KIDSNA Sitter, the industry's first babysitter matching service for childcare workers, kindergarten teachers, and nurses (100%), has steadily increased the number of users since its launch in January 2018, and has earned the trust of users and a high repeat rate. We spoke with Akishi Nakamura, Business Manager of Kizuna Sitter, and Melina Hyakutani, Public Relations Manager of Nextbeat Co.
(We spoke to...)
Nextbeat Inc.
KIDSNA Sitter Business Manager Mr. Akishi Nakamura
Melina Momotani, Public Relations Manager
All sitters are qualified! Easy to use smartphone app for detailed sitting services.
Editorial:Please tell us about the features of your babysitter matching service, Kizuna Sitter.
Nakamura:Babysitting services in the world can be divided into two types: "dispatch type" and "matching type. Our service, Kizuna Sitter, falls into the "matching type. Kizuna Sitter's greatest strength is that all of our registered babysitters are nationally certified as either childcare workers, kindergarten teachers, or nurses. Rates start at 1,600 yen per hour (plus handling fees). Many dispatch babysitting services charge several tens of thousands of yen as an admission fee, but Kizuna Sitter does not charge any admission fee or annual fee. However, Kizuna Sitter does not charge any admission fee or annual fee. We are surprised by the number of people who ask us, "Are you sure you can afford such a reasonable fee? (laugh).
Potential childcare workers, waiting list issues------Take on the challenge of solving issues facing the childcare industry.
Editorial:Please tell us about how and why you started Kizuna Sitter.
Nakamura:Currently, the childcare industry faces two major challenges: the increase in the number of latent childcare workers and the problem of children on waiting lists. Latent childcare workers are those who want to work in the childcare field but are unable to due to various mismatches. For example, nursery schools would like to have childcare workers work during the hours when they receive children in the morning and pick them up in the evening, but it is difficult for them to work during these hours if they themselves have children. This mismatch in working hours is one of the factors causing the increase in the number of latent child care workers, and data shows that approximately 60% of qualified employees are latent child care workers.
We operate a service called "Nursery School Teacher Bank! which helps nursery school teachers and kindergarten teachers to find new jobs. The number of nursery school teachers and kindergarten teachers registered with the "Nursery School Teacher Bank! Kizuna Sitter was started when we wondered if we could provide a service to ease the burden of childcare for parents facing the problem of children on waiting lists with the help of childcare workers registered with the "Childcare Worker Bank!
Editorial:What kind of feedback have you received from sitters who actually take care of children through Kizuna Sitter?
Nakamura:Many of our nannies have told us that they find it rewarding to be able to work with children within the hours they are able to work, and that "childcare is really great. Many childcare workers originally wanted to become childcare workers so that they could work closely with children, but in actual group childcare, they are required to be efficient and are not able to spend time with each child individually. Babysitters work with children on a one-to-one or one-to-two basis, so they are able to work with each child according to his or her individuality. This allows us to respond to the individual growth and personality of each child, such as by finding out what the child is interested in, reading books that match the child's interests, and talking to the child in such a way that the parents feel at ease.
Safety and security are non-negotiable because we are in the business of taking care of lives. Realizing services that combine convenience and peace of mind
Editorial:Is there a reason why the service is available through an app on a smartphone?
Nakamura:Those who have always used babysitters tend to use them on a regular basis. From this point of view, we thought that a smartphone application would offer superior convenience. Web-based babysitting services have existed in the past, but ours is probably the first babysitter matching service app that is compatible with both iOS and android.
Editorial:What were the key points of emphasis in operating the service?
Nakamura:Our first and foremost priority is safety and security, and we thoroughly explain our services to the sitters in advance. The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare guidelines recommend that parents and sitters meet face-to-face before leaving their children in the care of a sitter, so we have made the application a process of first "requesting a meeting" rather than "leaving the child in the care of a sitter" out of the blue.
Editorial:How long does it take to actually request the service, from the interview to using the sitting?
