Hi mum, I’ve seen some families do direct hire from Philippines but it involves paperwork like work permit application, medical checkups, and you usually need to coordinate with an agency or an authorised helper agent in Singapore to process everything properly. It can be quite a bit of admin compared to going through an agency who handles most steps for you. For childcare experience, most mummies usually look for helpers with prior Singapore experience or strong references, especially with toddlers, so it’s really important to do proper interviews and check background carefully. If you’re unsure, an agency might be easier even if slightly more costly, just for peace of mind.