Childcare at Home in Ireland
Childcare at home is a personal arrangement between a family and a carer who looks after a child or children in the family's own home. The carer may be a childminder, a nanny, a babysitter, or an au pair. The work can be full-time, part-time, after-school, or occasional. The family sets the routines, the house rules, and the boundaries. The carer follows them. Because the carer is in the home and responsible for a child, the family needs to be careful at every step. This page sets out what the family can do and what the carer may charge. It does not promise anything about how a carer will behave or reply. The family describes what they need, and the carer decides whether to take it on.
What shapes the price of childcare at home
- A carer may charge by the hour, by the shift, or by a weekly rate.
- The rate can depend on the number of children, the age of the children, and whether the children have additional needs.
- Hours matter: early mornings, evenings, and weekends often cost more than standard daytime hours on a weekday.
- Night work, such as overnight care or a waking night, is usually charged at a higher rate than daytime hours.
- A carer who travels to the family home may add a travel amount.
- A carer who brings their own car and drives the children may charge for mileage.
