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Special Needs Babysitters Iowa City, IA (Contact for Free)

Find the right babysitter who has experience with the special needs of your child. We have members who specialize in autism, Down syndrome, dyslexia, food allergies, diabetes, asthma, and much more. See our Pay Rates.

Show all babysitters in Iowa City


Brynn Harrison

Brynn Harrison
Iowa City, IA

Activity summary

Last seen: 7 hours ago Member since: Jul 2026

Looking for a reliable, energetic, and caring sitter? Look no further! Hi there! My name is Brynn!

I’m deeply passionate about creating a warm, family-focused environment where every child feels loved, seen, and supported. Whether we're getting creative with fun craft projects or burning off energy playing outside, I bring enthusiasm and joy to every moment with your little ones!

Special Needs Babysitter, Babysitter, Parent helper, Nanny $17/hour

Child ages I'm comfortable caring for:

  • Newborns (0 - 2 months)
  • Babies (3 - 12 months)
  • Toddlers (1 - 2 years)
  • Preschoolers (3 - 4 years)
  • Small school kids (5 - 8 years)
  • Tweens (9 - 12 years)
  • Up to 3 children at once

Childcare duties I can do:

  • Light meals
  • Full meals
  • Cooking with kids
  • Bottle feeding
  • Transporting kids
  • Taking kids on outings
  • Changing diapers
  • Bathing kids
  • Supervising swimming / water play
  • Preparing kids for bed / sleep routines
  • Before school care
  • Preparing school lunches
  • After school care
  • Help with homework

I'm available for events

  • Special event babysitting
  • Corporate functions babysitting
  • Wedding babysitting

I can provide special needs care

  • Care for special needs kids
    • Asthma
    • Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
    • Anxiety disorder
    • Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
    • Down syndrome
    • Intellectual disabilities
    • Dyslexia
    • Physical disabilities
    • Sleep disorders

Household duties I can do:

  • Housekeeping
  • Laundry / washing
  • Grocery shopping
  • Running errands

Other pet services I can provide

  • Pet checker (home visits to check on pets)
  • Pet daycare (at my place during the day)

I can do house sitting

  • House sitting
    • Collecting mail / packages
    • Watering plants
    • Taking trash bins in / out
    • Rotating lights / blinds (for a 'lived-in' look)
    • Basic house security checks

Other services I can provide

  • Cleaning

My availability

I'm looking for Casual/temporary, Part-time employment.

I can travel to neighboring suburbs/towns of Iowa City for work.

Here's my weekly availability:

M T W T F S S

Morn

- - - - - ✓ ✓

Day

- - - - - ✓ ✓

Arvo

✓ - - ✓ - ✓ ✓

Eve.

✓ - - ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Nite

✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

I'm available for:

  • Last minute bookings
  • School holidays
  • Valentine's Day
  • Overnight jobs
  • Vacations with the family

My credentials

I'm happy to provide written documentation of my qualifications and credentials:

  • 4 years experience working with children
    • Babysitting course complete
    • First aid training
    • Working With Children Check (WWCC)
  • General credentials:
    • Email verified
    • 19 years old
    • Driver's license
    • I have a car
    • Non-smoker / non-vaper
    • Permanent resident
    • Covid vaccinated
    • Languages I can speak: English

I am a Junior at the University of Iowa earning my bachelor's degree in Elementary Education and Special Education. I received my associate's degree in psychology in the spring of 2025. With four years of hands-on experience—including working in a daycare setting—I’ve cared for kids of all ages, from tiny newborns up to lively 12-year-olds! I’m totally comfortable managing up to three children under five at once, and I have experience working overnights if needed! I have worked in official daycare settings alongside running my own personal babysitting program. I have a reliable car and am happy to help with meal prep, light housekeeping, and anything else you may need to keep your household running smoothly.

My skills and interests:

  • Music
  • Singing
  • Comedy
  • Reading / storytelling
  • Drawing / painting
  • Arts / crafts
  • Games
  • Nature
  • Animals
  • Writing

Contact Brynn For Free

Your job requirements will be sent with your message.

Select the services you need:

Childcare

How many kids need care?

Pet sitting

Other pet services you need:

Dog walking

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Anna Lindower

Anna Lindower
Iowa City, IA

Activity summary

Member since: Jun 2024

Iowa City Babysitter for the Summer!