Nakamura:The time between the interview and the sitter depends on the person, but since many parents register with us with the need to use the room on that day, in many cases there is not much of an interval between the meeting and the sitter. In the case of an urgent request such as "I want to use it tomorrow," we will first meet with the sitter for an hour on the day of the meeting to share the family rules and the child's situation with the sitter, and then make the request. As I mentioned earlier, as far as sitters are concerned, it is a prerequisite that they possess a certification. Furthermore, at the time of registration, the office and the sitter always hold an interview in person (or via the web system if the sitter is located far away). Those who wish to register are all people who have a strong desire to work in childcare.
Editorial:How many sitters are currently registered? What is the average age of the registered sitters?
Nakamura:As of the end of January, we have 337 registered sitters. The most common age group is people in their 30s, but we also have nannies in their 50s and 60s. The age of the desired nanny is determined on a case-by-case basis, but in the case of a 0-year-old child, we tend to prefer a nanny who has experience raising children, such as a nanny who has been in charge of a 0-year-old child or has raised a child herself. In some cases, our office will call the childcare center to ask questions and recommend a sitter.
Editorial:Up to what age can you handle children? Also, what are the most common projects requested by users?
Nakamura:We can accept children up to elementary school age (0 to 12 years old). Our most common request is to take care of your child at home, including pick-up and drop-off. For your information, we currently do not offer housekeeping services such as cooking, and our priority is the safety and security of your child. We are happy to provide simple assistance such as heating rice in the microwave, so of course we can accept requests for sitting during meal times.
We want to lower the psychological barrier to using a babysitter on the strength of safety and security.
Editorial:I think one of the main reasons people hesitate to hire a sitter is the fear of having a stranger in their home.
Nakamura:In fact, we do not believe that there is a solution that can definitely clear these barriers. Nevertheless, we hope that the fact that our service is provided by only nationally certified babysitters will be a source of reassurance for those who feel uneasy about using our service. We believe that there are many people who say, "I have never used a babysitter before, and I am worried because I don't know anything about babysitting vaguely.
Hundred Valleys:I myself have a 2-year-old child, and until I joined this company, I was one of those who felt "somewhat uneasy" about sitting. When I actually tried the service, I was so impressed by the professionalism of the sitter that I immediately put all my trust in her and felt that I would be safe with her (laughs). She has a career in kindergarten and nursery school, so there were many times when I thought, "I get it" in the way she interacted with my child, and now she consults with me on a daily basis about my childcare.
Editorial:One year has passed since the service was launched. Please let us know if there are any matters or reactions that you did not initially anticipate.
Nakamura:Perhaps it was the addition of the "Find a sitter button" at the bottom of the app screen after the service was launched. This feature is designed for those who are not accustomed to using babysitters, matching services, etc., and connects them to our customer support via a toll-free number. We have devised this feature to ease uncertainties and concerns after downloading the application so that users can feel free to use the service. Most of the inquiries we receive are about services they would like to try, but are unfamiliar with. We explain the outline of the service and how to use the application in detail to those who inquire. I realized that it is important for the future of babysitting services to maintain a balance between the convenience of the Web, which allows 24/7 requests, and the peace of mind that comes from talking to a person about any questions or concerns. I realized that it is important for the future of babysitting services to maintain a balance between these two elements.
Editorial:Finally, please give a message to those who have never used Kizuna Sitter.
Nakamura:We hope that you will start by downloading the app and viewing the profiles of our sitters. If you are at all interested, we would be happy if you feel free to give it a try. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us by clicking the "Find a sitter" button.
<After completing the interview
Ms. Nakamura, whom we spoke with, had once used a dispatched babysitter. She said, "I wished there were photos and profiles of the sitters in advance because I didn't know what kind of sitter would be coming until the day of the babysitting. She said, "I wish I had the sitter's photo and profile in advance. Such past experiences of anxiety and inconvenience are reflected in our babysitter matching service from the user's point of view. It is worth a try because they put safety and security first and claim to have 100% qualified babysitters. Kizuna Sitter may be like a reliable good-luck charm for parents as well as children.
Kizuna Sitter's 1st Anniversary Campaign now through the end of March.
https://sitter.kidsna.com/article/notice/1449
