Have you always wished for childcare on vacation, but finding a babysitter makes you nervous? This article is for you! We asked one of our fellow members and holiday nanny experts Jill, who runs the leading British childcare company in Tenerife, for her advice on finding a babysitter abroad.

Advice on finding a babysitter abroad:

Being worried as parents is totally understandable.

Reputable companies should keep parents updated on how the children are, even while they sleep. Usually the parents are close-by, like eating in the hotel restaurant for instance. This provides the parents some peace of mind. A lot of people fit a nanny cam or have a camera linked to their phone so they can see their children play and even sleep too. All nannies should be fine with as we would never do anything we shouldn’t be!

Finding a babysitter…

Have a look on google for babysitters or nannies in the area you are staying or email the hotel and ask if they provide this service. Also have a look on trip advisor on the hotels reviews; someone may mention they’ve used this service and you will get their opinions then too. I have found the common problem families have is that the hotels kids clubs do not take children under 4 unaccompanied. This leads many to needing to hire from independent nanny companies.

Vetting a reputable babysitter is of utmost importance.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of hotels that allow just anyone to babysit, as in the receptionist, cleaners or workers in kids club. And 9 times out of 10 they do not have qualifications, or any kind of paediatric first aid training and most of all not police checked which is a must for working with children. Even sometimes, the companies the hotel may recommend do not have the correct documents in order for the nannies. A lot of companies are not even insured! So, you need to do thorough research ahead of time.

With every booking we get, we send all the nannies details and documents as proof they are fully qualified, first aid trained and DBS certified. I also tell people to read my many reviews I have on the website. This usually puts parents minds at rest. Plus, the nanny will always bring photo ID with them, even though all my nannies are listed on the website with their photos. My advise to you is do your checks!

Ask for official documentation.

Whoever the hotel recommends, you need to see all their documents. Also, when you find out the nannies name, have a look to see what her reviews are like. If it’s a genuine, well-run company then all this information will come easily for you. They should have a website or Facebook page for you to do your research.

Don’t take their word for it, as many advertise all the checks but cannot prove it! This is my frustration.
My parents don’t need to ask as I send it anyway. You want to see all documents and do your research on the person or company before choosing.

Enjoy your time away.

About the Author, Jill: