Bali Babysitting -FAQ’s

List of Common Questions

*please check  “Our Services” page for more information

COVID19 - 2023

All of our staff are vaccinated for COVID-19.  Vaccinations are free in Indonesia.

Indonesia runs a very comprehensive program for children and adults and all of our staff are vaccinated for chicken pox, measles, mumps, rubella, HPV, tuberculosis, pertussis (whooping cough) and other childhood diseases.

If our staff are feeling unwell during a booking, we ask them to immediately go home and undertake a RAT test.  Similarly, if you or your traveling party are unwell, please let us know immediately.

** MOST IMPORTANT: Passports - You must have 6 months left on each passport to enter Bali ( Please Check Now!)

It is important that you check the expiry date on all of your family passports (please do it now). ** You must have 6 months left on each passport from the date you enter Bali.

e.g Date of travel = 22 April 2022 – Passport Expiry on each passport must be 23 October 2022 or beyond.

We have had so many families arrive at the airport over the years and have had to cancel their trips due to this.

Please take the time to check this and avoid any issues. (Please go and double check now!)

Care Policy - How many children will your nannies look after?

Safety is our #1 priority and with all the open water ways in Bali, we believe in the right amount of care for your children –

1 Child – 1 Nanny

2 Children – 1 Nanny (if you have 2 children under 3 years, we highly recommend a 2nd nanny)

*for safety purposes, if you have 2 x children 3 years and under, you will require a 2nd nanny for your booking

3 Children – Our care policy is 3 children to 1 nanny  (1 x child 8+ years, 1 x child 6+ years, and 1 x baby / toddler)  – not all nannies will care for 3 children

4 Children – Our care policy for 4 children is 1 nanny to 4 children (3 x children 8+ years,  and one younger child) – not all nannies will care for 4 children

** PLEASE NOTE: These child care ratios are in place for safety reasons.  With recent natural disaster events (earthquakes etc), it is very important that we know our nannies can safely care for all the children and evacuate buildings with the children, should anything occur.

Our nannies will not accept bookings “as extra sets of hands” for 3 or 4 children if they are under the age brackets above. They will simply decline the bookings when we dispatch them.

Please ensure you book the right amount of care for the children. If the nanny arrives and there are more children than stated on the booking, the nanny will contact us and let us know and we then give them the option to cancel the remainder of the booking. We understand that not all experiences are bad, however, unfortunately in the past our experience is that the nanny ends up taking care of more children than first planned and they are left in a very bad position where they feel they cannot give the children the appropriate amount of care. This is very unsettling for our staff and they are passionate about keeping the children safe.

Do we need to pay Visa on Arrival in Bali ?

Yes. The cost for VOA (Visa on arrival) is 500,000rp per person)

 

Further information

https://www.bali.com/visa-for-australians.html

I am nervous, we have never used a nanny before, will it be ok?
This is one of the most common questions we receive.  Often many of our families have never used a babysitter or nanny at home, not even family members.

We were in the exact same position as you 7 years ago and this is one of the reasons we started this service.  We wanted to give families like ours reassurance, we have done all the checks and balances and have the processes in place to ensure a good holiday, we taken all of the hard work out of it for you.

We screen and interview all our nannies personally and we only employ the best nannies we can find.  It will surprise you how quickly your children will take to the nanny and how relaxed and comfortable things will become over your time in Bali.  Our nannies have conducted many many bookings in Bali and know all the right questions to ask and regular care routines of western children.

Our nannies will play, draw, create, sing, swim and keep general oversight of your little ones while you relax and take a breather!

There is nothing worse than going on holiday and picking up the same life and moving it elsewhere …. that’s not a holiday after all – and we all deserve one!

The best advice is to keep calm and confident and prepare your children that they will have a new friend in Bali to have some fun with 🙂 Children feel your emotions and acting like it is completely normal to have the nanny with you will set you up for success on your family holiday.

Where does the care take place?
Our nannies and casual babysitters will come to your hotel or villa or they can meet you at restraurants, venue’s, theme park’s etc.
What hours do your nannies work ? What are the min / max hours per day?

Our nannies working hours can range between 7am – 1am

Casual Babysitting – min 4 hours per day / max 6 hours per day

Daily Holiday Nannies – min 6 hours per day / max 12 hours per day

** Please check our section on School Holiday / peak period min booking times

** Please note: Hours after midnight attract a double time fee payable directly to the nanny

With the exception of live in nannies, most customers ask our nannies to arrive around 10am (this is when the shops and services open in Bali) and stay throughout the day until after dinner time. Some prefer to have their nanny start in the afternoon until later at night.

