K Grace helped me out during a medical emergency when I had no prior history with them. They were very accommodating with my urgent situation and their child care was excellent. I shall use them again going forward. read more

Great sitters. Terrible communication by administration. We have been clients of KGrace for many years. The sitters are great. The calendar interface easy to use. The ongoing problem I have with them is in regards to their repeated lack of communication about "special fee days" and changes to sitters fees. Specifically, they repeatedly did not tell me about the extra fee associated with certain days until after I had paid the sitter. The special fee days are not the same every year so they are not necessarily predictable. Recently they changed their sitters' fees, but did not communicate this information until after the sitter had completed her visit. Over the years I have had numerous emails and phone calls with the administration asking them to please tell me about the special fees and fee changes in advance (at the time of booking or before so that I can make an informed choice about whether to book or not). However, they continue to inform after the fact/after the babysitting has already occurred. read more

I'm a sitter for K. Grace. Overall, it's a convenient way to make money, but I'd move on if I didn't need extra work from time to time. Pros: - Flexible schedule (provided you're booked a request). I love that I can pick up babysitting jobs (aka "requests) anytime. Cons: - Sitters pay a monthly fee $5-$10. This isn't a big deal, except that sitters shouldn't have to pay to work for a family. They are hungry for work and they do the agency a service, right? Roll it into the family's fee somehow. It can't be that complicated. - I don't know anything about the families before submitting a request to work for them, or to confirm a request that I have just booked. Some transparency is a good thing. Help us out, here. - It is absurd that the families are given the option to pay as low as $12/hour. Going to a job not knowing what you're being paid is ridiculous. Sitters should have their wage requirements respected. Some of us have years of experience and others don't. If we have to pay the agency a fee to work (to WORK), then let us have some more control over this. - I have worked into the late night hours many times for K. Grace families and a good majority of them do not offer to pay for a cab. If these families can afford the fees K. Grace charges, they can send their sitter home in a cab. This needs to be a requirement. - For the love of God, update your website (and get an app). read more

I became a sitter at K Grace last month and have nothing but good things to say. My sister has been babysitting with them since she moved here over 5 years ago and recommended it to me when I moved here last year. Although it is a lengthy application process, it insures their credibility as a quality professional childcare service. Every family that i have babysat for has been extremely friendly and most have paid me above the minimum requirement. Also, as long as you post for a lot of jobs, you will definitely be assigned to one when you want one. If you want flexibility in your schedule, this is a great way to make some extra money. Also, it is an amazing learning opportunity for those who would like to become parents in the future! read more

THEY ARE THE BEST I have been a sitter for KGrace going on 2 years. When I first moved to the city I would commute out to Naperville on the Metra and borrow my dad's car to get to my regular families... while also working at a bank full time. While working at the bank, I met a sitter who worked for Kgrace and she sold me on the service and I applied that evening. The application process is a bit long but it ensures that you are dedicated enough to follow through and that you are taking the proper steps to be a babysitter (such as CPR certification). Once I completed the hiring process I was working on the weekends and then I began to pick up work during the week. The calendar system is nice. You are able to pick the families that you put your name in for and they are also able to request you if you make a great impression. It takes a while to make your families regular but that is all about building a rapport. They have families that will pay at rate but from my experience...you will get paid based on your performance and consistency... Meaning some families pay significantly over rate. You are able to make a list of your favorite families and you will get emails when they post to the calendar. You have the means to make your own schedule! I LOVE IT! I have never had a bad experience with any of the lovely ladies in the office. They are always understanding and friendly. I have had to cancel twice for a family emergency and an awful fever and they responded quickly and were able to fill my job same day so that the families were also not put in a predicament. I could not have found a better place to work while I finish up my degree! I am grateful for the experiences I have had through this agency! read more

I have had nothing but positive experiences using K Grace Childcare. Last week I needed childcare at the last minute (I found out at 7am that my nanny couldn't come for that day). I thought it was a long shot, but I called the emergency line and to my surprise and relief, I was assigned a sitter for the day within an hour of my call!! The sitter was warm and professional and my kids loved her. This is the third time I have used a K Grace sitter and all three have been phenomenal. Very caring, energetic, and professional. The registration process is straightforward and while the registration fee is steep, I have found that it is more than worth it when I have seen the quality of the sitters that have been assigned to work with my kids; and the responsiveness in finding a sitter for every one of my requests, even super last minute. read more

