Ho Chi Minh City doesn’t really have a mainstream babysitting-app culture the way some other cities do — most families still find sitters through people they already trust. That’s not a bad thing, but it does mean you have to be a bit more deliberate about it than opening an app and booking someone with a badge.
Where families actually look
- Your preschool or school. Many keep an informal list of babysitters trusted by other parents, or a noticeboard/parent WhatsApp group. This is usually the highest-trust source since someone else has already vetted them over time.
- Expat and parent Facebook groups. Groups like “Expat Women in HCMC,” district-specific parent groups, or nationality-specific community groups are where a lot of recommendations circulate. Search the group history before posting — most sitters get recommended more than once.
- Agencies. A handful of domestic staffing agencies in HCMC place nannies and babysitters, usually at a higher cost but with some pre-screening done for you. Worth it if you want live-in help or someone with formal childcare training.
- Your own network. Colleagues, your building’s other expat families, and your helper (if you have one) often know someone reliable — don’t underestimate this route.
Vetting someone you’ve just met
However you find a candidate, treat the first meeting as a real interview, not a formality:
- Ask for at least one reference from a family they’ve sat for before, and actually call it.
- Do a paid trial session while you’re still home — in another room, but reachable — before leaving them alone with your child.
- Watch how they interact with your child specifically, not just how they present to you. Kids often react to someone’s energy before you consciously notice anything.
- Confirm basic first-aid awareness, especially if your child has allergies or a medical condition — ask directly what they’d do in a specific scenario (choking, a fall, a fever) rather than just “do you know first aid.”
Set the practical details in writing
Before the first real booking, agree — over text or WhatsApp is fine, it just needs to exist — on: hourly or monthly rate, exact hours and what counts as overtime, what they are and aren’t responsible for (cooking, light housework, homework help), emergency contacts, and what happens if either of you needs to cancel last-minute. Most misunderstandings later come from things that were assumed rather than agreed.
Live-in vs. live-out
Live-in nannies are common among expat families with younger children and cost more but offer far more flexibility. Live-out/hourly babysitters suit families who mainly need evening or weekend cover. Think honestly about how much notice you can realistically give before deciding which model fits your family’s routine.