How to Find a Great Nanny?

Answer 1

Hiring a nanny is one of the most important decisions a family will make. Not only is the nanny responsible for your child's well-being, but the nanny will most likely become integrated into your family. Doing your homework ahead of time will help ensure that you hired the right child care worker for your family.

When searching for a nanny to take care of your child, you should interview a number of potential nannies in person. This will help you compare candidates and learn what you like and dislike about the candidates. Create a list of interview questions that you ask each potential nanny so you have consistency when doing your evaluation. Present hypothetical situations and observe how each potential candidate would handle the situation.

Once you have decided on one or more nannies that you are interested in, you should check her references. Ask the nanny candidate for at least three references. The references should be past employers in which she worked in a nanny capacity. Contact each reference and ask them questions such as: Would they hire her again? Do they recommend her? Was she reliable?

Look for extra qualifications that a nanny may have. For example, if one of the nannies is CPR certified or has first aid certification, you will probably feel more confident that this person would be better equipped to handle a medical emergency. If you find a nanny that you really like but they do not have CPR or first aid certifications, ask if they will obtain these certifications as soon as possible.

When you have decided on a nanny, it is a good idea to conduct a background check on the nanny. Since there is a cost involved in running a background check, you want to be sure that it is a nanny that you are clearly interested in hiring. In order to request a background check, you will need to obtain written approval from the nanny authorizing you to conduct a background check. Obtain personal information from her such as date of birth, address, and driving license information.

It is also important to know the pay scale that a nanny expects to care for your child. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that in May 2008 the average hourly wage of a child care worker was about $9, with the middle range being $7.75 to $11.30. Some child care workers earned as much as $13.98 per hour.

As an alternative to searching for a nanny yourself, you can use a nanny professional trade association such as the Alliance of Professional Nanny Agencies or International Nanny Association. However, it is important to listen to your gut when deciding on hiring a person to care for your child.