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FAQ

DIAL-AN-ANGEL® most Frequently Asked Questions about child care & babysitters.

GENERAL

Q: How do I contact DIAL AN ANGEL?

A: You can call us on 1300 721 111 or just email us administration@dialanangel.com

Q: How much advance notice do I need to give in order to make a booking?

A: As much notice as possible however, DIAL-AN-ANGEL is noted for its prompt response to emergency or last minute requests and will endeavour to fill a booking on the same day. For weekend bookings it is advised to book at least the week in advance.

Q: Why doesn’t DIAL-AN-ANGEL supply a generic list of rates for all offices?

A: DIAL-AN-ANGEL tailors our services to your requirements and our rates vary accordingly. It is best to call the office located closest to where you need the service for accurate rates for the service required.

Q: Are we able to we set up National Corporate Staff incentive program, emergency care or parental support program for work/ life balance through DIAL-AN-ANGEL?

A Yes, it is handled by our Edgecliff Administration Centre. Please contact us on 02 9362 4225 or email administration@dialanangel.com for further information regarding the management of these programs.

Q: Can I change the method of payment at the completion of the booking?

A: No. This must be established at the time the booking is made with the Agency.

Q: Is there an additional fee payable to the Agency?

A: No. The rate you are quoted includes the Agency Service Fee and GST payable for the visit. The Angel acts as a courier for the fee and the GST.

Q: Can I check the Angel’s references myself?

A: Yes. You may request the Angel to provide any additional references you require. The Agency is bound by the National Privacy Principles established by the Privacy Act of 1988 and is unable to supply these details. However, before any applicant is registered as an Angel, DIAL-AN-ANGEL undertakes comprehensive security checks including verbal confirmation of all personal and work-related references. Where State Laws allow police checks and ‘working with children checks’ are undertaken.

Q: May I book a regular service? Weekly? Fortnightly? Monthly?

A: Yes. Simply inform the co-ordinator when you make the booking or contact the Agency after you have enjoyed the initial service/s.

Q: Can I request the same Angel again? Should I make a further booking with the Angel?

A: An approach can be made by the Agency on your behalf to the requested Angel. It is better for this to happen than for the Angel to feel obliged to accept a regular booking while in your home and decide later that she/he really does not want an ongoing commitment. The Agency will make every effort to comply with your request but is unable to guarantee that the same Angel will be available to accept the next booking.

Q: What happens if I do not like the Angel? Or I am not satisfied with his/her work?

A: A phone call to the co-ordinator at your local office will ensure that a notation is made on your file. The Angel will not be offered your booking again. The co-ordinator managing your booking will advise you about the procedures we employ to deal with complaints if you are unhappy with any aspect of the Angel’s performance, appearance or attitude. You can read our full complaints procedure here.

Q: If the Angel I have booked suddenly takes ill or has a personal problem that prevents his/her arrival, will I be notified?

A: A co-ordinator will contact the client as soon as possible to re-schedule the booking or send a replacement Angel.

Q: What insurance cover should I have in case the Angel has an accident in my home?

A: Clients must have Domestic Workers Compensation Insurance in those States where it is not automatically provided for casual domestic workers. This is for the client’s protection as well as the Angels. It can be attached to your household insurance in most cases or purchased as a ‘stand-alone’ policy. We also recommend that you check your Home & Contents Insurance to make sure that you are covered for any breakages that may occur.

Q: If I hold a DIAL-AN-ANGEL Gift Voucher may I use it to pay the Angel?

A: Yes. Please advise the co-ordinator at the time of booking that you wish to pay using a gift voucher. It will be accepted and returned to the DIAL-AN-ANGEL office with a Bridging Facility Time Sheet, which you will be requested to countersign. The section co-ordinator will arrange for reimbursement directly into the Angel’s banking account.

Q: Will the Angel provide me with an ABN and a Tax Invoice?

A: If you require a Tax Invoice please advise the co-ordinator when you make the initial booking. Unless the Angel is also conducting a business, they do not need an ABN, as they are independent workers who rely upon DIAL-AN-ANGEL for work referrals.

Q: Can DIAL-AN-ANGEL send an account for the Angel’s services to me or to the Company for which I work?

A: Yes. Staff Angels© employed directly by DIAL-AN-ANGEL can be provided at corporate or managed care rates. This can be organised through our Corporate Services department. If your company wishes to provide your family with home help of any kind, an approach should be made to your local DIAL-AN-ANGEL office or to the Group Administration Centre. DIAL-AN-ANGEL is noted for its professional approach to Incentive, Reward and Work/Life balance programmes for Company staff.

Q: What is “Angelic News"?

A: Angelic News is our free electronic newsletter sent to Clients and Angel’s with the compliments of DIAL-AN-ANGEL. It contains articles, tips, news, and information which is very helpful for anyone interested in home and family care – and really, that’s just about all of us. You can subscribe here.

Q: What qualifications do Angels possess?

A: All Angels caring for children are required to hold a First Aid Certificate. Other qualifications depend upon the client's requirements. If the Agency is requested to provide specialised carers (Mothercraft Nurses, Registered Nurses, carers with Tresillian, Karitane or Certificate of Critical Care) for children with special needs or premature infants this must be advised at the time the booking is made.

Q: What will the Angel do, during the time the baby and/or child/ren are asleep?

