Mei Koon is one mum who believes there is a need for more sitters and nannies in the area.

She is the founder of Meet the Sitter, a one-of-a-kind service that arranges face-to-face networking events for parents to meet and interview prescreened babysitters and nannies.

"Think of it as 'speed-dating' for parents, sitters and nannies," Ms Koon said.

She said parents were given five to seven minutes with each of the sitters and nannies, meeting up to 14 nannies.

"Five to seven minutes is the perfect amount of time [to choose a sitter or nanny]," she said.

"A lot of it will depend on availability; beyond that, it's a lot about chemistry, just like with dating."

After the one-and-a-half hour meeting parents walk away with a complete portfolio of all the candidates they've met that evening.

"We don't just accept anyone," Ms Koon said. "We get a 25 to 30 per cent rejection rate."

Ms Koon said she set up the service in response to her own frustration at finding a sitter when she decided to go back to work full-time.

Like many young professional families, she didn't have family support and was on the daycare waiting list for 18 months — from the time she was four months pregnant.

"I knew there had to be a better way to more efficiently and affordably find someone to care for my son," she said.

Today Meet A Sitter has 1400 sitters and nannies on its books and receives 100 new applications per month.

Ms Koon said she has received 50-80 applications in The Hills Shire since its launch in November 2009.

Baulkham Hills mum Renee Kelly is the Meet A Sitter's new Hills District manager and is launching the service this Saturday 1.15pm-3pm at Millone's Ristorante, 43 Old Northern Road, Baulkham Hills. Pre-registration is required.

¦ Bookings: meetasitter.com.au.