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Babysitting work, with real support behind you.

We connect you with local families, take care of admin, and stay involved so you can focus on what matters: the kids and the relationships you build.

The Village Co. is a NZ babysitting platform for sitters in Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Wellington, Christchurch and beyond. Set your own rate ($20 to $30 per hour), no placement or signup fees, and every booking is covered by $2 million liability insurance.

Sign up to become a sitter

Why sit with The Village Co

Meaningful connections

We personally connect you with families.

No endless scrolling, random gigs or awkward cold messages.

 

Support when you need it

You’re never on your own.

We're here if something changes or you need help.

Work that fits your life

Choose bookings that suit your schedule, with clear expectations and you choose how much you are paid.

 

How it works

Apply

Tell us about yourself, your experience, and availability.

Get verified

You’ll complete ID checks and onboarding,  and meet with our team (by video or in person) so families and you can feel confident from the start.

Meet families + start sitting

Once approved, we’ll introduce you to families who fit and support you along the way.

What we expect from our sitters

We’re building something special so we keep our community thoughtful and high-quality.

We’re looking for sitters who are:

  • Reliable and communicative — showing up on time and keeping families (and us) in the loop
  • Confident with children — calm, caring, and present
  • Warm and respectful — every family is different
  • Professional — happy to follow routines and expectations
  • Open to support — comfortable being part of a team, not doing it alone

If that sounds like you, you’ll fit right in.

We’re here to support you and we expect the same care and respect for the families you sit for.

Sitter FAQs

Do I choose my own hours?


Yes. You decide when you’re available and which bookings you accept.

How do I get paid?

Once a booking is confirmed, payment is managed through the platform so it’s simple and secure.

What happens if I need to cancel a booking?

We know that sometimes things come up. Here's what you need to know:

Cancelling with more than 24 hours notice: No penalty. Your profile and visibility on the platform are unaffected. Please cancel through the app as soon as you know so the family has time to make alternative arrangements.

Cancelling with between 12 and 24 hours notice: A short-notice penalty applies. Your visibility in search results and matching will be reduced for 7 days. This reflects the difficulty families face finding last-minute care.

Cancelling with less than 12 hours notice: A late cancellation penalty applies. Your visibility will be reduced for 14 days.

No-show (you don't arrive and can't be reached): This is treated as a serious breach. Your account will be reviewed and your visibility may be suspended indefinitely pending that review.

Repeated cancellations: Multiple short-notice cancellations may result in account review or removal from the platform regardless of notice given.

If a parent cancels: You will receive payment in line with the notice they gave. If they cancel with less than 12 hours notice, you receive 100% of your booking amount. If they cancel between 12 and 48 hours, you receive 50%. Cancellations with more than 48 hours notice are fully refunded to the parent and you receive no payment for that booking.

To cancel a booking: Go to the booking in the app and select Cancel. Do not cancel by contacting the family directly. All cancellations must go through the platform so the record is accurate and the family's refund is processed correctly.

 

What is the The Village Co service fee?

The Village Co charges a small service fee on each booking. This fee is separate from your hourly rate and covers the cost of running the platform, including sitter background checks, identity verification, insurance, secure payments, and our support team.

The service fee is non-refundable. If a booking is cancelled, any refund of the booking amount will follow our cancellation policy based on the notice given. The service fee will not be returned.

Do I meet families before sitting?


Yes. We introduce you to families first so everyone feels comfortable before anything is locked in.

What if something changes or goes wrong during a booking?


We’re here to help. You can contact us anytime. You’re never on your own.

 

Do I need formal qualifications?


Not always. Some experience with children is important, and we look for sitters who are warm, reliable, and confident.

 

 

How do families know they can trust me?


Every sitter completes ID checks and onboarding plus you’ll meet with our team (by video or in person) before joining, so families feel confident from day one.

Still have questions? Reach out anytime, we’re happy to help.

Ready to join the village?

Apply to become a Village Co sitter and start connecting with local families with real support behind you.

Sign up to become a sitter

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For sitters

Do work you love.
Get paid what
you're worth.

Set your own rate, choose your own hours, and work with families who value you. No placement fees. No commission. You keep every dollar you earn.

The Village Co. is a NZ babysitting platform for sitters in Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Wellington, Christchurch and beyond. Set your own rate ($20 to $30 per hour), no placement or signup fees, and every booking is covered by $2 million liability insurance.

Apply to become a sitter How it works
💸

You set your rate

Choose what you charge, typically $20 to $30 per hour. Update it anytime.

✅

No fees, ever

No placement fee, no signup cost, no commission. Your rate is your take-home.

🗓️

Flexible hours

Set your own availability. Work evenings, weekends, school holidays, or all three.

🛡️

You are covered

$2 million liability insurance on every booking. Support from our team when you need it.

How to join

Five steps to your first booking.

Most sitters complete steps 1 to 4 in under 15 minutes. The welcome call is the final step.

1

Create your profile

Add your bio, childcare experience, qualifications, rate, and availability. The more detail you include, the better your matches will be.

Takes about 10 minutes
2

Upload your police check

A free NZ Ministry of Justice criminal record check. Takes about 5 minutes to request online and is delivered within 1 to 3 days.

Free from justice.govt.nz
3

Verify your identity

A quick ID check using a government-issued document. Takes about 2 minutes.

Takes about 2 minutes
4

Upload a profile photo

Families connect much more readily when they can see a friendly face. A clear, warm photo makes a real difference to how often you get matched.