Hello! My name is Anna and I am 23 years old and looking for a family to help out with babysitting or petsitting starting in July! I love to be outside and stay active, and I have enough energy to keep up with even the most energized kids! :) Working with kids has always been so rewarding for me, and something I want to pursue in a career. I am currently an English teacher in Austria where I am teaching kids ages 10-16 English, however I am returning to Iowa City in July for the summer. I am an open minded, caring and dependable person and I would be more than happy to help out a family with any babysitting or petsitting needs for this summer! I also have lots of experience pet sitting for both cats and dogs over the past 8 years. I have helped out my neighbors when they are out of town. Please let me know if you have any questions at all and I look forward to hearing from you! :)

Special Needs Babysitter, Babysitter, Parent helper, Nanny $20/hour

Child ages I'm comfortable caring for:

  • Newborns (0 - 2 months)
  • Babies (3 - 12 months)
  • Toddlers (1 - 2 years)
  • Preschoolers (3 - 4 years)
  • Small school kids (5 - 8 years)
  • Tweens (9 - 12 years)
  • Teenagers (13+ years)
  • Up to 4 children at once

Childcare duties I can do:

  • Light meals
  • Full meals
  • Bottle feeding
  • Transporting kids
  • Taking kids on outings
  • Toilet training
  • Changing diapers
  • Bathing kids
  • Help with homework
  • Care for twins/multiples

I'm available for events

  • Special event babysitting
  • Corporate functions babysitting
  • Wedding babysitting

I can provide special needs care

  • Care for special needs kids

Household duties I can do:

  • Housekeeping
  • Laundry / washing
  • Grocery shopping
  • Running errands

I can do tutoring

  • Tutoring

Pet sitting $20 / hour

Pets I'm comfortable caring for:

  • Dogs
  • Cats
  • Birds
  • Fish
  • Small animals (rabbits, ferrets, etc.)

Other pet duties I can do:

  • Feeding
  • Pet playtime
  • Daily exercise for your pet
  • 24/7 supervision
  • Care for puppies
  • Care for senior dogs
  • Care for kittens
  • Care for senior cats

Dog walking

  • Small dogs (0—22lbs / 0—10kg)
  • Medium dogs (22—44lbs / 10—20kg)
  • Large dogs (44—88lbs / 20—40kg)
  • Giant dogs (+88lbs / +40kg)

Other pet services I can provide

  • Pet checker (home visits to check on pets)
  • Pet daycare (at my place during the day)
  • Pet boarding (at my place overnight)
  • Pet training
  • Pet grooming

I can do house sitting

  • House sitting

Other services I can provide

  • Yard work
  • Cleaning

My availability

I'm looking for Casual/temporary employment.

I can travel to neighboring suburbs/towns of Iowa City for work.

Here's my weekly availability:

M T W T F S S

Morn

✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Day

✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Arvo

✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Eve.

✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Nite

✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

I'm available for:

  • Last minute bookings
  • School holidays
  • Public holidays
  • Overnight jobs
  • Full weekends
  • Vacations with the family

My credentials

I'm happy to provide written documentation of my qualifications and credentials:

  • 5 years experience working with children
    • CPR training
    • First aid training
    • Water safety training
  • 5 years experience working with pets
    • I'm comfortable with pets
    • I have pets
    • Pet owner references
  • General credentials:
    • Email verified
    • 25 years old
    • Police check
    • Driver's license
    • Emergency car access
    • I have a car
    • Non-smoker / non-vaper
    • Covid vaccinated
    • Languages I can speak: English and German

I graduated from Denison University in 2023 with a degree in Biology and German. I love to be outside! I really enjoy hiking, and running and staying active. I am always down for doing something creative as well, if it's drawing, painting, or dancing. I also love playing board games! I am really good with kids of all ages, I am well experienced with kids and teens. I worked as a life guard and swim instructor for 4 years during high school where I gained lots of valuable experience in water safety and teaching swim lessons to kids ages 4-10. I was also a summer camp counselor for a year and now I work as a teacher for kids ages 10-16. I really enjoy being around kids!

My skills and interests:

  • Music
  • Singing
  • Dance
  • Comedy
  • Reading / storytelling
  • Drawing / painting
  • Sports
  • Fitness
  • Swimming
  • Nature
  • Foreign languages

Contact Anna For Free

Your job requirements will be sent with your message.

