One of the most common questions we hear from families is, “What happens if my nanny is sick, on vacation, or unavailable? Do you offer backup care?” At Charlotte’s Best Nanny Agency, the answer is Yes. We offer backup care placements for families who have hired nannies through our agency, as well as for exclusive backup care clients who need occasional childcare support.
As parents ourselves, we understand how stressful it can be when your regular childcare plans suddenly change. For the past 15 years, Charlotte’s Best Nanny Agency has helped families secure trusted, pre-screened backup care providers when they need coverage the most. Our goal is to make the process simple, quick, and reliable, so families can feel confident knowing their children are in excellent hands.
Backup care is a helpful solution when your nanny is sick, on vacation, or unavailable, but it can also be used for date nights, special events, weekend care, overnight care, interim care, summer care, last-minute meetings, unexpected schedule changes, and other occasional childcare needs.
Through our convenient online booking platform, families can request trusted, pre-screened backup care providers whenever the need arises. Whether you are planning ahead or facing an unexpected gap in care, Charlotte’s Best Nanny Agency is here to provide reliable, professional, and trustworthy childcare support.
Backup Care Pricing and Options
Registration Fee
When families sign up for this service, each family is charged a $200 registration fee. Families who hire a nanny through Charlotte’s Best Nanny Agency have the registration fee waived for the first year.
Click Here to Sign Up for our Backup Care Service Today!
Once a family is onboarded to the booking system, they have two choices to book:
- One-time Bookings: If a family prefers a one-time booking instead of signing up for a monthly subscription plan, they can do so. These bookings are charged at $35 per booking.
- Monthly Subscription Package: The cost is $49.95 per month, which includes up to three bookings per month. (Bookings do not roll over and expire at the end of each month.) For monthly subscribers, each booking over 3 in one month is charged at $25.00 per booking.
Booking backup care is simple
- Book Request: Once a family creates a profile on the booking platform, they can submit requests at any time through the system or via text for all of their Backup Care needs.
- Booking: The online platform will automatically reach out to pre-screened providers who best match the family’s needs and verify their availability. A provider will then accept the booking, and the family will be connected via a group text, where the family and nanny can discuss any details prior to the booking. The agency can also see this group text.
- Booking is Charged: When a booking is accepted, the system will automatically charge the daily booking fee or deduct the booking from the three monthly bookings. For monthly subscribers, any bookings over three in a month are charged at $25.00 per booking.
- Provider works the booked date/times: The provider will come to your home to work on the date and time of the booking. Once each shift is over, the family must pay the provider the pre-negotiated hourly rate directly.
All future booking requests must go through the agency: All new and future booking requests and communication must be made directly through our booking platform or the agency.
Vetted Professionals: All caregivers are pre-screened, like our permanent candidates. They all undergo a pre-screening interview, a reference check, a background check (conducted annually and includes a review of their driving records), and a verification of their CPR certification. Many providers are Nannies, Teachers, Family Assistants, or have extensive Babysitting experience.
Provider Pay: Backup Care providers are paid directly by the booking family. Families are responsible for paying the Backup Care Provider, Babysitter, and on-call Family Assistant their pre-negotiated hourly wage directly for their time at the end of each booking.
Communication: Once a booking is confirmed, our online system will set up a group text between your family and the provider, and the agency can also see it. All communication related to the booking must be sent via this group text. Any communications regarding future bookings must be made through the online platform or the agency, allowing us to coordinate bookings.
How to Get Started
If you’d like to get started with our Backup Care service, apply at: https://www.charlottesbestnanny.com/babysitting-charlotte-nc/, or call and ask to speak with Emily at 980-292-1045. We’ll be happy to get you onboarded to our online booking system and answer any questions you may have.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Who is eligible?
A: All families are welcome. Whether you are looking only for babysitting and backup care, are a family who has been placed, or are placing through the agency, Backup Care and Babysitting clients of Charlotte’s Best Nanny Agency, you are eligible to use this service.
Q: How do I put in a booking request?
A: All requests must go through our online platform or directly through the agency in the instance that the online platform is unavailable. This ensures accurate booking steps are taken, and the booking is finalized.
Q: What if I don’t want a subscription?
A: No problem, families can book one-time bookings at $35 per booking.
Q. Do bookings roll over from month to month?
A: If your family subscribes to the monthly subscription plan, you get three bookings a month as part of the booking package. If you do not use your bookings within the month, they expire and do not roll over to the next month.
Q: Are the providers screened?
A: Yes. Every provider is pre-interviewed, reference-checked, and background-checked at least every 12 months (including driving records), and a CPR certification is verified.
Q: What do the backup care providers charge per hour?
A: Each provider has a different hourly rate they charge, and families set the hourly rates when they put in a request. The minimum amount will be listed in the provider’s profile, which the booking family will see when booking the provider. Most providers charge between $25 and $30 an hour, with some charging more if there are multiple children or special requests.
We recommend making your highest and best offer to ensure that a provider can accept your booking request.
Q: Can I request the same caregiver again?
A: Yes, once a caregiver has been booked, the online platform has a setting where you can select that caregiver as a favorite. Then, when future bookings are made, that caregiver will have the first chance to accept the booking.
Q: Can I book a same-day booking?
A: Yes, you may request same-day bookings. We will always do our best to fill urgent requests, though availability may vary depending on the timing and caregiver schedules. We cannot guarantee 100% that a sitter will be available for any booking request, but we strive to fill as many requests as possible. The more notice, the better the chance a provider will be available.
Q: Are bookings guaranteed?
A: While we prioritize every request and have a strong network of caregivers, bookings are never 100% guaranteed. We recommend placing requests as early as possible to ensure coverage. Remember Charlotte’s Best Nanny Agency for all of your backup care booking needs in Charlotte and the Carolinas.