This service is outstanding. I really like that Our sitters have been pre-screened and background checked. We have a few regular sitters now. On occasion I get a call from their back up service when a sitter needs to cancel, they notify their families when a new sitter will be filling in. Their strong suits are their interactive scheduling calendar for requesting sitters on specific dates. read more

As an experienced nanny, I thought i would give K Grace a shot to help me build my client list of regular families. They have an extensive interview process which I went through thoroughly. Although the staff are very helpful, they suggest that experienced babysitters charge $11/hour. This is way below market rate and is sad they are mainly looking out for the families they are charging ridiculous agency fees to. read more

After 2 1/2 years of working with KGrace as a sitter, it has becoming very clear that their main priority are the families that they work with. This is fine, but it leaves very many disappointed, frustrated and lackluster sitters in their pool because of it. Throughout my run with KGrace, I directed and referred a few of my friends to their service and we all have tons of problems with the way the service treat their sitters. You'd think that if KGrace prides themselves on being a professional service, they'd be able to understand that their business would thrive if their sitters were treated just well as the families. I felt like a number to them, a disposable sitter that could easily replace or be replaced. Never once did I feel like, well, like they cared which is a problem that could be so easily fixed. I was once lectured at over the phone for having to cancel a job because I had pinkeye. The KGrace representative on the phone told me i should have missed my classes, not seen my friends and not taken my test. I should have holed myself up if I knew pinkeye was going around and I put a "black spot" on the KGrace name when I cancelled. I was appalled and my loyalty for KGrace diminished because of it. ----------- I'm sure many people love KGrace and I understand why. I was with them for over 2 1/2 years after all. I have since moved on to self-service babysitting sites and I am much happier with being able to manage my client base. I now work with families that share similar interests as me and pay higher rates. I wish KGrace all the best in their future endeavors as a childcare agency. read more

The prioritizing of families over sitters has got to be great for families. I get that. BUT, for sitters, they don't share feedback from families and that is really important to working with a babysitting agency. They also don't vet the families as there were a few families that were pretty questionable in terms of payment for assignments and safety precautions for their children. It puts the sitter in a bad position. read more

I have been a nanny for over ten years in Chicago, and it's important that potential families and sitters understand what they are getting into. I have been affiliated with KGrace for over two years, and I can unequivocally state that this is not an agency that respects its caregivers. After a lengthy, detailed, and potentially costly screening process, you are assured that you will be assigned to jobs. These jobs pay far below the current market wage for anyone with more than minimal babysitting experience (11/hr...in Chicago?) while charging the families an exorbitant finders fee. If you do manage to get a job, you have to pay the agency for it. "It's only for the first two postings to which you are assigned per month", but I have never received more than two jobs in a month, and I'm sure that this is, at least in part, a calculated move. Taking ten dollars off of a nanny doesn't sound like a lot, so we accept it, when in fact, we are not being paid enough to have to pay the agency, and it's a full hour of what is normally a three-five hour shift. That is spectacularly unfair. After a decade of experience working in this city, any agency that charges the nannies is an agency from which one should walk directly away. However, after needing to quit half of my job this semester to accommodate my school, and needing the work, I was desperate, and posted for over 40 jobs. I was assigned to zero. I have ten years of experience with children of all ages, including newborns, multiple children, children with special needs, I speak three languages, and I have glowing references, yet even after I emailed the new coordinator indicating my interest in continuing to work with the company and to be assigned to posts, I received no return email and no jobs. Parents, do yourselves a favor and find someone on Sittercity. For $30, you can run your own background screening, and check references. Sitters and nannies, find an agency that will work with you to make sure that YOU are happy and well paid. You'll be lucky to get work with K Grace, and when you do you'll be making $3+ dollars less an hour than you should be (for minimal experience, much more if you've been a professional nanny), and on top of that, you'll have to pay THEM for the jobs. It's also worth noting that the previous 5 star review came when Lindsey was doing the coordinating. This is no longer the case. read more

