This s’porean created an app to help parents find a babysitter “aunt” – Wired PR Lifestyle Story

Amanda Ong found herself in a state of disarray last February: her nanny was suspended at the last minute due to family plans for emergencies.

Unable to find a replacement because it was too close to the Chinese New Year season, the mother of two children found her unlucky. To top it all off, he had to leave the domestic worker for breaking his employment contract.

“My husband and I were mentally and physically tired from caring for a baby and a baby, which required constant attention from us,” the 30-year-old said.

“We have tried to seek help on various platforms, but we have felt uncomfortable posting private information in public forums. I didn’t know who I could trust, because there were no reviews of these portals on the web. “

At this point Amanda urgently noticed a gap in the parenting market that needed reliable babysitters, so she quit her full-time job at a human resources consulting firm to finally start. Aunt.

Connect with parent-certified babysitters

Aunty is a mobile app launched in October 2021 that helps you connect with the kindergartens requested by your parents.

All parents have to do is download the app and enter their preferred dates and address. They will then be able to scroll through the profiles of various useful students listed in the app.

At a glance, the caregiver can see how much he / she is charged per hour, his or her profiles, opinions, and preferences. Children and teenagers also list the age groups they have worked with in the past.

Some profiles also include tasks that are ready to be done in their bios, such as homework supervision.

Although nurseries can set their own fees, a quick check by the Vulcan Post reveals that most babysitters charge between $ 18 and $ 30 per hour.

The app also has a messaging feature that allows parents to communicate their expectations and requirements.

Once a foster decision has been made, parents can request their service through the app. Reservations can be made on the same day or up to three months in advance, with no applicable platform fee.

Building trust so that parents can rest easy

However, the main concern of parents is whether they are trustworthy when it comes to finding a babysitter: can they trust a stranger to help care for their child (or children)?

This concern is very valid, especially as the number of cases of child abuse in Singapore has increased. Police recently investigated a 63-year-old nanny for abusing a one-month-old child.

On Tuesday (January 25), Singapore Police said they were investigating a A 63-year-old nanny for abusing a one-month-old child.

Under the Terms and Conditions of the Aunty app, parents and children take “sole responsibility” for their actions.

However, Amanda shared that what sets Aunty apart from other competitors is a rigorous projection process.

“Our babysitters are verified as responsible young people or friends who are looking for an opportunity to support their community while earning a side income,” she said.

“We prioritize security and make sure that receptions are adequate and qualified before entering them.”

In addition to the application form and is only accepted by applicants from Singapore or Permanent Resident, the launch also includes reference checks with previous parent-contractors, where possible.

“When parents choose kindergarten, we (also) encourage them to have an interview to get to know the reception better and read their opinions before making an informed decision,” Amanda said.

Hiring a babysitter has become a routine

Although her aunt is still in her infancy, she has already received a positive request from her user group.

Since its launch in the last quarter of 2021, it has enrolled more than 100 students in the app and has amassed approximately 1,600 parent users.

Most of these parents have learned about the app through word of mouth, thanks to other parents sharing the app in private group chats.

This did not come as a surprise to Amanda, as she was well aware that “childcare services are largely based on user trust and confidence.”

For now, he hopes to further expand Aunty’s reach among Singapore’s parents, while continuously improving the services they offer, despite being a lightweight team. Currently, the team is made up only of Amanda and an app developer.

“Since my aunt is relatively new, we are always looking to improve our processes to improve our user experience,” Amanda said.

For parents and carers to take a break, make an appointment or attend an event, Singapore families hope to hire a carer as part of their routine.

“I really believe that when parents rest well, they will be able to raise happy and prosperous children,” she said.

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Featured Image Credit: Amanda Ong / Aunty