HOW TO HIRE · CHILDCARE & FAMILY

How to hire a school run / pickup in Ireland
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.

A school run / pickup in Ireland costs €10–€25 per run, typically around €15. 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 school run / pickup in five steps

  1. 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 — flexible Scheduling — flexibility is a hallmark of school run services, with options for regular or ad-hoc bookings.
  2. How does distance to the school change the price?A visit outside the usual patch is priced higher. — ask before the quote rather than after.
  3. How does number of children being transported change the price?More to cover means a longer booking. — ask before the quote rather than after.
  4. How does provider's experience change the price?Experience costs more per hour and shows in the finish. — ask before the quote rather than after.
  5. What is not included?After-School Care — many school run services offer after-school care, providing supervision and activities until parents are available — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a school run / pickup 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 →

“Are you on the Tusla register of childminding services, and what is your number?”

A good answer: A number you can look up yourself before you agree a price — flexible Scheduling — flexibility is a hallmark of school run services, with options for regular or ad-hoc bookings.

“How does distance to the school change the price?”

A good answer: A visit outside the usual patch is priced higher. — ask before the quote rather than after.

“How does number of children being transported change the price?”

A good answer: More to cover means a longer booking. — ask before the quote rather than after.

“How does provider's experience change the price?”

A good answer: Experience costs more per hour and shows in the finish. — ask before the quote rather than after.

“What is not included?”

A good answer: After-School Care — many school run services offer after-school care, providing supervision and activities until parents are available — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a school run / pickup job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.

“Who insures you, and what is the policy number?”

A good answer: Expect public liability covering minding in the home; ask to see it — afternoon Pickup — afternoon pickups are also a key service, where caregivers collect children from school and bring them home.

“What do I get in writing, and when?”

A good answer: A written scope and a price before the school run / pickup starts, and an itemised invoice after — group School Runs — coordinated pickups for multiple children from the same area, often reducing costs and increasing social interaction.

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: distance to the school — a visit outside the usual patch is priced higher
  • They will not talk about it: number of children being transported — more to cover means a longer booking
  • They will not talk about it: provider's experience — experience costs more per hour and shows in the finish
  • A price for the school run / pickup 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
LOW
€10
TYPICAL
€15
HIGH
€25

What a school run / pickup costs: €10–€25 per run

The figures are for the job, per run, and a quote for your own is the only number that binds anyone. Daily school pickup and After-school drop-off each carry their own band. School Run / Pickup 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

School run / pickups 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.

  1. Look firstDistance to the school — a visit outside the usual patch is priced higher — that is what the school run / pickup is judging on the first visit, and a price given without it is a guess.
  2. Agree what is being doneNumber of children being transported — more to cover means a longer booking — put in writing before anyone starts, because it is the document you both read back at the end.
  3. The work itselfProvider's experience — experience costs more per hour and shows in the finish — and anything found on the day that was not in that is priced before it is started.
  4. Check it togetherComplexity of the route — it affects the finish as much as it affects the price — walked against the written scope rather than against the feeling of it, while the school run / pickup is still there.
  5. What you are handedThe itemised invoice and any guarantee on the workmanship and the parts, consider the safety measures in place, such as insurance and child safety protocols.

Afternoon Pickup
Afternoon pickups are also a key service, where caregivers collect children from school and bring them home.
After-School Care
Many school run services offer after-school care, providing supervision and activities until parents are available.
Flexible Scheduling
Flexibility is a hallmark of school run services, with options for regular or ad-hoc bookings.
After-School Drop-off
This service includes transporting children from school to various after-school activities or home.
Emergency School Pickup
A service designed for unexpected situations where a parent cannot pick up their child due to emergencies.
Weekend School Transport
Transporting children to school-related weekend events, such as sports or family days.

AFTER

When the job is done

Keep the invoice and the paperworkAn itemised invoice with the trader's name, the work and the total — flexible Scheduling — flexibility is a hallmark of school run services, with options for regular or ad-hoc bookings, because it is what a buyer's solicitor, an insurer or a lender asks for long after the school run / pickup has gone.
Test what was doneAfter-School Care — many school run services offer after-school care, providing supervision and activities until parents are available — and something that does not work on the day is theirs to put right there and then.
Ask what the guarantee isOn the workmanship and on the parts, and for how long each one runs — they are usually different. afternoon Pickup — afternoon pickups are also a key service, where caregivers collect children from school and bring them home — under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 what was agreed is what can be relied on.
Leave the reviewOnly a booked job can be reviewed on Locufy, which is why the score on a school run / pickup's card means something — group School Runs — coordinated pickups for multiple children from the same area, often reducing costs and increasing social interaction.

STEP 1Say it in writing, firstSay what is wrong and what you want done. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 the work must be carried out with reasonable skill and care, and defective work put right.
STEP 2Use the make-it-right step on LocufyUnder four stars you are asked whether to send it to the provider first; we follow it through. Then review.
STEP 3Escalate to the body that regulates itReport it to Tusla Early Years Inspectorate — childminding registration.
STEP 4Small claimsSmall claims covers €2,000, once you have asked in writing and given them a chance to put it right.

Hiring a school run / pickup: questions people ask

The cost can vary based on factors such as distance to the school, the number of children being transported, and the provider's experience. Additional services like after-school care or special requests may also affect pricing.

Many school run services offer emergency or same-day bookings, but availability can vary. It's advisable to contact providers directly to check if they can accommodate last-minute requests.

Yes, many providers allow you to book multiple related jobs, such as morning drop-offs and afternoon pickups on the same day. Discuss your needs with the provider to arrange a suitable schedule.

Services outside the scope of school runs usually include babysitting, transportation for extracurricular activities, or long-distance travel. It's important to clarify the specific services offered by each provider.

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

How to hire: BabysitterHow to hire: Evening BabysitterHow to hire: ChildminderHow to hire: NannyHow to hire: Live-In NannyHow to hire: Part-Time NannyHow to hire: Au PairHow to hire: Mother's HelpAll 701 hiring guides →

School run / pickups near you

School run / pickups in DublinSchool run / pickups in CorkSchool run / pickups in GalwaySchool run / pickups in LimerickAll school run / pickups on Locufy →

Sources — checked October 2026

  1. Tusla — childminding registration opened 30 September 2024
  2. Tusla — childminding services FAQs
  3. Department of Children — new regulations for childminding
  4. National Action Plan for Childminding 2021–2028
  5. Consumer Rights Act 2022
  6. Revenue — CHILDMINDING (Children and education) — Exempt
  7. Revenue — current VAT rates (effective 1 January 2026)
  8. Revenue — VAT thresholds: €42,500 for a person supplying services only