As an experienced sitter I would seriously consider joining this agency as a child care provider. They tend to paint a different picture when going through the interview process then what actually in going on at the agency. I have experienced much lower pay than promised. Also as a sitter for K grace you are not allowed to set your price or contest to getting paid $10 ( for an experienced sitter with a college degree this is way to low). You simply have to take the pay. My list could go on about ways they can make you feel belittled. If you are family looking for reliable sitters this is the place as long as you don't care about how they treat their care providers. read more

Recently looked into working weekends and evenings as a sitter again for some extra cash. Went through the group interview process and then scheduled an individual interview. Now heres the thing; since I do have a 9-5 job during the weekdays (which happens to be K Graces hours as well) I asked if I could do a skype or phone interview seeing as I would have to take off work in order to make it to their ridiculous hours. You'd think a company such as theirs would offer weekend and evening hours for multiple reasons but alas they haven't upgraded them. Anyways, they declined & I stupidly made the decision to take off work early to make it in to the interview before their closing time. I mentioned to Rebecca that I would be in between 4:30-5pm and she was like "oh okay great I can totally stay later to get this done." Well low and behold I call her day of around 4:15 just letting her know Im on the way, but it will be closer to 5pm of me arriving. She says "no, I have prior engagements I have to leave exactly at 5 today." UMMM what? I just took of work early to accommodate your ridiculous hours after you telling me prior that you would stay later, only to be bailed on?! I dont understand the unprofessionalism and rudeness of this company and their employees. So the next day I get an email saying because I was not timely they're not going to continue the interview & hiring process. Are you f*cking kidding me? I replied clarifying what happened, of course to get no response back. Im glad though now after reading all these terrible reviews I didn't start working with them. Having no transparency as to what family Im going to be working with, let alone the pay is absolutely ridiculous. I know the going rate(s) Ive been a nanny and house manager for the past 8 years. You cant tell me $12hr is at all fair compensation. These poor sitters are getting suckered. :( read more

I'm a stay-at-home mom of two and have used K.Grace since our first was about 4 months old. We have absolutely loved the service and have appreciated their professionalism and quality sitters since day one. I'm originally from a small town and finding sitters in such a big city was extremely intimidating to me. The system is very nice in that you can rate each sitter and the ones with the highest ratings are called on first for future jobs. We've never had a problem with a sitter, but there have been girls that I (or my children) have just clicked with better than others. You can also create recurring schedules which make booking very easy for an entire month at a time. They've also been very accomodating for finding last-minute sitters when we've needed one. My only reason for 4 stars instead of 5 is because of the cost. You pay a monthly fee + sitter fees and this will no doubt be a deterent to some. However, if you are so inclined to try it out...the convenience and quality of sitters can't be beat! read more

As a sitter working for K Grace you may have the chance of working with great families, or in my case NOT. I have been placed in houses that are disorderly, rude and misbehaving children with no respect toward their nannies, and parents who have high expectations but never explain exactly what they'd like you to do for their children. I truly do not believe that K Grace cares about their providers but would rather rub elbows with the wealthy families that use and abuse their sitters in Chicago. Also they require a long interview process, expensive background check that the interviewee pays for, as well as having to pay to take a CPR class. If you are an experienced sitter or nanny in Chicago I'd suggest using one of the other babysitting agencies. read more

I have been a Provider for K Grace for over 3 years now; what a great job for a sitter in the city to have! I can pick the families that I would like to work with, and the schedule that I would like to be available for. VERY flexible/choose-your-own-schedule. I have many families that I have gone on to work on a regular basis with through the calendar, and if I would like to get more hours, I can just send a quick email to the Provider Services Manager to make sure that I'm considered for more jobs. The calendar is very easy to work with and leave my daily availability on in case there are last-minute requests that I want to be considered for. The process to become a sitter was very official and had many steps, but it was definitely worth the effort! After all, the clients want the best of the best for sitters. Another big part of why K Grace is great is the safety aspect: with the calendar, I check in for my requests and everyone knows what jobs/homes I am at - I will never have to worry about walking in to random houses like on other sitting websites. If there was one family I preferred over another, I could make them a "favorite family" and be alerted every time that they add a request to the calendar for me to then post for! If there was a family that I preferred not go back to, then I just don't have to post for their requests and I won't get sent back. It is truly a great job, a great company, with some amazing families to work for, and I am very glad that I found K Grace! read more

