G8 buys 20 per cent share of babysitting app to boost flexible work options for educators

G8 Education has purchased a 20 per cent share of Queensland-based business Kiddo, an on-demand babysitting app, in a move which G8 CEO Gary Carroll described as a way to explore more diverse learning and care options for children and families, as well as exploring flexible work options for educators.

 

Kiddo was founded by Rebecca Dredge in 2019 as a way to provide southeast Queensland families with access to more than 3,000 qualified carers. The business now has 12,000 users and has continued to grow strongly throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, launching a new ‘Find a Nanny’ service last month for parents seeking additional care options for children.

 

The strategic collaboration with G8 Education hopes to further support the evolving care needs of Australian families, offering flexible and diverse childcare options in more locations.

 

As a result of the new partnership the Kiddo App will be made available to more families across the country, creating an online childcare resource adaptive to the current market.

 

“The dynamics of Australian workplaces have changed since the COVID-19 crisis with millions of parents doing more work from home,” Ms Dredge explained.

 

“Kiddo is thrilled to be working with G8 Education to offer flexible, convenient and quality care that aligns with current market demands.”

 

Commenting on behalf of G8, Mr Carroll said the investment will allow Kiddo to facilitate access to care outside centre-based services, providing flexibility for families and educators.

 

“Our purpose is to create the foundations for learning for life and this means being adaptive to the evolving needs and preferences of our families and educators,” he said.

 

“Providing high-quality early learning outcomes through great centre teams remains our key priority, however changes to the workforce and childcare patterns since COVID-19 are influencing the delivery of early learning services.”

 

Kiddo allows parents to book a babysitter on the move with as little as two hours’ notice and get some extra support, whether they need help home-schooling, a day to work from home or to go on a date night. The Kiddo app can be downloaded from Google Play or from the App Store.