See our photo guide in the sitter hub
5

Join a short welcome call

A relaxed 5 to 10 minute video chat with us. We just want to say hello before you go live. Once your checks are complete we will send you a link to book a time.

Final step before going live
Pay and earnings

You set your rate.
You keep it all.

No placement fees, no commission, no deductions. What you charge is what you receive.

💸

Automatic payment after every booking

Payment is released once the booking is marked complete and lands in your Stripe account within 2 to 5 business days. No invoicing, no chasing.

🏦

Paid via Stripe

Connect your NZ bank account through your Stripe Express account. Secure, fast, and fully transparent.

📋

You are an independent contractor

Sitters work independently through The Village Co platform. Full control over when and where you work. See the sitter hub for NZ tax guidance.

✅

Zero fees to you

No placement fee, no signup cost, no commission. The 20% platform fee is charged to the family on top of your rate, not subtracted from it.

Your earnings breakdown

Your rate$25/hr
Booking length4 hours
You receive$100
Platform fee (charged to family)$20
Family pays total$120

The platform fee is paid by the family on top of your rate. It is never deducted from what you earn.

What we look for

The kind of sitters families love.

We are selective because families are trusting us with their most important people.

⏰

Reliable

On time, every time. Families plan their evenings around you. If something changes, you communicate early.

💬

Communicative

You respond to messages promptly and keep families and our team in the loop.

🌿

Warm and caring

You genuinely enjoy spending time with children and it shows. Kids feel safe and happy in your care.

📋

Professional

You follow routines, respect house rules, and treat every family with care and discretion.

🙋

Open to support

If something comes up or you are unsure, you ask. We are here to help, not just connect and disappear.

🛡️

Safety aware

You know what to do in an emergency and take the responsibility of caring for children seriously.

Cancellations

Our cancellation policy.

Please read this before you need it, not when you are in the moment.

To cancel a booking: Go to the booking in the app and select Cancel. Do not contact the family directly. All cancellations must go through the platform so the record is accurate and the family's refund is processed correctly.

If you need to cancel

Notice givenPenaltyVisibility impact
More than 24 hoursNo penaltyNo impact
12 to 24 hoursShort-notice penaltyReduced visibility for 7 days
Less than 12 hoursLate cancellation penaltyReduced visibility for 14 days
No-showSerious breachAccount reviewed, possible suspension

If a parent cancels on you

Notice given by parentWhat you receive
Less than 12 hours100% of your booking amount
12 to 48 hours50% of your booking amount
More than 48 hoursNo payment for that booking

Repeated cancellations, even with notice, may result in account review. If something comes up email support@thevillageco.nz before cancelling and we will do our best to help.

FAQs

Questions sitters ask.

More in the sitter hub or email us.

Formal qualifications are not always required. We look for genuine experience with children, warmth, reliability, and good communication. First aid certification, childcare qualifications, and a driver's licence are valued but not always essential.
Most sitters complete steps 1 to 4 in under 15 minutes. The NZ Police check typically arrives within 1 to 3 business days. Once your checks are in, we will book your welcome call and aim to get you approved within 1 to 2 business days after that.
Your profile goes live and families in your area can be matched with you. When a match is made, we introduce you to the family. You can message them, ask questions, and confirm you are comfortable before anything is locked in.
The most common reasons: availability not set or too narrow, no profile photo, bio is incomplete, or work locations are too limited. Check these first. If you have been approved for more than 3 weeks with no introduction, email us at support@thevillageco.nz and we will review your profile personally.
No. There is no placement fee, no signup cost, and no commission taken from your earnings. The platform fee (20%) is charged to the family on top of your rate. It never comes out of what you earn.
Payment is released after a booking is marked complete and typically arrives in your bank account within 2 to 5 business days via your connected Stripe account.
Payments go to a Stripe Express account connected to your NZ bank account. You will be prompted to set this up in your profile before your first booking. Payment cannot be released without it.
Sitters are independent contractors, not employees of The Village Co. This means flexibility and control over when and where you work. See the sitter hub for NZ tax and GST guidance.
When a family is matched with you, we introduce you through the platform. You can review the details, message the family, and confirm or pass on the booking. You are never locked into anything without agreeing to it first.
Yes, if you give more than 24 hours notice through the app. Do not cancel by contacting the family directly. See the full cancellation policy section on this page.
If a parent cancels with less than 12 hours notice, you receive 100% of your booking amount. Between 12 and 48 hours, you receive 50%. More than 48 hours notice means no payment for that booking.
Call 111 first in an emergency. Then contact us immediately on 07 807 9114 or support@thevillageco.nz. Do not wait until after the booking. We are here to support you through it.
Yes. Every booking is covered by $2 million public liability insurance. If an incident occurs, report it to us immediately so we can support you through the process.
Email us at support@thevillageco.nz or message us on Facebook. If something does not feel right, before, during, or after a booking, tell us. We take every concern seriously.
Resources for sitters

Your hub, your reference.

🌿

Sitter hub

Everything in one place. Profile tips, pay guide, cancellation policy, safety protocols, and answers to the most common questions.

Go to sitter hub
🎫

Support and help centre

Submit a question, track a support ticket, or browse our knowledge base. Real responses from a real team.

Get support

Ready to join
the village?

Apply in minutes. No fees, no placement costs. Just work you love with families who value you.

Apply now Still have questions?

Auckland · Hamilton · Tauranga · Wellington · Christchurch and beyond.