Hiring a nanny - some tips please

[supergolden88]

So I posted a 'wanted' thread for a nanny in the classifies section and had a few replies. One nanny PM me we exchanged emails and texts and she was due to come for a chat this morning at 10. Did not turn up or even bother texting. I have texted her to say not to bother!

Can you give me some tips please. What to look out for, what to ask etc. Have never had a nanny before and only dealt with nurseries. Clearly being prompt is high on the list.

My son is only 4 months so what should I be expecting the nanny to do in terms of activities etc?

many thanks - hope my 2pm interview turns up!

edit to add this is a rather urgent situation as I find myself with lots of work on - perhaps I should have gone through an agency...

[womanofdulwich]

i strongly recommedn contactin simply childcare- they are reallyhelpful for advertising/findingnannies and telling you how to word an ad.

[Pickle]

Admittedly I've never hired a nanny before, but if it were me I would go through a reputable agency rather than contacting some of the nannies that advertise on here - they seem to advertise so often that it makes me wonder why they can't find a family to work for when there's such a demand out there!

I have also heard good things about Simply Childcare, a few people I know have hired through them.

I would expect a nanny to take a baby to age appropriate groups, with at least one "outing" a day, whether it be to a group or just to the park.

Good luck!

[anna_r]

We found our nanny through SImply CHildcare. Really good website and really helpful on the phone. Saw 6 from there, would definitely have considered three of them. Have been very happy with our nanny (had her 1.5 years now).

Also signed up with a reputable agency, who only managed to find 1 candidate, who turned out to be the worst of the lot. My husband and I knew within the first 5 mins it wasn't going to work and had to drag out the rest of the interview to be polite. Also if you find them through an agency the fee they charge is high.

Re: questions to ask - here are some I'd suggest (but asked more as a discussion than an interrogation):

Why did you become a nanny and why do you enjoy it? (if they answer anything here other than something to do with enjoying working with children then thats an immediate no from me - e.g. one replied 'I like the flexibility it gives me'

What relevant qualifications do you have and what did you learn on the course?

Tell me about your previous jobs and why you left?

What activities would you do with my child?

What is a typical routines?

Have you ever had any emergencies while working and if so how did you deal with it?

How would your previous employers describe you?

Are you still in touch with your previous families?

What are you nannying strengths and weaknesses?

Do you know this area and things to do with children around here?

Do you enjoy cooking? What sort of meals would you cook my child?

What range of children have you looked after?

What are your views on routine/sleep/crying etc

What sort of pay do you expect?

How long do you hope to spend in your next job?

What other jobs around the house do you consider part of the nanny's role?

Then you need to look for things like CRB /police check, first aid, check qualifications, check legal to work here (e.g. see passport) and phone all references and speak to them directly (not just email) and listen to how they say things as well as what they say

Good luck! I've met lots of lovely nannies in East Dulwich.

[Saila]

more nanny Q&A

NANNY/CHILDMINDER Q&A

Do you have CRB check, First Aid and Nanny Qualifications?

Why do you want to be a nanny?

What do you like most about looking after children?

What do you like least about looking after children?

How easy is it to get to the house?

What?s your experience of looking after babies?

Why did you want to change jobs?

Why did you leave x, y, z job?

What would your ideal nanny job entail?

What do you look for in a family?

How do you discipline a toddler?

Do you have a routine to your day?

Describe a typical day looking after children?

How do you get a baby to sleep?

Do you have weaning and potty training experienced?

What would you do if you had two children crying at the same time?

How do you manage your relationship with the parents?

How many sick days did you take last year?

How long are you looking to stay in your new role?

What?s your notice period?

How much are you expecting in terms of pay?

Do you have any questions?

References

[mumum]

Simply childcare is the best, they send out a list of questions and all the info you need when you hire a nanny. You can even phone them and talk to them and they are so helpful. Even with putting up your ad and talking through any problems along the way.

To me it was very important how the nanny spoke about her previous family and her charges and how her relationship was (is) with them. The nanny needs to be a person who can form a genuine loving bond with your child and must be truly excited about looking after your little baby (I can?t believe my luck! What a fun job!). A trial period is also good, then you can see how they treat the baby and how they function in your house and routine and how you get on with them. You need to feel comfortable, and with such a young baby there is a lot of sleeping where light housework like ironing, dishwasher can be done. She needs to take being a nanny seriously and take some professional pride in it. Later on, it is very useful if the nanny knows the area and playgroups, is sociable and has a group of nanny friends for play dates. But that can come with time. There are many strange people out there, and different nannies suit different families, and sometimes even a friend?s nanny won?t suit your family. There are many lovely nannies too, hope you find one soon.

[chantelle]

another vote for simply childcare and definitely call all references the nanny candidate gives you. one good question is - would you hire her again - and any pause is not a good sign. Fortunately we found an amazing nanny who my son adores. She is very experienced, has a network of nanny friends and likes to be out and about nearly every day to play groups, etc.

[jaybee82]

Hi Supergolden88

I found our amazing nanny through Simply Childcare. She has been with us for over a year but our son is starting nursery in April and so we are regretfully having to let her go. She is absolutely fantastic and I couldn't recommend her her highly enough, if you want more information PM me.

[supergolden88]

Thanks for your tips and PMs everyone. I have hopefully found someone 2 days a week - due to start on Thursday so we will see how we get on. She works for a friend of mine the rest of the week so I feel fortunate she can help out temporarily. I still need to find someone more permanent further down the line unless her circumstances change (and she wants to stay on).

Can anyone post some advise on nanny share? How does it work for them and so on? I think much as I would love to have a nanny full time or 3/4 days a week the cost would be prohibitive and I would like my baby to socialise with at least one more baby/toddler.

Also please give me some advice on your nanny care costs - how much does it work out if you include tax etc?