** If you book a daily holiday nanny (min 6 hours per day), you can adjust the start times each day directly with you nanny to suit your plans. Casual Babysitting hours are specific and fixed times.

** Our nannies must have a 11- 12 hour break between shifts and prior to starting the next day for safety reasons. If you do need a nanny until late at night and start early the next morning, you can book a different casual nanny to come in early the next morning if you would like.

What are the minimum hours for School Holidays and Peak times?

IMPORTANT: SCHOOL HOLIDAY BOOKINGS 2022 – Minimum Booking times

* Min Casual Bookings = 4 hours per day (Casuals are often not available during school holidays due to demand)

* Min Daily Holiday Nannies = 8 hours per day (consecutive days) x min 7 days

** We always have waiting lists for School Holidays

2023

(min 7 consecutive days x 8 hours per day)

https://www.holidays-info.com/australia/school-holidays/2023/

** Please note: we must take into account school holidays for all States & Territories,

public and private school holidays, not just the state that you live in.

** Christmas and New Years Booking open around the September of each year.  Please check our Facebook page for the announcement. We often have waiting lists for these dates, so we do have specific booking rules for these dates.

We always take Full Time bookings for Xmas / NYE Bookings first.  Bookings must be min of 7 days x 8 hours per day and casual availability will only be offered if we have availability left over.  Any casual dates will be offered around early to mid December, closer the the holidays and will be very limited. If we have random dates left over during any of the holiday periods, we will offer these as single booking days closer to the time and you may need to be flexible to work in with availability.

How do you match your nannies with a booking?
Finding the right nanny or babysitter to match your specific childcare needs is very important. We have been doing this for a long time and we know our nannies well. That is why before a booking is processed, we check the details and give careful consideration to the needs of the client in terms of the age of the child, language preferences, dietary requirements, special needs and location of the booking etc. We may come back to you with our recommendations to change your nanny.  Our nannies are very experienced with assisting children from all over the world, so we always attempt to make sure that we have everything covered off for you and you can relax!
Can I adjust the start time of my booking each day to suit my plans?
Yes.  If you book a Daily holiday nanny (min 6 hours per day) you are welcome to adjust the start time each day to suit your plans.  Please discuss with your nanny directly.

** Not available for casual babysitting as these are set times.

How do I book if I do not know what I will doing in Bali?
This is one of our most popular questions.  Most customers book their nannies in advance and plan their activities around when they will have the nannies with them to help.

It is common to ask our nannies to arrive around 10am (this is when the shops and services open in Bali) and stay throughout the day until after dinner time. Some prefer to have their nanny start in the afternoon until later at night, so they can go out and have a nice dinner together. **If you are booking a full time nanny (min 6 hours per day), you can adjust the start times of each day directly with you nanny the day before and they will be happy to accommodate you if they have availability. Our nannies are flexible and are happy to fit in with your arrangements.

How far in advance can I book my nanny?
We usually start taking bookings approx 110 days in advance of your booking start date. Please make sure to pop a reminder in your phone or calendar to check back around this time.
 
Why won’t you take bookings too far ahead ?
We try to be fair to our staff and ensure they are able to meet family, ceremonial and annual leave obligations.  Booking too far ahead has not worked well for us from a resourcing perspective over the years and we have found this booking window is the best time for us.

To be fair to everyone, we don’t take bookings for dates  that are not available on the calendar, even for regular customers. We will not tentatively book dates in for you, please don’t ask.
Many of our families watch / wait for their preferred nannies availability to open in our calendar and booking in advance for a certain customer is seen to be unfair. This has been raised many times and we ceased this practice some time ago to ensure we are fair to all parties.
The reason we do this is the Balinese have many public and religious holidays and booking too far ahead means we may have to change nannies / re-arrange resources.  We have found over the years this is the best time frame.
 
** Christmas and New Years Booking will open around the 15th of September of each year.  We often have waiting lists for these dates so we do have specific booking rules for these dates. Once we have filled all our full time places, we will offer casual availability closer to the holiday dates if we have any days left over.
Pricing & Deposit

Pricing can be found on the “Services” page of our website. You will need to enter details and hours (before submitting) to get an estimate. A deposit is required to secure your booking.