Select the services you need:

Childcare

How many kids need care?

Pet sitting

Other pet services you need:

Dog walking

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(remains private)


Select the Services You Need

Do you need childcare services?

How many kids need care?

Do you need pet sitting services?

Other pet services you need:

Do you need dog walking services?

Powered by Google

(remains private)


Babysitting Pay Rates Iowa City, IA, United States (Updated 27 Jul 2026)

Iowa City babysitters are paid an average of $22 per hour as of July 2026, which is 22.5% higher than the Iowa average of $17.95, and 18% higher than the United States average of $18.65. A fair pay rate depends on babysitter credentials, specific job requirements, and local demand for babysitting services in Iowa City.
1 Kid 2 Kids 3+ Kids
Iowa City:
$20.00 $22 $24
Iowa:
$16.32 $17.95 $19.58
United States:
$16.95 $18.65 $20.34

Rates are calculated weekly from our live member data. Prices are shown in United States dollars (USD). If you republish our rates please credit kidsit.com 😊

Don't know how much to pay? See our parents' guide to babysitting pay rates


Special Needs Care Our Babysitters Can Offer

Find a babysitter who has the right skills that match the special needs of your child. Our babysitters can offer care for the following conditions:

  • Food allergies
  • Diabetes
  • Asthma
  • Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
  • Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) / Conduct Disorder (CD)
  • Anxiety disorder
  • Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
  • Down syndrome
  • Intellectual disabilities
  • Deaf / hard of hearing
  • Visual impairments
  • Sleep disorders

Top 10 Tips For Hiring A Special Needs Babysitter

Follow these handy tips for hiring a special needs babysitter so you can feel confident your child will be safe, supported, and happy.

1. Look for relevant experience

Choose babysitters who have worked with children with similar diagnoses, behaviors, or medical needs.

2. Check training and certifications

Ask about CPR, first aid, and any specialized training (e.g., administering medication, ABA therapy, seizure response).

3. Ask detailed questions

Discuss how they would handle meltdowns, medical emergencies, or communication challenges.

4. Request references

Speak to families of children with special needs they’ve cared for before.

5. Arrange a meet-and-greet

Observe how they interact with your child and whether they connect in a patient, caring way.

6. Be clear about routines

Provide written instructions for meals, bedtime, medications, and calming strategies.

7. Communicate about triggers and supports

Share sensory sensitivities, behavioral strategies, and comfort items.

8. Confirm reliability

Ensure they can commit to consistent care and handle unexpected situations calmly.

9. Start with short sessions

Begin with trial sittings so your child and babysitter can build trust gradually.

10. Trust your instincts

Choose someone who shows genuine empathy, patience, and respect for your child’s individuality.

Special Needs Babysitter Interview Questions

Ask the following questions when interviewing special needs babysitter candidates to help you find someone who’s skilled, patient, and the right fit for your child.

Experience & Background

  • What experience do you have caring for children with special needs?
  • Have you worked with children who have [your child’s specific condition, e.g., autism, ADHD, Down syndrome, epilepsy]?
  • How do you adapt your caregiving style to different needs and abilities?
  • Can you share an example of a challenging situation you faced and how you handled it?

Skills & Training

  • Are you certified in CPR and first aid?
  • Have you had training in behavior management, sensory support, or therapies (ABA, speech, occupational)?
  • Are you comfortable assisting with mobility equipment, feeding tubes, or other medical supports?
  • Are you willing to learn specific care techniques unique to my child?

Communication

  • How do you communicate with children who use alternative methods (signs, devices, gestures)?
  • How do you handle situations where a child has difficulty expressing their needs or emotions?
  • How do you communicate updates and concerns with parents?

Safety & Emergency Preparedness

  • How would you handle a medical emergency, seizure, or allergic reaction?
  • Are you comfortable administering medication, if needed?
  • How do you ensure safety during outings, play, or transitions?

Routines & Behavior

  • How do you approach meltdowns, overstimulation, or behavioral challenges?
  • Are you comfortable following strict routines, or do you prefer flexibility?
  • How do you encourage independence while keeping the child safe?

Personality & Fit

  • What do you enjoy most about working with children with special needs?
  • What qualities make you a good fit for our family and our child?
  • How do you stay patient and positive in stressful situations?