I am currently a sitter for K. Grace Childcare since the beginning of 2011. I struggled for quite some to find families to babysit for after I graduated from college and began to embark on my graduate school career as my busy schedule made it almost to connect with families who are also busy juggling everyday commitments and jobs. A friend recommended me to K. Grace explaining the flexibility they offer and I can't tell you how much I have thanked her since. Without K. Grace it would have been impossible to be in graduate school and pay my own way in living expenses. I had attempted to remain at my second job, but the time requirements were too taxing and interfered with my education. The screening process is long, but if you are diligent and complete all that is asked you have a job where there is no minimum or maximum hours requirement. Lindsey the coordinator knows each family and sitter extremely personally and works extremely hard to place you in homes that are geographically convenient and where you will connect with the family. She works hard to understand what the sitter and family needs and is able to work out issues in a gentle and non-condescending manner. For me this agency has helped me immensely both financially and mentally. I am able to sign up when I am able around my classes, study time and clinical rotations. There is incredibly organization and commitment, is run amazingly well and can be so helpful for families and sitters alike. If you're in school or just like to babysit on the side I would say it would be so silly to be put off by the long application and screening process. By going through the process you have access to wonderful, kind and interesting families. I have met amazing families and have learned a lot about parenting in the city! K Grace is fabulous, not only because it's my namesake, but because they work hard to provide good quality care and a safe and supported work environment. read more

K. Grace has made it possible for me to continue working. Their online scheduling system is fantastic. Seeing the negative reviews from the sitters is sad. I'm sorry that you have been treated poorly by parents. read more

I have worked as a babysitter/nanny for K Grace since August 2013 and I can honestly say that it has been one of the best companies I have ever worked for. Starting off in a new city, I knew I wanted to work a part time job with a lot of flexibility (which is quite hard to come by these days, I must say). From the beginning of my interview process to the time I was offered a position as a provider, I have appreciated K Grace's level of professionalism every step of the way. They do an incredible job at keeping in constant contact with me via email or phone call and always follow through with communication. Now that I am a provider, I have worked with multiple families throughout the Chicagoland area and it has been an amazing experience! I have met some wonderful families (several of which I have worked with multiple times) with great kids (which is always a pleasure!). The company also truly serves as a wonderful liason between the families and sitters. If there was ever an issue with scheduling or anything else, my manager would be the first point of contact and has worked with both the families needs and my needs to make any situation/issue work out as seamlessly as possible. I would also like to take a moment to share a story of when I was unable to babysit for a particular family due to a sudden fever I had acquired earlier that day. I had contacted my manager to let her know that I wasn't feeling my best (although I had a placement set up for that evening and I was unsure on what I should do because I did not want to get the child sick. I told her I would sleep it off and take some medicine to see if I was feeling well and asked her suggestion on what I should do. After I had some rest for about an hour, I woke up and told her my fever was still not down much more than before and she had already found me a backup for that evening as well as the next evening (for which I had a placement scheduled with another family). Needless to say, my manager was definitely watching out for my health as well as the needs of the children by finding me a replacement on such short notice. I really appreciated the sensitivity to the situation and the organization that it took to work out the kinks in this scenario and I now know that they really have everyone's best interest at heart. So, I highly recommend K Grace to anyone looking to be a provider or to a family looking for a sitter (whether it be recurring, last minute, or whatever you need). This company provides the best service to both parties and I could not be more pleased to be a part of it :) THUMBS UP ALL THE WAY! read more

I really appreciated the help of this agency in finding a family to nanny for. After I was all set up with K. Grace, it wasn't long before they set me up with the family I work with now. Eight months strong and I couldn't be happier! I did a little babysitting through them too when I was first hired; I didn't do quite enough of it to weigh in on how that aspect of the system works from the childcare provider's perspective, but I could imagine using K. Grace as a client when I have my own kids so I don't have to worry about finding sitters and checking up on their employment history and legal backgrounds. It's sort of like the GrubHub of childcare, and I loves me some GrubHub! read more