Depending on your individual requirements, the cost per hour ranges between $7.50 AUD (2 children) – $15 AUD (4 Children) per hour.

We require a 20% – 25% booking deposit to secure your nanny.  We do not process bookings without a deposit.

Your deposit will be deducted from your booking and a balance payable in Rupiah in Bali will be sent to you 7 days prior to your start date.

What happens if I do not use all the hours I have paid a deposit for?

The remainder of the deposit will be forfeited and the balance is still owed to your nanny. By taking a deposit for these hours this means we were not able to offer the nanny any other work for these hours and the nanny will be without work during this time. If you need to cancel your trip due to illness etc then we will be happy to provide you with a tax invoice for your deposit amount for Travel Insurance claims.

** Booking Cancellations with less than 7 Days notice will incur the balance of the booking to be paid via original invoice payment method.

Areas we service in Bali and travel fees

Casual Babysitting Areas  – (min 4 hours per day / peak season N/A) – Kuta, Legian, Seminyak, Tuban, Canggu, Umalas, Batu Belig, Berawa, Jimbaran, Sanur, Kerobokan.

Daily Holiday Nanny Areas  – (min 6 hours per day / peak season 8 hours per day) Kuta, Legian, Seminyak, Tuban, Nusa Dua, Echo Beach, Perenenan Beach, Cemagi, Mengwi, Ubud, Gianyar, Kommune, outer Nusa Dua, Bingin and other outer areas.

We service all main tourist areas including Kuta, Legian, Tuban and these areas attract no travel fees.

  • $5 per day – Seminyak, Canggu, Umalas, Batu Belig, Berawa, Jimbaran, Sanur, Nusa Dua, Kerobokan
  • $10 per day – Echo Beach, Perenenan Beach, Cemagi, Mengwi, Seseh
  • $12 per day – Ubud, Gianyar, Kommune, outer Nusa Dua and other areas attract a travel (cut off time 6pm – Kommune)
  • $12 per day – Ayana Resort & Bingin (6pm cut off time)
  • $15 per day – Uluwatu & Tabannan
  • If the area you are staying in is not listed – please ask

** Please note: We do not service all areas of Uluwatu / Bukit / Tanah Lot. Our nannies will travel as far as Bingin area only. It is too dark and dangerous for our nannies to be on the roads past 9pm in these areas. The booking must finish by 9pm each day.

Please note: Min 6 hours per day / 8 hours per day Holiday Season –  Ubud area / Nusa Dua  (we do not take casual babysitting bookings in this area) 

We do not service Amed, Candidasa, North Coast, Tanah Lot, some areas of Uluwatu, Pecatu, Bukit or far reaching areas.

First day of your booking and routines ....
If you are staying at a hotel, our nannies will meet you in the lobby on the first day.  They will need to clear security and register their visit. They are not allowed to proceed directly to your room on this day.

If you are staying in a villa, they will meet you at the door / front of the Villa Complex.

Please ensure you take the time to brief your nanny / babysitter.  You will need to ensure that you explain your child’s eating and sleeping habits, likes and dislikes and any special requirements to the nanny on the first day, so that both you and your child/children are 100% comfortable with the nanny.

This breifing should also include, areas the children are allowed to play in or visit and what they really enjoy doing for fun. What time and what they like to eat, and anything they can’t eat (especially foods that they may have allergies too). Please include sleep times and the best way to settle your child. Special “talents” that the nanny should be aware off, such as climbing high or dangerous balconies, putting small objects in their mouth or maybe constantly making a mad dash for the pool. You know your child, so please let her know what to look out for. A good briefing with your nanny will set you up for success.

** Please ensure that you have arranged enough food for your children for the day if you are leaving the hotel / villa.  Go-jek is a good option for food delivery for older children.

Do your nannies prepare meals?
Our nannies are happy to prepare meals for the children at your direction. This includes feeding infants. We ask that you plan your meals in advance and have all the necessary ingredients for the nanny to feed your children adequately. Our nannies are not allowed to take the children out to lunch / dinner unless you specifically request this, the restaurant is in the hotel / resort and the children are of a reasonable age. If this is the case, we ask that you inform the hotel / resort prior that the nanny will be bringing the children to lunch / dinner and it will be charged to your room.

** Our nannies are not engaged to cook for other family members or clean villas etc, villa staff are contracted to undertake these duties.

