HOW TO HIRE · CHILDCARE & FAMILY · CHECKED OCTOBER 2026
How to hire a babysitter in Ireland
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.
A babysitter in Ireland costs €12–€18 per hour, typically around €14. Here is how to check that in a minute, what to ask before you book, and what you must be handed when the job is done.
- Search and compare — no account needed
- Nearest to you first
- One score from Google, Trustpilot and Locufy reviews
THE 60-SECOND VERSION
Hiring a babysitter in five steps
- Are you on the Tusla register of childminding services, and what is your number?A number you can look up yourself before you agree a price — emergency Preparedness — A good babysitter is trained to handle emergencies and knows basic first aid.
- How does babysitter's experience change the price?Specialists charge for knowing which shortcuts are safe. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does number of children being cared for change the price?A bigger group takes longer to work through. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does duration of care change the price?The time agreed is what the quote is built on. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- What is not included?Babysitters typically do not provide specialized care, such as medical or educational services — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a babysitter job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
BEFORE YOU BOOK
Check before you book
Tusla Early Years Inspectorate — childminding registration
The childminding regulations apply only to a childminder caring for children in the CHILDMINDER'S OWN HOME.
Search the Tusla register of childminding services for the name or the registration number before you agree a price. tusla.ie →
Where the rules stand now
A childminder caring for 3 or fewer pre-school children, and 6 or fewer children in total, remains exempt for the transitional period. Registration becomes mandatory from September 2027. Registration is not yet mandatory for every childminder. Ask whether this childminder is registered, and if not, whether they fall inside the transitional exemption — both answers are legitimate in 2026.
Ask where they are in the process, and when they expect to be registered — the date is September 2027 either way. tusla.ie →
Garda vetting
National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012–2016 The regulation requiring vetting of household members aged 16 and over commenced on 1 February 2025. Vetting is carried out through a relevant organisation, not by a parent directly. Ask to see the disclosure the childminder holds.
Ask to see the garda vetting letter itself, with its date on it — not a statement that one exists.
Insurance
Expect public liability covering minding in the home; ask to see it. You are booking an individual for a set number of hours, so ask whether the ID has been checked and what the rating is from people who booked the same way — there is no company behind them to carry either.
Ask to see the current certificate of insurance — the insurer's name, the limit and the date it runs to.
VAT
No VAT: this service is exempt, so there is none to add and none to reclaim. A quote that adds it is wrong. An individual working under the €42,500 registration threshold does not charge VAT at all, and does not have a VAT number to give you.
Ask whether the figure you were given includes it, and for the VAT number if they are registered — Revenue publishes the rate for this service. revenue.ie →
A good answer: A number you can look up yourself before you agree a price — emergency Preparedness — A good babysitter is trained to handle emergencies and knows basic first aid.
A good answer: Specialists charge for knowing which shortcuts are safe. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: A bigger group takes longer to work through. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: The time agreed is what the quote is built on. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Babysitters typically do not provide specialized care, such as medical or educational services — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a babysitter job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
A good answer: Expect public liability covering minding in the home; ask to see it — bedtime Routines — babysitters often help with bedtime routines, including bathing, reading stories, and tucking children in.
A good answer: A written scope and a price before the babysitter starts, and an itemised invoice after — meal Preparation — many babysitters are equipped to prepare simple meals and snacks for children.
Booking by the hour
- The rate per hour, and whether it changes in the evening or at a weekend
- The minimum booking, and what happens if the job finishes early
- What they bring and what you supply
- Whether the ID has been checked, and the rating from people who booked the same way
- Insurance, where the work can damage something or somebody
- The hours and the list of what is to be done, agreed before the first one
Walk away if
- They are not on the Tusla register of childminding services, or the number does not resolve to the name on the quote
- They will not talk about it: babysitter's experience — specialists charge for knowing which shortcuts are safe
- They will not talk about it: number of children being cared for — a bigger group takes longer to work through
- They will not talk about it: duration of care — the time agreed is what the quote is built on
- A price for the babysitter before anyone has asked the size, the access or the condition of what they are working on
- Cash only, or a large deposit before anything at all has started
What a babysitter costs: €12–€18 per hour
Most babysitters quote the job rather than the hour; the hourly rate is what the small jobs are priced from. Part-time babysitter and Full-time nanny each carry their own band. Babysitter price guide →
Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.
KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE
Babysitters near you, with the badges that matter shown
ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.
Or post the job free and let them come to you, or book by the hour.
- Look firstBabysitter's experience — specialists charge for knowing which shortcuts are safe — that is what the babysitter is judging on the first visit, and a price given without it is a guess.
- Agree what is being doneNumber of children being cared for — a bigger group takes longer to work through — put in writing before anyone starts, because it is the document you both read back at the end.
- The work itselfDuration of care — the time agreed is what the quote is built on — and anything found on the day that was not in that is priced before it is started.
- Check it togetherAdditional complexities — the more decisions involved, the longer the job runs — walked against the written scope rather than against the feeling of it, while the babysitter is still there.
- What you are handedThe itemised invoice and any guarantee on the workmanship and the parts, special needs or last-minute requests — the more pieces involved, the more there is to go wrong.
- Meal Preparation
- Many babysitters are equipped to prepare simple meals and snacks for children.
- Bedtime Routines
- Babysitters often help with bedtime routines, including bathing, reading stories, and tucking children in.
- Emergency Preparedness
- A good babysitter is trained to handle emergencies and knows basic first aid.
- Part-time babysitter
- Provides childcare for a few hours during the day or evening.
- Full-time nanny
- Offers consistent, daily childcare, often including household duties.
- Special needs babysitter
- Trained to care for children with specific physical or developmental needs.
AFTER
When the job is done
Hiring a babysitter: questions people ask
The cost of a babysitter can vary based on location, the babysitter's experience, and the number of children being cared for. Additional factors such as special needs care or overnight stays can also affect pricing.
For general babysitting, a regular babysitter is usually sufficient. However, if your child has specific needs or medical conditions, you may want to consider a qualified specialist with relevant experience.
Many babysitters may be available for same-day bookings, but it can depend on their schedule and demand. It's advisable to plan ahead whenever possible to secure the best fit for your needs.
Babysitters typically do not provide specialised care, such as medical or educational services. They generally focus on supervision, basic meal prep, and activities, leaving specialised tasks to qualified professionals.
Search the name or the registration number. If the number does not resolve to the name on the quote, stop there.
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 the work must be carried out with reasonable skill and care, and put right if it is not. Say what is wrong in writing first.
MORE GUIDES
More hiring guides in childcare & family
Babysitters near you
Sources — checked October 2026
- Tusla — childminding registration opened 30 September 2024
- Tusla — childminding services FAQs
- Department of Children — new regulations for childminding
- National Action Plan for Childminding 2021–2028
- Consumer Rights Act 2022
- Revenue — CHILDMINDING (Children and education) — Exempt
- Revenue — current VAT rates (effective 1 January 2026)
- Revenue — VAT thresholds: €42,500 for a person supplying services only