Build a real career in childcare
Whether you babysit on weekends or nanny full time, there is a place for you here. Find work, fair pay, mentorship, and a community of people who genuinely understand the job. Free to join, open to nannies and babysitters across the Canberra region.
A community of people who get it
Emma has spent years caring for children, so she knows both the highlights and the quieter challenges of the work. The bond you build with a family, the milestones you get to witness, the trust you earn. She also knows the days that feel isolating, when you are the only caregiver in the house and there is no one to talk it through with.
The answer is a community. The Career Caregiver Community brings together nannies and babysitters from across Canberra and the surrounding region, so you have people to learn from, lean on, and celebrate with. It is free to join and open to nannies and babysitters, from the city to the smaller towns nearby.
Everything that comes with joining
Joining puts real support behind your work, with none of the cost. Here is what lands in your corner once you are part of the community.
- Job opportunities sent straight to your inbox
- A place on the Career Caregiver Community mailing list
- Mentorship from someone who has done the work
- Advocacy for fair pay and proper recognition
- A quarterly Career Caregiver Community newsletter
- Invitations to events and education sessions
- Connection with other career caregivers near you and beyond
- The chance to apply as an Available Caregiver
The next gathering is already on the calendar
The Canberra Nanny Coffee Club meets at EightyTwenty Braddon on Saturday 26 September 2026, a free morning of coffee and connection to celebrate International Nanny Recognition Week.
See the Coffee Club details →Fair pay is the foundation
Good care deserves fair pay, and knowing your rights is the first step to receiving it. Too much caregiving work gets arranged casually, which leaves career caregivers underpaid and unsure of where they stand. Little Smiles Nannying is changing that by making the facts plain and easy to find.
The Rights & Fair Pay guide lays out, in clear language, what fair pay looks like and the protections you are entitled to. Read it before your next conversation about hours and rates.
The door is open to you
The community welcomes caregivers at every stage. If any of these sound like you, you belong here.
- You work with children, or you want to start
- You are 18 or older
- You are based in Canberra or the surrounding region
New and not sure where to start?
That is a wonderful place to begin. The guide on becoming a babysitter walks you through the first steps, from the checks you need to building real confidence with families.
How to become a babysitter →Step forward as an Available Caregiver
Available Caregivers are vetted career caregivers who are actively seeking work. When Emma matches a family, the Available Caregivers are the first she considers, so your application puts you front of mind for the roles that come through.
Applying is free and it makes you part of the wider community at the same time. Share a little about your experience and the work you are looking for, and Emma will be in touch as suitable families come along.
A genuine screening process means families know an Available Caregiver has been carefully checked.
Available Caregivers are the first Emma considers when a family is ready to be matched.
There is no cost to apply, and you become part of the community the moment you do.
When caregivers are valued, every family wins
Little Smiles Nannying is built on a simple belief. The people who care for children deserve recognition, fair pay, and a real career path, not a string of casual gigs. The stronger and more respected the profession becomes, the better the care available to families in every postcode.
That is the work of this community. Lifting career caregivers up, sharing what we know, and raising the standard of in-home care right across the country, together.
Two simple ways to step in
Join the Career Caregiver Community to stay close to the work and the people, or apply as an Available Caregiver when you are ready for roles. You are welcome to do both.
Career Caregiver Community
Join the community to receive job opportunities, the newsletter, mentorship, and invitations. Emma will keep you in the loop.
Available Caregivers Application
A preliminary application for career caregivers who are seeking work and want to be first considered for placements. Tell Emma about your experience and the roles you are looking for, and share a link to your resume so she has the full picture.
Ready to find your people?
Joining the Career Caregiver Community is free, and it is the simplest first step toward more work, fair pay, and caregivers who understand the days you have. Emma would love to hear from you.