** Please ensure that you have arranged enough food for your children for the day if you are leaving the hotel / villa.  Go-jek is a good option for food delivery for older children.

Contact with your Nanny during your stay

You will be able to contact your nanny / babysitter during your stay.  We will provide you with their local phone number in your booking confirmation 7 days prior to your start date.

We recommend that you obtain a Indonesian SIM card. You can then swap numbers with our nanny / babysitter and contact her if you need to when you are out. Our nanny can also check in with you and / or contact you also.

Alternately some of our nannies exchange their details on various apps and keep in contact that way. Whatsapp is the most common method of keeping in contact in Bali.  This app can be used on WIFI and most cafe’s / restaurants will provide you free WIFI access.

** note: if you already have whatsapp on your phone (with your home country number) you do not need to get a SIM card.  You can just use this on WIFI for access. We recommend you turn off your International Data in your phone settings and only connect via WIFI.

What services do your nannies provide with babies / toddlers?
Our nannies provide ALL services when looking after your children. These include nappy changing, feeding, bathing, general hygiene, playing, reading, bedtime routines and general supervision. We ask that you give your nanny as much information about your children’s normal routine to keep things as consistent as possible.
What services do you nannies provide for older children?
Our nannies have looked after children of all ages and adapt easily. This can include outdoor activities, walks on the beach, swimming in the pools or simply playing computer games and watching movies. Our nannies are happy to follow your direction on these activities and what you would and wouldn’t like the children to participate in.
Will your nannies attend Kids Club with our children as they are too young to go alone?

Yes! In fact, we highly recommend this. Most Kids Clubs will not allow each child under the age of 4 years (some up to 5 years) to be left alone at a Kids Club without a nanny with them.

Often the Kids  Clubs in Bali have a care ratio of 18+ children to 1 carer, so we do reccomend that you invest in a nanny to esnure your children are safe and well cared for while attending.

We recommend you check with the Kids Club your children will be attending about the age limits.

Do your nannies bring toys and activities?
Yes! Our nannies will bring small toys and / or activities with them to help keep the children entertained. These may vary from balloons, toys, dough, craft activities, games, painting, puzzles, beading and books, coloring, bubbles, painting nails, making offerings, stickers, colored paper, gel pens, stamps, a whistle, arts and crafts as well as traditional cultural offering making .
Do we need to provide breaks and a meal for the nanny?
Our nannies do not require set breaks during the day where you have to return to the hotel / villa. They will take “down time” during the day and rest with the children.

Our nannies usually bring their own meals with them to work, but they do like to eat fresh food. If you are around your villa or hotel, it is kind to offer them the chance to quickly pop out and buy a meal. If you are out at lunch or dinner time and the nanny is with you, it is customary to ask the nanny if they would like a meal. Our nannies will usually only order a simple meal for themselves (not costly) and will always ensure the children are fed and looked after, prior to themselves.

Will your nannies attend outings with our family?

Yes! It is common for our nannies to go to Waterbom Park, Bali Safari Park, Bali Bird Park etc, etc.  The nannies are eligible for “Locals Rate” entry fees and these vary between the different parks. The nanny will need to show her ID at the park entrance for these rates to apply (including Waterbom, Bird Park, Safari Park etc)

** All entry fees for the nanny to the theme parks and outings for the day, are the responsibility of the booking family.

How do I decide between a Live in or Daily holiday nanny?
Our most popular option is a live out nanny (Daily holiday nanny) for up to 12 hours per day. Choosing a live in or live out nanny can depend on various factors. They include the age of your children and how much supervision they will require, where you are staying and your travel plans. We can advise you on pricing and availability and the best scenario for your requirements.
What do I need to provide for a live in nanny?
Live in nannies are very common in Bali and you must provide the nanny with their own room or a room they can share with the children. If you hire a live in nanny you must also provide all meals and refreshments- (a small meal like nasi goreng is sufficient in most cases). Live in nannies are also to be provided with 1 x 1/2 day off in a period of 7 days paid.

** Live in nannies finsish at 7am on the last day of your booking.  Any hours required after 7am are considered normal hours and will be added to your booking.

Will your nannies attend Kids Club with our children as they are too young to go alone?
Yes! In fact, we highly recommend this. Most Kids Clubs will not allow children under the age of 3 years to be left alone at a Kids Club without a nanny with them. We also recommend you check with the Kids Club your children will be attending about the age limits.
Do you care for Special Needs Children?

