Babysitting Rates South Africa 2020 – What To Pay for Babysitting and Childcare

When you are a parent, the subject of babysitting is going to surface at some point. But what are the babysitting rates in South Africa? There are various options to consider when it comes to childcare. Some parents only require a babysitter for a few hours when attending a work function or spending some quality time together as a couple. Some may need a babysitter more often, for a few days every week, while others consider hiring a nanny or Au pair full time. No matter what your requirements are, here are some tips to consider when paying your babysitter.

Useful guidelines for budget-conscious parents

• Try spending less on pricey educational toys, baby accessories, and clothing when your child is still small. In a few years from now, she is not going to remember how adorable she looked in her outfits. Parents tend to go overboard with expenditure, especially if it is their first child. 
• Opt for paying a proper hourly fee for a few hours to give your babysitter the opportunity to find extra employment if needed.
• Consider sharing a reliable babysitter with a friend. This way you can pay her decent remuneration. There are plenty of nanny agencies in South Africa or parenting websites with babysitting and childcare listings, such as Parenting Hub, that you can use to find an excellent nanny or babysitter with good credentials and experience. 

Aspects that govern babysitter rates South Africa

There are various aspects that play a role in defining babysitting rates South Africa. While most nannies or babysitters have a set rate, each family is unique and has different requirements, and will therefore have separate rates. Before contacting a babysitting agency, its useful to first evaluate your expectations and requirements first, then locate a sitter that meets your criteria and discuss fees. It is crucial to do your homework first, before hiring just anyone to take care of your child/children.

Factors that determine babysitting fees

Experience

Babysitters with plenty of expertise will naturally earn a higher rate than ones with lesser experience. Sometimes paying more for experience gives you peace of mind that your sitter meets your childcare requirements.

The amount of children and their ages

The amount of childcare plays a definite role on how much you will have to pay. For instance, do you need part time or full time babysitting or will you only need occasional assistance. You typically pay more for occasional childcare when your child is awake and need tending. However, if the child goes to bed and they watch TV, then the fee will be less. A substantial deciding aspect of hiring the right babysitter is the number of children and their ages because its harder to keep more children of different ages safe and in bed by a certain time. 

Hours

Babysitting rates after midnight are generally higher. Some babysitters will charge a standard rate for the first few hours and a little less afterward. Weekdays or nights are also cheaper than weekends or public holidays. Some rates will be less for daytime than the case is with night-time. 

Location

The babysitting rates for large metropolitan locations are generally higher than those for rural areas, particularly if a large commuter population is served which is close to a major city. Higher cost of living usually dictates higher wages. Babysitting rates can also vary for the different provinces. For instance, babysitting rates cape town might be higher or lower than babysitting rates in Pretoria. 

How many children require babysitting?

Taking care of one child is quite different than watching two or three. Be prepared to pay a few Rands more per child for every extra child.

Transportation

If your babysitter is expected to take the kids to extra-terrestrial activities or after school practice and she is using her own vehicle, naturally you must factor in additional compensation for petrol. Some parents pay their nannies a little extra if she is travelling a long distance to work and back. 

Extra responsibilities 

Some babysitters are more than happy to assist with chores permitted that it does not interfere with their babysitting responsibilities. If you need your nanny to pick up a few groceries or help with folding the laundry, then you will have to pay her more. Before discussing rates, make sure your babysitting is familiar with your expectations to avoid any misunderstandings later.

Extra qualifications

If you have triplets for instance or a new-born, you want a sitter that has specific experience to take care of your most precious possession, your child. Be prepared to pay a higher hourly rate in such instances which is totally worth it. 

The age of the babysitter

Younger babysitters typically charge a lower rate than their older colleagues so to speak since they have less experience. However, if your babysitter remains with you for many years, its recommended to up her

fee every year or so, to ensure she stays with you. 

Private versus agency

It is always more expensive working through an agency than hiring a private babysitter since you are paying for their services. Agencies generally do background checks and handle the admin and renumeration side of things. 

Last minute bookings

Sometimes work or other emergencies arise, and you need to book your babysitter last-minute. This means she will have to reschedule her own plans to accommodate you on short notice. This might result in a higher fee than normal, therefore try to plan ahead if possible.

Average babysitting rates South Africa

Babysitter – R80.00 – R120.00 per hour.

Au pair – R80.00 – R120.00 per hour.

Nanny – Dependant on requirements.

Most babysitters have their own standard rates, but its good to know that you are not overpaying for the service. The standard average babysitting fees for 2020 is R67.00 to R82.00 per hour. The rates can vary though. Some babysitters charge as much as R150.00 per hour, however that is for premium childcare from professionals. 