I'm a nanny for K Grace. I started out as a sitter when I first moved to the city, and it was really nice that I could work when I had days open but didn't need to worry about requesting time off if I needed to work on unpacking or wanted to spend some time exploring the city. After I got settled in, I did a recurring schedule of regular, not-quite-full-time sitting for one family, and almost six months ago I interviewed with one of their clients for a full-time position. I got the job and I still love it! I feel like the family I work for and I are really well-matched, I make good money, and the agency contract we all signed gives me a feeling of job security. The interview process IS long, but I can understand why they're trying to be picky, and for me it was so worth it. I have several friends who work for the agency as both nannies and sitters who feel the same way. read more

As a former K Grace sitter, my experience was very different than what other past sitters have noted. Foremost, my interactions with Lindsey, Rachel, and Erin (the staff members) were always positive, professional, and respectful. Not only were they consistently responsive when I asked for more work, they were prompt about passing along positive feedback that they had received, quickly addressed to any concerns, and in once instance went above and beyond to help me track down a payment. Because of my my experience I was happy to represent them at volunteer events, and recommended to many fellow sitters that they join the agency. I agree that they base pay that they ask from their clients is very low, and there is a minor contingent of clients who pay only this. However, this is easily handled by not signing up for jobs with clients that pay the minimal rate. My regular clients paid a very fair rate. The screening process for caregivers is long and sometimes annoyingly repetative, but is worth the effort. Having gone though this process, I can say with great confidence that K Grace sitters are highly professional and motivated. They are the class of caregivers that I would want to take care of my future children. read more

K Grace has been wonderful! We have used the service on occasion for our 4 year old twins. K Grace has never disappointed! Their sitters are professional, experienced, punctual, screened, and evidently love to work with children! The full time staff is also incredibly helpful and communicative, as I don't always have the time to find a sitter on my own and especially a sitter that is right my family. I highly recommend this service to anyone looking for a great option for part time babysitters! read more

This is not a good agency to work for. Although they do extensive interviews, they don't really care about the sitters. You don't get to set your rate, you get paid way too low, AND you have to pay the agency when you get babysitting jobs. There are much better agencies out there that really do benefit the family and the sitter. read more

Unfortunately, I worked with this company for just over a year. At first, I really enjoyed the work and had a great relationship with Cait, the provider services manager. As soon as Cait left (there was quite a bit of turnover this fall), however, issues began to arise: When I asked if there were background checks on the families, I was told, "The level of clientele we work with don't require background checks" - not at all safe or reassuring; I was assigned to work dates for which I had never signed up or offered to work; I was asked to contact families when I was sick to see if they wanted another sitter because the staff said the parent was 'difficult' (One KEY purpose behind joining the service); And finally, when I was sick in the middle of the night, I called the office number instead of the 'emergency' number, and because I had done the same thing 5 months prior, I was, unbeknownst to me, terminated immediately. (Rebecca called me while I was at the Dr.'s office - I had been so violently ill and in my First Trimester I had to go in; I had to get off the phone, but she couldn't stop lecturing me about professional behavior. After three attempts to end the call, I had to hang up as the Dr. was waiting.) Worst of all, K Grace contacted the families for which I worked regularly and told them that I did not wish to continue working with them, a hurtful and unneccessary fallacy. They claimed my 'unprofessional behavior' and 'general disrespect' for their service, as evidenced from the two sick days and the phone call were enough to terminate me from their roster, and it was all said and done within a three hour time span. They first contacted the families, who reached out to me, and then, three hours later, they returned my calls and sent an email. I would rather work with a company that holds up their end of the contract than try to work around pompous and self-righteous egos. For a part-time gig, it's really not worth the stress or drama that the Agency itself causes. read more

K grace is a great option for parents who are very busy and don't have time to do background checks on sitters. K grace is very organized and a simple company to use. The sitters are wonderful and very professional. Just simply click on the days you need a sitter on the calendar and someone will show up at your door. Give it a try!!!! read more

Wonderful agency. We've used them when we've needed childcare on a short notice. We've now had at least 5-6 different sitters provide childcare for us and I am not exaggerating when I say that every single sitter has been so lovely and great with my daughter. Each one has their own personality and background but what they have in common is professionalism, experience, and respect towards the families. read more

