Cost of Care

The going rates for nannies, sitters and daycare

WORDS ALEXIS PATTERSON

DALLAS-FORT WORTH PARENTS HAVE AN ARRAY OF CHILD CARE OPTIONS. Whether you’re searching for occasional babysitting, a nanny who will chauffeur your kids and prep meals, or a center that will keep your littles occupied till the end of the workday, this sampling of services will give you a better idea of what child care costs where you live.

SITTERS

$ LOCAL TEEN

Hire a teenager in your neighborhood for a single job or regular care. Wage: $15 per hour is the average for up to three kids, according to local moms we surveyed.

$$ CARE.COM

Sitters are listed online with an hourly wage range, a short bio, photo, background check, designations and sometimes reviews. Caregivers are not employed by Care.com, but to be eligible for listing, they must pass an annual screening. Areas served: Varies by sitter Member fee: Basic family membership: free; premium membership (contact caregivers, access background checks and other services): $39 for one month, $78 for three months and $156 for one year Wage: The average for babysitters hired through Care.com in Dallas: $15 per hour; Frisco: $14.25 per hour; Fort Worth: $13.50 per hour. Other costs: None care.com

$$$ MOM’S BEST FRIEND

Mom’s Best Friend provides fully vetted sitters who watch kids for date nights, school holidays, hotel care and other needs.Sitters are certified in first aid and CPR. Areas served: Dallas-Fort Worth Member fee: $150 annual fee Wage: $20 per hour Other costs: Service fee of $35–$40 per job, depending on the job’s duration; drug testing available 972/446-0500; momsbestfriend.com

NANNY SERVICES

$ ENANNYSOURCE.COM

This online job board lists available nannies, their rates and experience. Parents can also post listings when looking to hire a nanny. Areas served: Varies by nanny Member fee: To contact nannies and access background checks: $49 for one month; $39 per month for three months; $25 per month for six months Wage: Varies. Most Texan nannies expect a gross wage of $17–$24 per hour, according to enannysource.com. Other costs: Background checks ($24–$94) and personality assessments ($39) for any nanny candidate, not only those found through the service 888/963-7561; enannysource.com

$$ MOM’S BEST FRIEND

This nanny agency creates custom job descriptions for member families and recruits candidates; those who pass a 10-step screening, including criminal background check, are shared for parents to interview. Nannies are certified in first aid and CPR. Areas served: Dallas-Fort Worth Member fee: $300 annual membership and placement fee of 15% of the nanny’s gross annual income Wage: $23–$25 per hour; may be higher depending on number of children and nanny’s duties Other costs: Drug testing available 972/446-0500; momsbestfriend.com

$$$ TRUSTING CONNECTIONS

Trusting Connections gives member families access to a pool of nannies (for parents needing flexibility in care hours) or a single nanny (for those who have a set schedule). Nannies are vetted by a private detective, drug tested and have training in first aid and CPR. Areas served: Dallas-Fort Worth area. See trustingconnections.com/ dallas-fort-worth for a service map. Member fee: $120 for three months using the nanny team; up to $499 for a year with a consistent nanny Wage: $31–$35 per hour, depending on number of children and ages Other costs: $65 registration and consultation fee, which will be applied to a membership if you join. 817/993-6288; trustingconnections.com

CENTER-BASED CARE

$ LENA POPE EARLY LEARNING CENTERS

Lena Pope provides full-time Monday–Friday care, with a primary focus on serving working families. Locations: Main campus, 3200 Sanguinet Street, Fort Worth; UNT Health Science Center, 3620 Modlin Ave., Fort Worth Ages served: 6 weeks–3 years for child care; pre-K also available Tuition: $300 per week for infants (up to 18 months); $275 per week for toddlers (18 months–3 years). Lena Pope accepts families with Tarrant County Child Care Management Services grant funding. Sliding-scale tuition is offered based on household income. Other costs: None Main campus, 817/255-2562; UNT Health Science Center, 817/569-6255; lenapope.org/early-learning-centers

$$ KINDERCARE

KinderCare centers provide fulltime daycare, part-time daycare, infant care, pre-K and more programs (offerings may vary by location). Ages served: 6 weeks–12 years Tuition:The average in Dallas-Fort Worth ranges from $800–$1,400 per month. Other costs: None 855/525-2780; kindercare.com

$$$ PRIMROSE SCHOOLS

Full-time daycare, part-time care, infant care, pre-K and other programs are available at DallasFort Worth’s 65 Primrose Schools (offerings may vary by location). Ages served: 6 weeks–6 years; afterschool care for kids through age 12 and summer programs for kids through fifth grade Tuition: Varies by location, age and number of days enrolled. The upper end at the jointly owned Preston Hollow and new White Rock locations in Dallas is $400 a week, or $1,730 a month, for infants. Additional costs: None for infants and toddlers primroseschools.com