Small Talk
Muhaini Mahmud and Nadira Yusoff add yet another use to the phrase “There’s an app for that,” by setting up Kiddocare, which is designed to link parents with trained babysitters, writes Kathlyn D’souza
Muhaini Mahmud and Nadira Yusoff talk about their app, Kiddocare which aims to ease the burden of parents
Tell us about Kiddocare.
It is Malaysia’s first mobile application that conveniently links parents with trained and reliable babysitters based on their preferred time and location. Our Kiddocarers are third-party babysitters onboard the Kiddocare app-based matching platform. We perform comprehensive background checks on the babysitters, including criminal records, psychometric tests, plus they undergo a medical check-up, on top of being trained by childcare industry experts. Rest assured that they are thoroughly screened, to make sure they fit the personality profile and have the required skills, motivation and dedication needed to provide quality service. All applicants go through the entire process before being approved as a Kiddocarer.
What inspired this?
We are mothers, and when it comes to taking care of our children, safety and security is of utmost importance. When it comes down to it, putting together the app was not our first priority, it was all about putting in the processes to make sure that the babysitters are sufficiently equipped with skills and the right aptitude for the job. We wanted to also make sure that all our applicants are thoroughly screened. It took us a while to formalise our partnerships with relevant authorities for background and criminal checks. There were months of preparation and improving our training modules—we would not allow our carers to take on any jobs if they had not passed all our assessments, even if they are third-party service providers. We need to ensure that they achieve our expected level of professionalism, because we expect the same from anyone taking care of our own children. The app was a mechanism to make bookings simpler. We know how parents these days require babysitting services beyond normal school hours, or formal day-care hours, and we made sure that we trained a pool of carers, before launching our services—so that parents are able to enjoy the service on an on-demand basis.
What were some of the best moments when it came to making this a success?
Whenever a customer thanks us for existing and parents trusting us with their precious ones. These are the best moments, because we have helped another parent. We know, when we were there to help them, they were able to get other things done, without worrying about their children much. This motivates us to do more, as well as reach out to more parents.
Is Kiddocare operating throughout Malaysia?
At the moment, we are operating in the Klang Valley and are planning to go nationwide sometime this year. On a daily basis, we get calls from women from other states requesting our service. We can boldly confirm that we are the first in the region to provide a digital platform for babysitting services.
What would you say would be Kiddocare’s greatest contribution to society?
We are on a journey to create an ecosystem to support working parents—giving them the gift of freedom and time by connecting them with babysitters to care for their children. It is also Kiddocare’s aim to empower women who want to pursue childcare as a career or to generate extra income, by providing a platform for them to do so.
“Our Kiddocarers are third-party babysitters onboard the Kiddocare appbased matching platform”