A more considered way to work
tend supports sitters who want professional, predictable work without constant coordination.
The platform is designed to reduce uncertainty, protect your time, and make it easier to focus on care.
Sitters set their availability and take on bookings that fit their schedule. Families only see you when you are available for their time and location.
Who tend is for
tend is designed for sitters who value structure, boundaries, and professionalism.
It may be a good fit if you:
• have experience caring for children
• communicate clearly and show up reliably
• want predictable bookings without constant messaging
• prefer clear rules around pay, cancellations, and expectations
• are comfortable using a simple online booking portal to manage your work
Applications are reviewed carefully. Not all applicants are accepted.
How tend works for sitters
Getting started is straightforward:
• apply and complete platform onboarding
• set your availability by date and time
• choose how far you’re willing to travel
• set your own hourly rate and care preferences
When a family’s needs match the availability and settings you’ve chosen, they can view your profile and book you instantly.
You are only booked for care you have already said yes to.
There are no job posts to monitor, no booking requests to review, and no uncertainty about whether a booking will go ahead.
Why sitters choose tend
Clear, reliable payment
Payments are handled through the platform. No cash, no reminders, no awkward conversations at the end of a sit.
Availability you can control
You set when you’re available, how far you’re willing to travel, and the types of care you are comfortable providing. You are only booked for care you have already said yes to.
A reputation that compounds
Reviews from real families and repeat bookings are visible on your profile. This builds trust within your community.
Protection for your time
tend adds structure when plans change. Late cancellations include a fee paid to you automatically. Same-day care also earns a premium.
No back and forth
There are no requests to review or messages to manage before a booking. When your availability matches a family’s needs, the booking is confirmed.
Support when you need it
tend provides structure, clear expectations, and support if something doesn’t feel right. You’re not navigating situations alone.
-
When you work independently, late cancellations often mean lost income. tend is designed to reduce that risk.
If a family cancels close to the start time, a cancellation fee applies. That fee is paid in full to you.
You never need to negotiate or enforce this yourself. The policy is shown clearly to families before booking and handled automatically through the platform. -
Same-day care is always your choice.
On days when you opt in to short-notice availability, families may book you for same-day care and a same-day care premium applies.
The majority of that premium is paid directly to you, making short-notice bookings meaningfully higher value when you choose to offer that flexibility.
If you do not opt in, you will not receive same-day bookings. -
All sitters on tend are carefully reviewed before becoming active.
To join the platform, sitters must provide a valid Vulnerable Sector Police Check and current CPR and First Aid certification.Families book through secure payment processing with verified contact information on file. Every booking is connected to an identifiable account and fully traceable within tend.
Clear pay, handled simply
You set your own hourly rate on tend.
From each completed booking, a 15% platform fee is deducted. This supports payment processing, identity verification, customer support, and the systems that keep bookings clear and reliable.
Cancellation fees are paid to you in full. The majority of same-day care premiums are also paid directly to you.
There are no subscriptions, hidden charges, or additional deductions. What you see in your payout is exactly what you earn.
Sitter FAQs
-
To join tend, sitters must be over 18 and have relevant experience caring for children. As part of the application process, we require:
A current Vulnerable Sector Police Check
Valid CPR and First Aid certification
Government issued identification
References who can speak to your childcare experience
These steps help ensure trust and safety for everyone on the platform.
-
Applications are reviewed on an ongoing basis. If your experience and availability align with what we are building, we will reach out to schedule a brief interview.
As part of onboarding, we will verify credentials and contact references before approving your profile.
Once approved, you can complete your profile, set your availability, and prepare for bookings when parent access opens.
-
Founding sitters are approved before parent bookings open. You will be among the first visible to families when bookings begin and will have early insight into how the platform is developing.
We are building this community intentionally and keeping sitter numbers limited during launch.
-
Bookings will open once we have a small, vetted group of sitters ready to serve local families. We will notify approved sitters in advance so you have time to adjust your availability before bookings begin.
-
Earnings depend on your availability, rates, and local demand. As the platform grows, we will share booking trends and insights with sitters to help set expectations.
Apply to sit with tend
If this approach aligns with how you like to work, you can apply below.
Applications are reviewed on an ongoing basis, with priority given to sitters in active launch areas.