Longing for a date night with your partner or a night out with friends without having to take your rowdy kids in tow? Or perhaps you need to go someplace and need to leave your children at home? Whatever the circumstances, entrusting someone to care for your kids can be a challenge. Yet, offering tailored services that meet your needs, babysitters in Malta and Gozo provide daily, nightly or long-term babysitting services according to your requirements.

Where to find a babysitter

Locally sitters either work independently or with an agency. Both options will typically have a website or some form of a presence on social media where you can find all relevant information, view images and videos of the various activities babysitters organise, as well as their contact details. When it comes to independent babysitters, you must first get in touch with them and then set a meeting, while you're responsible for conducting any background checks such as authenticating their references.

In contrast, when contacting an agency, they would have already screened and assessed professionals they have taken on board so all you need to do is simply select your preferred sitter. You might also want to consider asking friends and neighbours for recommendations, while if your child is already attending daycare, the school itself might offer a babysitting service.

Alternatively, you might look into your inner circle. You'll be surprised to find out that an aunt or a cousin is willing to look after your little one whenever the need arises. If you opt for a relative who is a mother herself, you can rest assured that the individual is already accustomed to looking after children, while the added bonus with this option is that your kids are already familiar with this relative so you'll be at further ease with this arrangement.

Babysitters, nannies and au pairs - what's the difference?

If you're looking online for a babysitter, you might have noticed other related services, namely nannies and au pairs. Although, in essence, they all act as a caregiver to your child, there are a number of major differences. Wondering which one would be ideal for your family?

Babysitter - typically used either temporarily or on a regular basis, a babysitter looks after children of all ages who are in need of supervision. They are also responsible for planning activities like games, arts and crafts, as well as sports. Considered as a part-time job, babysitters are usually paid by the hour while they are engaged a few odd days during the week and on weekends. On occasions, they may be willing to do some light housekeeping, most especially house-related jobs that are directly linked to the children they are looking after like cooking for them or clearing up things like the nappy bin. For an additional fee, sitters may be willing to drive your children to and from scheduled activities, while they may help them with their homework and studying.

Nanny - an individual who is employed to look after kids full-time while both parents work, a nanny is fully invested in the child's well-being and development and as a result, she works regular hours and may have a long-term contract with the family who is employing her. The care offered includes creating daily schedules and organising activities for the little ones, while they may also be required to prepare and provide meals, transport children to school or to extracurricular activities and to assist with homework. Bearing in mind that the nanny works several hours each day with the family, they often create a special bond with the child or children they look after, often becoming a valuable family member.

Au pair - generally speaking, an au pair is neither a housekeeper nor a nanny even though their duties are very similar to these two professions. Typically, a young individual between the ages of 18 and 30, an au pair travels abroad to live with a native family, with the primary goal being to learn or ameliorate their language skills. In exchange, she offers to look after the kids and helps with housework. The family offers free accommodation and might also provide some pocket money.

What to watch out for when looking for the ideal sitter

The search for the appropriate candidate can be a highly complicated one. Not only do you need to look for someone who is capable to take care of your child in a loving manner, but you must also find an individual who is a professional, can handle an emergency and is willing to keep your kid occupied with interesting, fun and educational activities as opposed to parking it in front of the TV for hours on end. Here are a few factors you should keep in mind when considering a prospective candidate:

Experience: this is a key factor since the more experience a sitter has, the more likely it is that she'll be prepared for a difficult or unusual situation. Part and parcel of their experience should be that of having excellent and verifiable references, as well as a first aid certification, while a diploma in childcare and education would not hurt.

Reliability: if your babysitter does not respect your time by frequently showing up late, that's a bad sign that she lacks basic reliability skills, while it is pretty evident that she is not dependable.

Could you truly trust such an individual with your little one?

Creative and fun: sure, skills like reliability and experience are crucial, however, your babysitter should be a fun individual that your kids will love, so attributes such as creativity and being energetic are a must. Having a sitter who just sits and watches television while ignoring your kids is of no use.

Knows how to establish boundaries: kids like to have fun, however, they also love routine, so it's important that your babysitter can follow through any routine you have already established since children tend to thrive when they have to follow a daily schedule. At the same time, discipline also comes to play here since your sitter should be firm when having to handle a child that refuses to go to bed or doesn't want to eat.

What is the typical process of employing a babysitter?

When it comes to individual babysitters, the initial step is to simply narrow down your search and get in touch with the ones you consider most appropriate. You must also check with them their availability for the specific day and time you're interested in and whether they are willing to come to your location. Clarifying this right from the start is even more important most especially if you're looking to employ someone on a regular basis or you need an actual nanny. The majority will be happy to meet you and your family for an initial meeting whereby you can proceed to interview the person, ask any questions you may have, as well as explain your situation and what your expectations are. At the same time, this meeting will serve as a good means for you to introduce the sitter to your kids and see how they interact with each other. Once you have found the right candidate, you may then proceed to settle the specific days and times you will be needing her, as well as the cost.

If, on the other hand, you would like to engage a sitter through an agency, a spokesperson will get in touch with you after your initial enquiry to ascertain what your expectations and requirements are. The agency will next get you in touch with a number of prospective candidates which you can meet individually.

What other services are offered by a babysitter?

Increasingly, more and more babysitters are offering their childminding services for special occasions or particular situations. For instance, if you're hosting a large event, such as a party or a wedding reception, a babysitter can offer you that much-needed help by not only looking after your own children but also that of your guests, while they can also keep them busy throughout the night.

Furthermore, some agencies may have their own premises where you can drop off your little ones if you have an errand to run or someplace to go for a few hours. Offering a myriad of activities, your children can play, enjoy themselves and socialise with their peers under the watchful eyes of professional babysitters.

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