Daily babysitting rates

Babysitters that work full day, during holidays, or weekends during school holidays typically has varied rates to those who only work a few hours.

At home babysitting rates differ between R200 to more than R500 for six to eight hours.

When to pay your babysitter and how?

Babysitter typically work ad hoc hours to substitute their income, therefore, its generally a good idea to pay them cash on the night. However, if you have arranged a specific payment plan with her, you can transfer the money weekly or monthly into her bank account. Just remember to keep track of what is owed to her so that you do not end up with awkward conversation afterward about short payment.

Teenage babysitter rates

Teenagers may charge slightly less than older babysitters since they still lack experience and are trying to build up a customer base and obtain good references. You do want them to act professionally and take good care of your children, therefore you should not underpay them just because they are younger in age. Babysitter rates usually starts at R67.00 as mentioned before. If your teenage babysitter agrees to work for a lower rate, then you can maybe offer her a lift home, something to eat, or include other benefits like your Wi-Fi password to make it worth her while. 

Stay in nanny salary rates

Unlike babysitters, nannies (also called mother’s helpers) are hired to help mom with the baby while one or both parents are present. They generally help to take care of the baby, doing some cooking, cleaning, and other household chores while the parent who is home is otherwise occupied. They sometimes attend functions or outings with the family as well to take care of the child. Nannies can be invaluable especially where more than one child is in the picture and they are close in age. Nanny rates are requirement dependent, therefore you will have to sit down and discuss your expectations with her in advance and decide on a salary that suits you both. 

Nanny versus babysitter remuneration

Nannies typically work full-time with consistent shifts, whereas babysitters are hired as needed. Therefore, nannies are usually compensated weekly or monthly as opposed to hourly or nightly rates. The minimum wage for nannies in South Africa is currently R15.00 an hour, therefore, if she works 45 hours per week, her minimal pay per week will be R675.00. This is the minimum rate per law. However, if you consider that nannies are often the sole breadwinners in their families and you happen to be lucky enough to find on that does an excellent job, then it’s worth paying her a good salary that she deserves and that helps with keeping her financially stable.

How to decide on an appropriate living wage

Each nanny’s living conditions is different. It helps to have a discussion with her. Let her know what your expectations are and ask her about her monthly expenses (healthcare, recreation, food, transport, school, etc.) and what she would consider as a reasonable wage. Also factor in additional hours that she works over holidays and weekends. She must be compensated for overtime. It is essential that your nanny knows that you value her as an important member of the family and that her additional work is acknowledged and accounted for. 

Au pair rates South Africa

Au pairs are known internationally as young foreigners who travel to another country to learn more about the culture, earn money through offering childcare services while living with the family. In South Africa, au pairs are defined differently. Au pairs in South Africa are hired primarily for looking after kids. Unlike a nanny, an au pair is not expected to do any cooking or housework. They often have their own transport and ensure the children attends after-school activities and extra-mural sports when the parents are not able to. 

Salary guidelines for au pairs in South Africa

The remuneration for au pairs can vary from one position to the next, but here are general tips for working out a reasonable salary.

• A basic salary of between R50.00 – R90.00 an hour, contingent on her qualifications and expertise and also the number of hours you need her to work. The fewer hours per week that she will be working, the larger the hourly rate must be to compensate a fair amount. For instance, and inexperienced au pair that works for twenty hours or more per week would roughly earn R50.00 to R60.00 per hour, whereas an au pair who works ten hours or less can expect roughly R60.00 to R75.00 per hour. An au pair who is more qualified and experienced can expect about R60.00 to R70.00 per hour and R70.00 to R90.00 an hour respectively for both kinds of positions.
• A full-time working au pair on average, working forty hours a week can expect a monthly remuneration between R8000.00 to R12 000.00 if they are using their own vehicle. If they are not using their own vehicle, then R5000.00 to R7 000.00 per month. Live-in au pairs are typically paid a little less since they have access to free accommodation in addition to their monthly remuneration.
• Occasional babysitting should be calculated at roughly an equal rate than mentioned above, permitted that fair notice was given to the au pair, allowing them to change their schedule.
• Travel expenses must be factored in at around R3.00 to R5.00 per kilometre for travelling done on the family’s behalf, using her own private vehicle during work hours. Instead of working out the amount every time, a standard amount is usually added to the monthly salary to compensate for average driving expenditures.
• If you can provide additional benefits like accommodation (live-in position), phone, family’s vehicle, meals, etc., this must be negotiated in advance with the au pair to be factored in when the salary is determined. An au pair’s salary is generally paid either monthly or weekly, but another arrangement can be made as per your agreement with your au pair. 

Conclusion

We hope you have found this article useful and will take our guidelines into consideration when deciding about the best childcare option for your family and circumstances.