Terms and Conditions

​

The Babysitting Group is a childcare placement only agency, trading under 39 Gordon Road, Belvedere, Kent, DA17 6EA. For the purposes of these Terms and Conditions, persons working for The Babysitting Group and offered childcare bookings through The Babysitting Group are referred to as Childcarers and persons who book childcare through The Babysitting Group for the purpose of being introduced to childcare providers are referred to as Clients.

​

Scope of Service

​

The Babysitting Group acts as an introduction and booking agency providing carefully vetted, experienced childcare professionals, The Babysitting Group does not employ the Childcarers booked by Clients.

The Babysitting Group provides childcare introduction services and will endeavour to introduce to the Client, Childcarers on The Babysitting Group's register. The Babysitting Group undertakes to ensure that all Childcarers on the register have been carefully selected and have demonstrated satisfactory previous experience in childcare employment.

The Client accepts that no amount of reference checking can provide a guarantee of future performance by individual Childcarer's. The Babysitting Group cannot be held accountable for negligence on the part of a Childcarer who has provided The Babysitting Group with satisfactory references except where reasonable care has not been taken in the reference checking process or where The Babysitting Group has failed to take note of other information received concerning the Childcarer's past performance.

The Babysitting Groups selection procedure includes the following: identity checks by sight of I.D, a personal interview, a minimum of two verbal employment references, a valid first aid certificate, public liability insurance policy and an enhanced DBS check.

Most our Childcarer's have worked in childcare for many years. It is often not possible for The Babysitting Group to contact every parent that each Childcarer has provided childcare services to over an extended career.

The Babysitting Group will always use its best endeavours to fill a booking providing a minimum of two hours' notice is given.  Wherever possible The Babysitting Group will ensure that the Client's bookings are offered to their preferred Childcarers first. The Client accepts that Childcarers on The Babysitting Group register are free agents and The Babysitting Group is not able to require any particular individual to work at any time or for any particular Client.

 

The following terms and conditions apply:

 

Fees

​

1. The Client pays The Babysitting Group directly the set hourly fees (refer to 'Our Prices' page) for the requested time slot plus any late fees.  

2. A booking is defined as a scheduled start and finish time for your requested Childcare. Should these hours change at all you will be charged accordingly. All cancellations require 24 hours notice, apart from any special event bookings require 48 hour cancellation notice.

3. If you change the start time or expected return time for a booking before the 24 or 48 hours notice period is up, no additional fee is payable. Provided your booked Childcarer is able to accommodate the change, we will be happy to do so. If your booked Childcarer is unable to accommodate the change and The Babysitting Group is unable to find you an alternative Childcarer, you will be entitled to your original agreed time slot or a full refund. Any amendments of bookings after the 24 or 48 hours notice period are subject to availability, original booking will be charged if change is not available.

4. Booking fees are inclusive of VAT at the prevailing rate.

 

Conditions

​

1. When joining The Babysitting Group the Client undertakes to make all bookings with our Childcarer's through The Babysitting Group. Private approaches to Childcarers are not permitted. If a Client is found to have made an offer of childcare employment to a Childcarer beyond the scope of the original booking made through The Babysitting Group then the Client's will not be able to use The Babysitting Group as their childcare provider again, with immediate effect. No refund and no further bookings will be accepted. The Client will be liable in damages to The Babysitting Group to compensate The Babysitting Group in respect of all past present and future losses which The Babysitting Group suffers by reason of any breach of the undertaking above to a maximum sum of £1,000. If a Client wishes to employ a specific Childcarer originally introduced by The Babysitting Group on a long term or regular basis, then The Babysitting Group should be notified in advance. If such an arrangement is to be made The Babysitting Group will charge an introduction fee. 

2. Verbal references received for Childcarers are carefully reviewed by The Babysitting Group and copies of written references are not provided to Clients.

3. The Client accepts that The Babysitting Groups responsibility is to introduce Childcarers who have demonstrated previous satisfactory professional childcare experience and service provision.

4. The Client is responsible for ensuring the Childcarer clearly understands any special needs or allergies of the Client's children.

5. The Babysitting Group has no responsibility for a Childcarer's acts or omissions except where these could reasonably have been identifiable from The Babysitting Groups selection procedure or as a result of other information received by The Babysitting Group.  If during a booking, any accidental damage occurs to the Client's property or possessions, this will need to be covered by the Client's own home insurance policy. 

6. In the event that a Childcarer is booked and for reasons beyond the agency's control the Childcarer cancels at short notice or fails to arrive at the appointed time the agency will use its best endeavours to find another Childcarer for the Client. In the event that it is not possible to refill the booking a full refund will be given.

7. The agency is not responsible for any loss suffered as a result of the Childcarer's failure to keep the appointment except where The Babysitting Group has failed to use reasonable care in confirming the details of the appointment with the Childcarer.

8. While a Childcarer is providing services for a Client from an introduction made by The Babysitting Group the Client undertakes to reimburse The Babysitting Group fully for all costs, claims, damages, and liabilities whatsoever arising from the Client's wrong doing or negligence.

9. The Babysitting Groups Clients accept that we may communicate with them by post, email, text message or phone in relation to any matter concerning childcare bookings made by the Client and periodically with news about The Babysitting Group services. Apart from in the course of arranging your childcare provision The Babysitting Group will keep your email address, phone number and other personal data confidential at all times.

10. In case of any dispute English law shall apply.