• How many hours can I babysit without being registered?

You must register as a babysitter if you are being paid, the children are under 8 years old or the care lasts over 2 hours on one day.