We love K.Grace. As a working mom I can't tell you how much I appreciate the caliber of sitters we have been able to get, and the attentiveness of the staff. To the post about the amount paid by families - we always pay our sitters $15/hr, despite the suggested minimum (with 1 child). I have to believe other families do the same. read more

I am a sitter with KGrace and have had a positive experience working with them. The KGrace staff is very professional and efficient. They do their best to place sitters with families that live nearby. The summertime is a bit slower, but the staff gives sitters as many hours as they can. It's great that they do all the scheduling and when I am not available I know that KGrace will find a backup. They take care of the administrative side of babysitting, so I don't have to worry about it. The families I have worked for all care about their children's education and upbringing. I have felt respected and appreciated by all of the families. KGrace is very selective in who they hire as sitters. It took me over a month to complete the CPR class, background check, child development test, 2 in-person interviews, online questionnaire and medical exam. Going through all of that made me confident that the families I would work with value quality childcare. This comprehensive process makes expectations clear from both the sitter's and the family's perspective. KGrace is very clear about their policies, which they explain verbally and in writing. The minimum pay is $11/hour for 1 child. Most families pay more than that. read more

I have been a sitter with K Grace for almost a year now, and I could not be happier with the organization and convenience. As a college student, my schedule varies greatly. K Grace allows me to work when I am available, even if it's not a consistent amount of time each week. The administrative staff is organized, professional, and friendly. Also, As a young woman in Chicago, safety was very important to me. Because they screen families so well, I am confident walking in to each new families' home that I will be safe and respected. I recommend it to all of my friends who are looking for childcare jobs. It's a long application process, but it is definitely worth it! read more

I have been affiliated with K Grace for a few years and have had nothing but wonderful experiences with the service, their families, and their staff. I was referred by a friend who had also used K Grace, and I am so thankful! Coming from the suburbs of Chicago, I was naturally apprehensive about finding families to babysit for after I moved to the city. K Grace has been the perfect resource to help me find safe and compatible families to sit for, no matter what my availability is. Their online system is very user friendly and constantly being updated, and the staff is very supportive of both their sitters and families. They are here to help! It's so nice to have that middle man to help coordinate details and communicate with families for you, not to mention they are always available to talk with you about anything regarding your schedule, your jobs or feedback. I have recommended K Grace to numerous friends who are looking for an outlet to find regular or sporadic babysitting jobs as I have thoroughly enjoyed my experience with this service! read more

I'm not a big review poster but I think I should talk about the reason I chose Kgrace. I chose them because the FAMILIES are their priority. After going through different nanny agencies and such I came to realize that those agencies do not have my best interest in mind as a parent. They are only interested in collecting their placement fees and will place caregivers that have less than stellar reviews in other families because that is how they make their money. Finally I found an agency that places my family needs first (as any business should for their clients) instead of subpar caregivers. All the caregivers from Kgrace have been on time, professional, outstanding with children, and have extensive background checks beyond other agencies. If the sitters cannot maintain those high standards they wont last at Kgrace. This works for both sitters and client families because if I cancel with less than 24 hours notice I have to send that sitter a $25 cancellation fee. And if they cancel on me Kgrace will send someone else (guaranteed). But, the sitter takes a hit for stuff like that. We pay our "regular" sitters from Kgrace over the average because we want those sitters back. Any sitter we felt was not a good fit (very few) we rate low and the agency does not send them back to us. And the sitter has the same option. This is more expensive than other options but you get what you pay for and I have saved myself time and aggravation - finally. read more

I can't begin to describe how disappointed we are with K Grace. They assured us when we started working with them that their part time care givers often became full time positions. We entered a contract with K Grace with a non solicitation provision included. 6 months into working full time with a nanny for our son, K Grace directly hired our nanny away from us without notice to work for them directly in their office (given how their service works, the nanny was our employee, not K Grace employee). K Grace did not communicate this to us directly (they had the nanny tell us), their CEO, Kayme Pumphrey, refused to have a call to discuss the situation when I contacted her, and they refused to offer any sort of refund for their monthly administration contract for the employee they poached. K Grace is the most unprofessional organization I've worked with; if they treat long term clients this way, I can only imagine how unprofessional the rest of their practices are. We will not be using K Grace again, and we strongly recommend against them due to their complete lack of professionalism. read more