Finding someone you truly trust with your children shouldn't feel like a gamble. We built The Village Co. because we couldn't find it ourselves. Here's everything you need to know — how it works, who our sitters are, and why families keep coming back.
From sign-up to settled, in a few simple steps.
We don't hand you a list of strangers and wish you luck. We match you.
Step 1 — Create your family profile
Tell us about your family — your children's ages, your routine, what matters most to you in a sitter. The more we know, the better your matches will be. Payment details are set up once here, so every booking after that is seamless.
Step 2 — Meet your matches
This is where we're different. We don't match on availability. We match on compatibility — personality, parenting energy, hobbies, and experience with your children's ages. You'll receive up to three sitters chosen specifically for your family. Not fifty options. Three right ones. Not feeling any of the three? Our concierge team steps in and finds your person for you.
Step 3 — Book with confidence
Once you've found your sitter, booking happens through the platform. You'll get a day-before reminder, and every booking is covered by our $2 million public liability insurance from the moment it's confirmed.
Step 4 — Build your village
The families who thrive with us are the ones who keep coming back. Rebook your favourite sitters, grow the relationships, and let us handle everything else. This is meant to feel like finding your people — because it is.
There are other ways to find a babysitter. Here's why families choose us.
We match. We don't list.
Every other platform gives you a directory of strangers and asks you to scroll and hope. We give you three curated, compatible sitters. That shift from browse to match is what changes the whole experience from stressful to settled.
Built by parents, for parents.
The Village Co. was founded by two mums of small children. We understand what it feels like to need help and not know who to call. We built this platform because that feeling shouldn't be the norm.
Trust is the whole product.
We don't list unverified sitters. We don't let anyone skip steps. We don't compromise on vetting because it would be easier. Every feature, every decision sits on one foundation: trust.
A concierge when you need it.
If your three matches aren't quite right, you don't start over alone. Our concierge service works with you personally until we find your person. We won't leave you stuck.
Real relationships, not transactions.
We're not a gig economy app. We're a community. The families who love The Village Co. are the ones building genuine, ongoing relationships with their sitters — with the safety net of a trusted platform behind them the whole time.
Our sitter guarantee
Every sitter on The Village Co. platform passes our six-pillar vetting framework before they ever meet a family. This isn't a tick-box exercise. It's the standard we hold ourselves to.
| Ministry of Justice Check Full criminal background check. No exceptions, no shortcuts. |
Veriff ID Verification Identity confirmed. We know exactly who is on our platform. |
Video Interview |
| First Aid Certified Current first aid certification or knowledge needed. | Experience We look for qualifications or demonstrated experience working with children. |
Ongoing Parent Reviews Every booking generates a review. Sitters who don't meet our standard don't stay. |
Every booking is covered by $2 million public liability insurance. It covers property damage and bodily injury arising from your booking. Included automatically.
You don't need to do a thing. This is the kind of protection you won't find through Facebook groups, neighbourhood apps, or a friend of a friend.
100% — Five-star sitter ratings across every review on our platform
52% — Of families have booked two or more times
3.8× — Average number of bookings per family
Real numbers from real families. Not a projection — our actual platform data.
Questions we hear all the time.
Create your family profile at thevillageco.nz. Once your profile and payment details are set up, you're ready to receive your sitter matches.
Once your profile is complete, we review sitter profiles across experience, personality, availability, and compatibility with your family. You'll receive up to three personalised matches. If none feel right, our concierge team takes over and finds the right fit for you.
No stress. Our concierge service steps in and works with you personally. We won't leave you stuck.
Every sitter passes our six-pillar framework: Ministry of Justice check, Veriff ID verification, video interview with our team, first aid certification, ECE qualifications or experience, and ongoing parent reviews. All completed before a sitter is ever approved on the platform.
Yes. Every booking made through The Village Co. is covered by $2 million public liability insurance. It covers bodily injury and property damage arising from your booking, and it's included automatically. There's nothing extra you need to do.
Sitters set their own hourly rate, starting from $25 per hour. A service fee is added at the time of booking. You'll always see the full total before you confirm — no surprises.
Absolutely — and we encourage it. Building an ongoing relationship with a sitter you trust is exactly what The Village Co. is for.
Payment details are set up once during onboarding. After that, payments happen automatically through the platform when a booking is confirmed. No cash, no awkward conversations.
Contact us directly and we'll work to find you a solution as quickly as possible. We've got you.
We're real people and we're here. Reach out through the platform or at thevillageco.nz — we'd love to hear from you.
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