A: Angels are selected carefully and are noted for their initiative. There primary responsibility is to care for your children and undertake regular checks of sleeping infants and children. Should you have light tasks that you would like them to undertake such as tidying up or ironing please feel free to ask them to do so once the children are soothed and settled.

Q: Why is a supervised contact visit different to babysitting?

A: These assignments must not be confused with general child care and/or babysitting. They involve CLOSE supervision of the children who are accessed by a non-custodial parent. The Staff Angel allocated to undertake the care is the guardian of the child in this situation for the duration of the assignment. (This may involve accompanying the child/ren to a toilet or other enclosed area while keeping any other children in sight or physically with the supervisor at all times). Angels allocated to this type of assignment are required to possess a marked degree of sensitivity, to have some knowledge of the law as it relates to 'children at risk' and who must always remain totally impartial in the relationship between the custodial and non-custodial parent.

Q: What is Nannies International and where can I find further information?

A: The DIAL-AN-ANGEL Group has been sending Australians overseas to work as nannies and au pairs since 1967 through Angels International. You can learn more here.

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GLOSSARY

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Angel

This means that an applicant has been accepted for registration with DIAL-AN-ANGEL after having been personally interviewed and fully screened (with all references confirmed verbally). Police clearances and “Working with Children Checks” are undertaken where State Laws allow.

Au pair

An au pair generally lives-in and assists a host family with childcare and/or housework. The idea of having an au pair is to regard it as a cultural exchange. Although not intended as an employment situation, the au pair is provided with a small allowance (or pocket money). The au pair is usually a traveller from another country and intends to learn about the culture, traditions and language of the host family during her stay.

Babysitter

A babysitter provides supervisory/custodial care of children typically on a part-time or an as-needed basis.

Corporate services

This service is provided where a third party such as a Trustee Company, a legal firm, an Insurance Company, The Office of the Protective Commissioner or large Corporations contract DIAL-AN-ANGEL to provide fully insured staff for their clients or employees who may be in need of assistance in the home. Only Staff Angels© are provided and an account is sent to the customer who is paying for the service to be provided to the recipient of the service.

In-home care

Care for children in their own homes, provided by an approved carer, particularly useful for families who don't have access to a child care service, or whose child care needs are not being met by an existing service

Manny

A male nanny, a man employed part-time or full-time to take care of one or more children in a family home. The term manny appears to date back to the 1980s.

Nanny

PERMANENT PART-TIME or FULL-TIME CARE (consistently more than 15 hours over 5 weekdays). A live-in or live-out in-home caregiver who undertakes all tasks related to the care of children. Our nannies are qualified, trained and/or highly experienced child care professionals. By the time the nanny has completed a comprehensive course they are usually aged more than 21 years. Some are parents who have successfully raised their own children. They have well-developed childcare skills and have the time and patience to undertake this challenging and rewarding occupation.

Nanny-housekeeper

PERMANENT PART-TIME or FULL-TIME CARE of CHILDREN in addition to undertaking general housekeeping tasks for the whole family. The nanny-housekeeper sometimes lives in with the family and may be required to assume a parent-substitute role with long hours "at call". Where the nanny-housekeeper lives out, they may be obliged to work even longer hours than their employer does as they are on the premises prior to the parent leaving for work and to travel back to her own residence after the parent has returned. If infants and toddlers are to be cared for, the client should establish the priorities expected. Toddlers and infants can be extremely time-demanding and their care must be the primary focus of the nanny-housekeeping role.

Permanent placement fee

This is a fee paid by a client (after a trial period at casual rates) for the referral and placement of an employee who will work for them on a LONG-TERM basis for more than 15 hours a week.

Screening

A system of selecting qualified in-home caregivers through interviews, background checks, reference checks, education verification and other methods.

Shared care

A child care arrangement in which two or more families in need of part-time care share a full-time placement and divide the cost of full-time care.

Supervised contact visit (formerly called Supervised Access)

These assignments must not be confused with general child care and/or babysitting. They involve close supervision of the children who are visiting with a non-custodial parent. Only Staff Angels are provided.

Visiting angels™

Visiting Angels refers to those Angels who attend clients’ bookings but do not live in the clients’ homes. They, therefore require neither accommodation nor meals. They may be independent workers or Staff Angels.

Working with children background check

The process of gathering and assessing relevant information about a preferred applicant for child-related employment to assist employers make an informed decision on whether or not to employ an applicant for a position.

Working with children

A national criminal record check conducted under the Working with Children (Criminal Record Checking) Act 2004. The Working with Children Check consists of two parts, the Working with Children background check and exclusion of prohibited persons.

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TOP TIPS

Here are some of our favourite childcare tips:

Reserve babysitters well in advance for December's big days and nights out.

When organising events book your babysitter as soon as the date is confirmed, especially if it is a Friday or Saturday night.

When buying a backpack for your child no matter what type of backpack you buy, children should carry no more than 20 percent of their own weight on their back.

When eating out with children don't let the waitperson serve meals to the kids first. If you do, the timing will be messed up: They'll lose patience before you've finished your main course.

When leaving your children in the care of a babysitter have the following information written down and readily accessible in the event of an emergency: family name, children's names, house address with nearest cross street, instructions on how to contact you, phone number(s) of close relatives and neighbours, doctor's name and phone number.

Speed up the morning dressing process for little ones by laying out their clothes in the shape of a person the night before - that way everything is accounted for and children learn quickly how to dress themselves in an orderly fashion.

For a child with tummy ache from party food or overexcitement use camomile tea and enjoy a cup yourself!

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