‘Some of our nannies are happy to work with special needs children.  They are happy to work with children that require additional support with mild conditions and have worked with autistic children (non-aggressive), hearing and sight difficulties.  If your child has more than mild care needs, we suggest you get in contact with Bali One Care respite agency as they have trained medical staff / carers.

Our nannies are not trained in lifting or caring for older children with physical disabilities / older children toileting / high care.

** Please note any special needs requests will require an email to us, prior to your booking. 

Please title the email: Special Needs Request (and include ages of children, dates and full detail of the needs of the child / children.

We will ask you for a full account of your child’s needs and discuss whether we are happy to provide service. Any misrepresentation of these needs may result in cancellation of your booking while you are in Bali.

What should I do about baby / toddler meals?
We reccomend that you contact Mini Muncher Bali for all your fresh baby & toddler meal requirements. Mini Muncher has an amazing variety of organic meals for little ones and they are prepared in a commercial kitchen. They cater to all food allergies and will deliver directly to your hotel or villa.

** Please note: The commercial baby food you can buy in Bali is not of good quality and sparse in range of choices.

www.minimuncher.com

Formula, Fresh Milk and Baby Supplies
Formula is hard to come by in Bali, please bring more than you think you will need.  If you do get stuck you can buy S26 at the supermarket or contact www.balibaby.com who often have Australian Formulas for sale.

Fresh milk is widely available in Bali and the brand to look for is “Greenfields”. You will find this available at Circle K stores (7/11) and also Bintang Supermarket / Carrefour Supermarket.

Nappies are also widely available and we reccomend you use “Mammy Poko” (locally made) for your day time nappies and bring Huggies for night time.

Pigeon is a brand of wipes you can buy in Bali and readily available.

** Swimming nappies are expensive in Bali and should be bought from home.

Baby Equipment Hire & Pool Fence Hire
We recommend that you use Bali Baby for all your baby equipment needs in Bali. Bali Baby is a western owned and operated company that provides excellent service to travelers to bali. All of the baby equipment is super clean, sterlised after each use and imported into Bali and meets Australian Safety Standards. Helena and her team will be happy to help you out with any questions you may have.

Bali Baby also provide Pool Fence Hire for villas.  As there has been many accidents with young children in Bali in Pool Villas, we highly reccomend you make the investment and ensure your little ones safety.

** Please note: We have used other services in Bali and find that Bali Baby is by far the best.

www.balibaby.com

How are your nannies chosen? Are they interviewed & screened?
Yes. All of our nannies are personally interviewed and stringently screened. We only work with the best nannies on the island are a minimum of 22 years old and must have had experience working with western families. Our nannies are also required to have a national ID card, police clearance and First Aid + CPR qualifications. As there is no childcare training available in Bali, our nannies have been trained in western childcare development & methods similar to the training daycare centres require in Australia.  This training is conducted regularly by us as we are qualified trainers and hold a Cert 4 in Training & Assessment.  All of our nannies can swim competently and can attend places such as Waterbom Park with your family.
Are your Nannies Vaccinated?

Yes.  Our nannies were vaccinated as young children.  There were large agencies that conducted vaccination drives right throughout mainland Indonesia and the island of Bali. They have also had the COVID vaccinations.

Freelance Nanny / Babysitter vs Management Agency

Because we understand the risks in Bali, for various reasons we advise against using an independent freelance person / babysitter, even if recommended by someone else.

A common issue experienced among travellers is nannies cancelling at the last minute or sending someone else to your booking that you did not book.  We just don’t do that.

Some things for you to consider – What happens if they cancel on you or just don’t turn up or send someone else to your booking?

Are they trustworthy with your belongings?

Is there a management team that you can talk to for advice or help?

Are emergency processes in place or processes if something goes wrong? Is First Aid training conducted annually and up to date (not just once, a few years ago)?

Are you sure the nanny turning up is who they say they are? (this is a common issue with independent freelance nannies / sitters).

We have the quality controls and processes in place for all of these concerns, and more and have taken the hard work out of it for you. If for any reason we need to cancel your booking, we will send another nanny on our staff (not just anyone) and we will only do this with your approval.

Hotel vs Villa

Again, this is a personal choice. There can be advantages and disadvantages to both. We recommend that you assess your needs and look into both. We highly recommend Bali Family Villas or Ministry of Villas. Both agencies are Australian Owned, have a wide selection of villas in all main tourist areas of Bali and these agencies offer a wonderful service.