The Top 5 Babysitting Agencies in New Zealand
Jessica McNamara
| Last Updated: March 2023 Are you looking for a reliable babysitter? You’re in the right place, then!
We’ve selected the top babysitter agencies in the country for when you need to be a bigger distance from your tyke than even the best baby monitors can cover. See which places made our list and discover what they can offer.
The Cost of Babysitting Services in New Zealand
The cost of hiring a babysitter in New Zealand will vary depending on your location, the age of your children, the type of childcare service required and the babysitter’s qualifications.
Generally speaking, you can expect to pay between $10-$20 per hour for an unqualified sitter (candidates without formal certification) and slightly more for a qualified and experienced babysitter (up to $25/hr).
The services provided by a babysitter in New Zealand typically includes:
- Playing with and entertaining the children
- Preparing meals
- Helping with homework
- Putting the kids to bed and keeping the kids safe
Sometimes, the babysitter can also do additional services such as light housekeeping and laundry.
How We Chose the Top Babysitting Agencies in New Zealand
We assessed the following babysitting agencies using the following criteria:
1. Red Robin Nanny Agency
| Communication | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Attitude | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Organization | ★★★☆☆ (3/5) |
| Flexibility | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Time Management | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Insurance | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Training and Certification | ★★★☆☆ (3/5) |
Many parents who have used Red Robin Nanny Agency in New Zealand for their childcare needs claimed they had a great experience with their babysitting services. Others raved about the kindness displayed by their babysitters.
To start, we found their customer service staff helpful on the phone. The people we spoke with about their babysitting services were very knowledgeable about the profiles of their babysitters.
We thought it was great how they took the time to listen to our specific needs and were determined to find a babysitter that fit perfectly for one of our team members.
The one area, though, where we think Red Robin Nanny Agency could improve is in the process of selecting and vetting the babysitters they hire.
They do a thorough background check, but we would like to see them go a step further and ensure that all their babysitters are up to date on their childcare certifications and qualifications.
According to our team member, the babysitter Red Robin Nanny Agency sent to their home was prompt. The babysitter was also friendly, reliable and very good with their children.
In addition, our team member was very pleased with the quality of care and attention that the babysitter provided.
Pros
- Helpful customer service staff
- Thorough background check
- Reliable babysitters
Cons
- Babysitters need up-to-date certifications
Customer Reviews
Approachable staff
I would 100% recommend Red Robin! I have found them to be a wonderful service, with approachable and understanding members of staff! — Rosie Jackson
Professional and sincere
Red Robin is an amazing ,I love the way how professional and sincerely they work,I found Red Robin Agency and especially Saskia always very helpful,I highly recommend and appreciate their efforts. — Shabaira Hassan
2. Rockmybaby
| Communication | ★★★☆☆ (3/5) |
| Attitude | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Organization | ★★★☆☆ (3/5) |
| Flexibility | ★★★☆☆ (3/5) |
| Time Management | ★★★☆☆ (3/5) |
| Insurance | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Training and Certification | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
A lot of the people we talked to who used Rockmybaby’s babysitting services claimed their sitters were professional, knowledgeable and experienced. To determine the validity of these claims, we looked into Rockmybaby’s babysitting services for ourselves.
First of all, their website was easy to navigate. But we found ourselves incredibly frustrated with their confusing and expensive booking request system.
What we didn’t like was that there was a $25 administrative fee to send a request for a babysitter. Yet, there was no explanation for why there was a charge.
We also weren’t fond of the lack of flexibility when it came to scheduling. We would have preferred for the sitters to be able to adjust their schedules to accommodate the needs of their customers, but this was not possible.
Regardless of these things, we thought it was great that their babysitters were always punctual when arriving at our testers’ homes. They also put extra effort into making sure their babies weren’t disturbed at any point.
We noted how the babysitters had many ideas to keep the babies entertained and safe. What we found most notable was that the sitters always ensured the babies were comfortable and safe by following all safety protocols.
So, while there are issues with their booking and scheduling system, the babysitters themselves seem to be excellent. Ultimately, that counted for more in our books!
Pros
- Punctual babysitters
- Extra effort and care
- Follows all safety protocols
Cons
- Frustrating booking request system
- $25 administrative fee
- Lack of schedule flexibility
Customer Reviews
Supportive and genuine
They genuinely care about you and your needs. Will try their best to support you and your family. They have multiple services they can offer. Great team, and smiley friendly faces. — Alisha Robertson
Efficient service
I’m not often compelled to send feedback because having worked in the service industry, I just expect good service! But…you guys were/are brilliant. Super efficient, friendly and provided total assurance in what could potentially be “uncertain” territory for parents. Everything you said would happen did. Fiona herself was just a treasure.The kids loved her so much they wanted us to go out and for her to come back again the next night! — Maria
3. Babysitting Queenstown
| Communication | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Attitude | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Organization | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Flexibility | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Time Management | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Insurance | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Training and Certification | ★★★☆☆ (3/5) |
Some of our team members recently used Babysitting Queenstown in New Zealand to find a babysitter while our team was away on a company retreat. So, we already had a head start on assessing this particular service!
Our staff members claimed the service at Babysitting Queenstown was great. They thought it was great how the sitters took care to find the perfect babysitter for each of their children based on the notes our staff members gave them.
