At a glance: Newly approved and haven't had a booking yet? This is genuinely common, and almost always comes down to one of five fixable things: your profile photo, your stated availability, the areas you're willing to work in, how quickly you respond, and whether your profile clearly shows what makes you a good fit. Here's how to work through each one.
First — if you're approved and waiting for your first booking, take a breath. This is one of the most common things sitters ask us about, and it's almost never a sign that something's wrong with you or your application. It's usually one or two small, fixable things in your profile or settings. Here's where to look.
This sounds small, but it genuinely makes a big difference. Families are choosing someone to care for their kids, often without having met them yet — your photo is doing a lot of work in that first impression.
A few practical tips:
If your availability is set very narrowly — say, only Tuesday evenings — you're naturally only going to be considered for bookings that fall in that window, which might be rare.
Take a look at your availability settings and ask honestly: is this genuinely the only time I can work, or is it the time I assumed I should put down? Even adding one or two additional windows — an extra weeknight, or weekend availability if you hadn't considered it — can meaningfully widen the pool of bookings you're eligible for.
This doesn't mean overcommitting. You can always decline a specific booking that doesn't suit you. But broader availability settings mean you're at least being considered for more.
Similarly, if you've set a very narrow geographic area — say, only your immediate suburb — you might be missing out on nearby areas that are realistically just as easy for you to get to.
Think about your actual travel range, including public transport if relevant, and consider whether expanding your work locations to neighbouring suburbs opens up more possibilities without making bookings impractical for you.
When a potential match comes through, responsiveness matters — both for that specific opportunity, and potentially for how often you're considered for future matches. If you're someone who doesn't check the app often, try to build in a regular check, especially in the early days when you're building up your booking history.
This isn't about being available 24/7 — it's just about not letting a good match go cold because of a slow response when you genuinely could have said yes.
Beyond the photo, take a look at your profile description with fresh eyes. Does it actually convey what makes you a good fit? A few things that tend to stand out (in a good way):
If you've genuinely been through all five of these — photo, availability, locations, responsiveness, and profile content — and you're still not seeing any bookings after a few weeks, that's worth flagging to our team directly. Sometimes there's something specific to your situation that's worth a closer look, and we'd rather know about it than have you wondering in silence.
You can reach out through the Sitter Hub, and our team will take a look at your profile directly.
It's worth remembering that matching takes a little time even when everything's set up well — our team is genuinely looking for the right fit for each family, not just filling a slot. The five things above are about making sure you're well-positioned for that matching process, not about gaming a system. The same things that help you get a first booking also tend to help you get a sitter they want to rebook — which, honestly, is the better long-term outcome anyway.
Why haven't I had a babysitting booking yet after being approved?
This is common and usually comes down to one of a few fixable things: profile photo quality, how narrow your availability or work locations are set, how quickly you respond to potential matches, or whether your profile clearly shows your experience and qualifications.
How long does it usually take to get a first booking after approval?
There's no fixed timeline, as it depends on demand in your area and how your profile and availability are set up. If it's been several weeks with no bookings despite a complete profile and reasonable availability, it's worth reaching out to our team directly for a profile review.
Does responding quickly to matches actually matter?
Yes — responsiveness can affect whether a specific opportunity goes to you, and being known as a responsive sitter can support being considered for future matches too. It doesn't mean being available constantly, just checking in regularly, especially early on.