Parent Information & Guidelines

Getting the best from the Agency

You can make a booking or leave a message 7 days a week, 24-hours a day, by phone, email, text or via the Bookings and Contact pages of the website. All phone messages go to our voicemail service which is checked regularly. We will deal with your booking or return your call at the earliest opportunity. The office is open Monday to Friday from 9.30am to 5.00pm and on Saturday from 9.30am to 12 noon. The office is closed on Sundays and Bank Holidays.

If you have an urgent problem or emergency outside office hours then you can contact us on 01494 793889 and press Option 4. Additionally you can call our emergency mobile phone on 07810 564592 . Please only use this service for genuine emergencies involving bookings for the same evening or next morning. There is no emergency service on Sundays and Bank Holidays.

When leaving a message please make sure you include your full name and telephone number and if making a booking include the day of the week, date, start time and approximate finishing time, making sure it is clear if the booking is for the evening or during the daytime.

When we confirm your booking please check carefully that the correct date and times have been given. We usually confirm your booking within 48 hours.

Early booking is recommended if you wish to request a specific babysitter. We do our best to meet all requests but we cannot guarantee the availability of a favourite babysitter, particularly during our busy periods or if it is a late request.

To avoid any confusion, all bookings must be made through the Allbairns Agency.

Whilst most of our bookings are for evenings, we do have a small number of babysitters who are available to work during the daytime and some are available for overnight or weekend babysitting or for short breaks.

Feedback is always noted and appreciated, however if you have any questions or other specific requirements, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Getting the best from your babysitter

WE RECOMMEND

For each booking we will give you your babysitter’s name and contact telephone number together with details of their previous experience. Please keep this safe as you may need to contact her, for example to change the start time of the booking. On the first occasion a babysitter comes to your home, please call her to introduce yourself and give clear directions. On future occasions the babysitter will call you on the day before your booking to confirm she is coming.
We appreciate that all families have different routines, so please run through your personal requirements with your babysitter, for example bed times, if snacks or drinks are permitted, bedtime story reading etc. It is important that your babysitter knows what suits your children. Please make sure that your babysitter knows if there are any TV programmes, games or films in your house that the children are not allowed.
It is very rare for a babysitter to need to contact parents while they are out, but please leave an emergency number - either a mobile that will be left on, or a friend or neighbour’s number, just in case! Medication can only be administered with written consent and we ask that you advise us if the children are unwell so your babysitter can be notified. It is preferable that babysitters are not asked to look after sick children.
If you need to leave at a specific time, for example if you have a train to catch, please start your booking at least 15 minutes before your departure time. If your return home is delayed and is likely to be significantly later than estimated, please call your babysitter to let her know as she may need to change her plans, or let her family know that she will be late.

Please ensure there is adequate heating. Most heating systems are on a timer and when this goes off it can get cold very quickly – even in summer months houses can get cold very quickly during late night bookings. Also, please ensure that all pets are suitably enclosed or controlled

When a booking goes over a mealtime, please provide a meal for your babysitter and a light supper should be provided for very late sits. All babysitters appreciate being offered tea, coffee or a cold drink.

Whilst babysitters are prepared to undertake most duties for your children including heating a meal for them if required, we ask that you do not expect them to do domestic chores like cleaning or ironing.