Hello Sitter promises to find childcare solutions

NEW YORK (FOX5NY) - A new babysitting app is helping busy New York parents find childcare on the go, especially when something comes up at the last minute.

Hello Sitter Founder, 28 year old Lauren Mansell, a working mom, says trying to get someone to watch your kids an hour or two hours out just isn't possible, and it has been a huge problem.
Now it's a huge problem she's trying to solve with her new app.
Mansell launched Hello Sitter last month to help parents find childcare solutions in a flash.
Mansell says Hello Sitter gives parents the ability to get someone the same day, if their nanny is sick or a last minute meeting comes up.
In fact, she can get you a sitter the same hour.
Download the app, enter your information, your child's age and needs, and Hello Sitter will show you the top three available matches.
Worried about bringing a stranger into your home? Sitters are fully vetted.

Mansell says sitters apply, and if they have the relevant experience, she'll call them in to meet them in person.
Sitters have to provide three previous childcare references, which she then checks.
She also does an extensive background check.
Mansell even checks sitters' social media accounts, and asks them to provide short personal videos that parents can view on the app.

Of the 205 sitters available on Hello Sitter, 80% are CPR certified.
Several have experience with children with special needs, like Stephanie Littell who uses Hello Sitter to pick up last minute work.
Littell says she works in the Manhattan District Attorney's office Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm and the app makes it easy for her to pick up jobs after work or on the weekends.

Littell has been with Hello Sitter from the start, initially watching Mansell's daughter.
Her specialty when the kids are awake? Keeping them active.
Littell says she's a big game player and spends a lot of time with Mansell's daughter fishing off the back of the couch.
She also reads a lot of books and limits tv time to keep the kids engaged.

Hello Sitter takes a flat $6 an hour fee from each of their sitters.
Parents pay based on how many kids they have.
It's $21 for one child, $23 for two, and $26 for three to four.
If you have more than 4 children, Hello Sitter asks that you book more than one sitter.
As for recruiting more families? Mansell says she hasn't spent a dime on marketing but the word has gotten out quickly thanks to her simple promise: they'll always have a sitter available for you.
Hello Sitter is available in Manhattan and select Brooklyn neighborhoods, and Mansell says they're adding zip codes all the time.
The Hello Sitter app is free, but only available for iOS devices.
Right now if you sign up for their newsletter you'll get $25 in babysitting credit.
www.hellositter.com