PARK SLOPE PARENTS RELEASES DATA FROM BABYSITTER SURVEY
Brooklyn, NY, April 23, 2012. Park Slope Parents has released the results of their first Babysitter Survey which looks at childcare rates for a night (or day) out. Known for conducting surveys of Nanny Pay Rates (defined as regular in-home childcare), the Babysitter Survey focused on parents who trust their children to caregivers outside normal childcare hours. The stereotype that neighborhood teenagers or college students are doing the bulk of the babysitting was not supported. They found that only 10% of the babysitters employed by the parents in this survey are 21 or younger; only one-third of all the babysitters live in the immediate neighborhood. "It may be that people are less trusting of younger sitters, or that young sitters are just too busy with their own lives," says Susan Fox, Founder of the Park Slope organization of 4600 families. However, parents wanting to save money should seek out these younger locals. They are paid two to three dollars less an hour and are less likely to need a cab ride home.
Key Findings of the Babysitter Survey:
(PowerPoint Presentation Deck with Full Details here).
Babysitter Pay
Average cost of babysitter for 1 child $14.50/hr
Average cost of babysitter for 2 children $15.50/hr
Average cost of babysitter for 3 children $16.80/hr
Babysitters under 21 are paid $2-$3 less per hour than those over 21
Babysitters watching children under 1 make $1 more per hour.
4 in 10 (38%) of babysitters make $74 or more on a typical night.
$158 is the average cost of a date night AND babysitter combined (range $56-$229), not counting a car service or food for the sitter.
Babysitter Frequency and Ancillary Costs:
Half (51%) of all parents using a sitter have used one once or twice a month over the last 6 months. 30% have used a sitter more often (once a week or more), while 18% use one less frequently or not at all.
Three in four (76%) use a sitter on Saturdays, making it the most common "date night." Over half (54%) or all the parents use a sitter on weeknights.
Six in ten (63%) pay for a car service on top of the hourly fee.
6 in 10 parents spend between $75 and $125 on their "date night" (on top of what they pay their sitter).
Babysitter Demographics:
90% of all the babysitters are over 21 years old. Half (55%) employ babysitters who are 22-30 years old, with 10% using those 18-21 and 3 in ten (29%) use babysitters over 30. Only 7% employ babysitters under 18.
97% of these occasional babysitters are female.
One third (33%) of babysitters live in the neighborhood, four in ten (41%) live close by (but not directly in the neighborhood), and one-fourth (25%) live father away.
Disclaimer: This post has been written for educational purposes only by Park Slope Parents and is not meant to be legal advice and should not be construed as legal advice or be relied upon. The post may contain errors, inaccuracies and/or omissions. We recommend checking with a professional for specific advice.
