Friends of ours - who also work from home - have moved to Australia and they are raving about the place and the way people interact more openly than here in the UK. They found a great service for Nanny Sydney where you can find qualified nannies or childminders, for regular childminding or one-off babysitting. Good for them since this couple have  hundreds of small kids (well, three actually).

Using the nanny service means they can still lead their own lives and the kids are happy.  The nannies and childminders post their details on the site with full curriculum vitae and qualifications as well as pay rates they charge by the hour.  Parents can browse through all the carers living near their home or school then contact the ones they want to visit.  What a blessing for busy parents!