They said the company’s people were also friendly and helpful. One even said the company went out of their way to ensure that our team member was comfortable with her chosen babysitter.
We talked to some other clients of the company, who told us the babysitters from the place are highly experienced in child care and provided outstanding care for their children.
Their children were happy and comfortable the entire time. Apparently, it has to do with the babysitters providing great activities for them to do.
We also found that the rates for their babysitting services were very reasonable. Actually, we think the only area in which Babysitting Queenstown could do better is by providing more comprehensive background checks of the babysitters they recommend.
We believe this is essential nowadays and we would like to see Babysitting Queenstown do more to ensure that their babysitters are properly vetted.
Pros
- Friendly and helpful babysitters
- Activities provided for kids
Cons
- Needs more comprehensive background checks
Customer Reviews
Early and prepared babysitters
I was nervous booking a babysitter online in a foreign country, but I couldn’t recommend Queenstown Babysitting highly enough. The moment we met our babysitter Carol, we felt at ease. She arrived slightly early, came prepared with toys and pencils etc, and listened carefully to all our instructions. We were in town for the marathon so we left our accommodation at 5:30 am while our daughter was still asleep, and we were worried that she’d wake up confused and upset that we weren’t there. Carol did a wonderful job. We came back home to a happy little girl who had made a new friend in Carol. We had a similar experience another night when we went out to dinner and Viviana was able to find a babysitter at short notice. Thank you so much for your great work. — Sarah McB
Engaging babysitter
Natalia was our amazing babysitter, thank you so much for looking after our kids. She made them feel comfortable and brought games to play and engage with them. My son was very nervous to be left with someone new (he is 9yrs) but he absolutely loved her. Thank you so much, I can’t recommend Babysitting Queenstown enough! — Milana Marshall
4. Project Nanny
| Communication | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Attitude | ★★★☆☆ (3/5) |
| Organization | ★★★☆☆ (3/5) |
| Flexibility | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Time Management | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Insurance | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Training and Certification | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
A couple of the parents on our team have also used Project Nanny’s babysitter services in New Zealand before and told us a few things about the company before we tested them.
First of all, they said that finding a reliable and experienced babysitter was remarkably easy, thanks to the ease of finding and browsing through the babysitters’ information and reviews.
They also said that though they had a few hiccups with the payment system along the way, they had no trouble finding someone who matched their criteria.
So, when we tried them out, we made sure to keep an eye open for those things. And sure enough, in our own test, one of the first things that stood out to us was the quality of the babysitters.
Everyone seemed extremely qualified and had a genuinely positive attitude, from the university-educated child care professional available for the occasional night out or weekend away or the young caregiver who was great with the kids after school.
In addition, the actual process of booking babysitters through Project Nanny was straightforward. We received an email confirmation with all the details only a few minutes after we booked, and it had all the information we needed.
Unfortunately, the customer service wasn’t as good as the sitters. When we tried to ask questions, staff were slow to respond and never gave us the answer we sought.
Regardless of this, because the quality of the babysitters was excellent, our overall experience was positive. We also didn’t experience the same problems with the payment system, it’s worth noting.
Pros
- Positive and qualified babysitters
- Straightforward booking process
Cons
- Payment system errors
- Customer service lagging
Customer Reviews
Worry free night out
Paige was great with our wee boy and he had a great time hanging out with her. She arrived early and kept him entertained the whole time we were away, so we could enjoy a worry free night out. — Hayley Bichan
Epic babysitter
Had such an epic day up Trebble Cone thanks to project nanny babysitting service highly recommend MIllie she had my girl happy in a short time after mum and dad ditching thank you again for your amazing service 😉 — Anna Pettersson
5. Christchurch Babysitting Bureau
| Communication | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Attitude | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Organization | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Flexibility | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Time Management | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Insurance | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Training and Certification | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Many claimed that the babysitters this company provided were outstanding. Given the number of recommendations it got, we had to try it.
When we checked out Christchurch Babysitting Bureau, we found the application process straightforward, and the staff was friendly and helpful. After just a few questions and filling out a few forms, everything was ready very quickly.
On the day of the booking, the babysitters also arrived a few minutes early. We liked the professional and friendly way the babysitters greeted us too.
Most of all, we liked that they accepted no more than two children per babysitter. While this may seem inconvenient at first, it actually makes sense: ensuring that each child receives plenty of attention and is given an enjoyable time.
Furthermore, we noted that the babysitters were experienced and very responsible. During the evening, they engaged the children in fun activities and planned crafts and games to keep them occupied.
Additionally, they regularly updated us on what the children were doing, which we certainly appreciated very much!
Our only minor concern was the cost as it contained an extra bureau fee, which was a bit high compared to other services. However, the convenience and knowledge that their children were in good hands made the price worth it.
Pros
- Straightforward booking process
- Prepared babysitters
- Only two children per babysitter
Cons
- Extra bureau fees
Customer Reviews
Hassle free babysitting
My go to. The ladies who babysit my kids are fantastic and fast response. Great rates too. I’m just so grateful it’s pretty much hassle free and I’ve even had a babysitter come out to my place for 9 hours while I went to Hanmer Springs. I don’t worry about anything because all the sitters are very experienced. — Melancholy Collie
FAQs About Babysitters in New Zealand
By the way, if you want to find more baby-care-related services, start with our reviews of the best baby monitors in New Zealand!
