Updated October 21, 2026
Where customers in Rijeka look for a childminder
Parents in Rijeka who need childminding help come from several places. Some search online - they type childminder services into a search engine or look in a local marketplace like Websta to find someone nearby who offers the service they need. Others ask for word of mouth: they ask friends, family and colleagues if they know anyone good. Parents working in offices, shops, schools and healthcare often ask other parents where they found help.
Neighbourhoods matter less than the fact that parents will travel a short distance if the childminder is reliable and the price fits. A parent working in the city centre might use a childminder anywhere in Rijeka if drop-off and pick-up times work. Schools in the area - parents of school-age children who need before-school or after-school childminding - are a source of word-of-mouth referrals.
Online visibility helps. When a parent searches for childminder services in Rijeka, they find profiles on platforms like Websta where they can see your services, prices, photos and booking options. A profile gives you a page to send to anyone - a friend who refers someone, a parent who asks online, or someone who finds you through search.
Setting a first price for childminding in Rijeka
Pricing childminding work in Rijeka means looking at what matters to customers: your experience, the time commitment they need (one afternoon a week or five days a week), the child's age, and whether meals and activities are part of the service. You set the prices yourself on Websta - the platform does not set them for you.
In a city the size of Rijeka, there is no single going rate that everyone charges. Some childminders charge by the hour, others by the half-day or full day. Some charge more for infants, less for school-age children. Start by asking other childminders what they charge (many will tell you), looking at what a few profiles on Websta show, and thinking about your costs - travel, materials, your time - and what you need to earn.
Your first customers may not all want the same arrangement. One might need two afternoons a week; another might want flexible drop-in childminding. Pricing lets you be clear about what you offer and at what cost, so there is no confusion when someone books.
Paperwork and tax for independent childminders in Croatia
When you earn money as a childminder in Rijeka, you need to register as an independent person (samozaposljena osoba) or set up a business, and pay tax and social contributions. The exact rules depend on your situation - whether this is a side income or your main income, how much you earn, and what status you choose.
Start by checking with the Croatian Tax Administration (Porezna uprava) and your local city administration office in Rijeka. They can tell you what registration you need and what records you must keep. You will need a tax number (OIB, which many people already have). Payments to your bank account through Websta will be recorded, so keep track of them.
Card payments from customers come straight to your own bank account through Stripe - Websta does not hold the money. This means you see exactly what you earned and when. Keep records of all payments and work, because you will need to report income when you file taxes. Ask an accountant (računovodja) in Rijeka if you are unsure - the cost of one consultation is small compared to getting it wrong.
What your first ten customers usually look like
The first customers who book you through Websta or by word of mouth are often people who already know someone in childminding or who have been searching for a while. They may not be your perfect customer - they might want odd hours, live far away, or need flexibility you cannot give - but they are the ones who start the cycle.
Early customers tend to book for short periods: one or two weeks to test whether you and the child are a good fit. If both sides are happy, some stay. Others move on. This is normal. Your second and third months will often be quieter than your first, because the easy referrals dry up and you have to keep looking for new customers.
Customers who pay through Websta and book online tend to be comfortable with a formal arrangement - they like that there is a profile, a price listed, and a record of the booking. These are often busy parents who prefer not to negotiate by phone.
Common problems in the first months
Many childminders starting out find that their calendar has gaps - weeks with only one or two bookings. This is real. Building a steady customer base takes months, not weeks. Some people find that word of mouth works faster than online search, or the opposite. You may need to try both.
Payment timing can surprise people. When a customer books and pays through Websta, the money comes to your bank account, but if you are new to self-employment, you might not expect how much you owe in tax until the year ends. Set aside part of what you earn.
Pricing too low is a common mistake. Childminding is skilled, responsible work - you are caring for someone's child. If you price too low at first, customers expect that price to stay, and raising it later causes friction. Think about what you need to earn and price fairly from the start.
Another problem is having no system for cancellations and changes. A customer cancels last-minute and you lose a day's income. Decide in advance what your cancellation policy is and tell customers before they book.
How a Websta profile helps you earn
A Websta profile is a page that shows your childminding services, the prices you set, photos, and an online booking form. When someone searches for childminder services in Rijeka on Websta, your profile can show up. When a friend or family member asks if you do childminding work, you send them the link to your profile instead of explaining everything by phone.
The profile is yours to manage. You add the services you offer - babysitting, school pick-up, activity-based childminding, overnight care - and the prices for each. You control the calendar so customers can only book times you are available. When someone books and pays through your profile, the money goes to your bank account within the timeframe that Stripe sets.
Websta is not the only way to find customers, but it is one way. You will probably still rely on word of mouth, friends referring friends, and direct messages from parents who find you online. A profile makes you look organised and professional, and it saves you time because customers can book without a long conversation.
Building steady income as a childminder
Earning steady money as a childminder in Rijeka is possible, but it requires work beyond the childminding itself. You have to find customers, manage your bookings, keep money separate for taxes, and handle the small problems that come up - a child who is sick, a parent who needs to reschedule, a payment issue.
Some childminders do this part-time alongside another job and build a small, steady side income. Others make it their full-time work and earn enough to live on, though it takes time to get to that point. There is no timeline that works for everyone. A lot depends on how well you market yourself, how flexible you can be, and how much Rijeka's parents need childminding at the times you offer.
What matters is that you start clearly - set your prices honestly, be professional, show up on time, and stay in touch with customers. Use a Websta profile or similar tool to make booking easy. Keep your records straight for taxes. Do good work, and some customers will come back and refer others. That is how income builds.
Frequently asked questions
- Do I need to register as self-employed to work as a childminder in Rijeka?
- Yes, you need to register as an independent person or set up a business and get a tax number. Check with the Croatian Tax Administration (Porezna uprava) and your local city administration in Rijeka for the exact steps and what status suits your situation.
- How do I know what price to charge for childminding in Rijeka?
- Look at what other childminders in Rijeka charge (ask them or check a few Websta profiles), think about your costs and experience, and decide whether you charge by the hour, half-day or full day. You set your own prices on Websta - there is no fixed rate in the city.
- How long does it take to get a steady customer base as a childminder?
- There is no fixed timeline. Some childminders build a few regular customers in two or three months; others take longer. The first few weeks are often busy, then there is usually a quieter period. Building steady income takes consistent effort with both online platforms like Websta and word of mouth.
- When I book a customer on Websta, how does payment work?
- The customer pays through your Websta profile by card. The payment goes to your own bank account through Stripe according to Stripe's payout schedule. You see the money in your account, and you are responsible for reporting it as income for tax purposes.
- Can I work as a childminder in Rijeka only through Websta, or do I need other ways to find customers?
- Websta is one way to find customers, but most childminders use several: word of mouth, referrals from friends and family, and online search. A Websta profile is useful because it gives you a professional page to share and makes booking easy, but it is not the only source of customers.
About the numbers
Counts in this guide were read from the Websta catalogue when the text was written and are refreshed above from the live catalogue. Part of the catalogue was built from the public business register and is marked as such on each profile.