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When you have a new baby, or young children, and you have decided that a nanny is the right choice of childcare for your family, the next step is to establish how best to find the right person.
You may be able to find a nanny through a friend, or perhaps by seeing a nanny advertising in a newspaper. However, these methods are sometimes fraught with risks, difficulties and embarrassments.
The best way to ensure that a nanny is carefully interviewed, vetted and selected for your family is when you are introduced to the right one through an established and reputable nanny agency. Using a professional nanny agency, where personal matching and selection are of paramount importance, will give you confidence and peace of mind when recruiting a childcarer for your family.
You will find that a reputable nanny agency will take trouble to find out what you really need whilst offering advice and practical guidance through the possible pitfalls of the recruitment process. Although all nanny agencies in the UK are subject to the legislation of the Employment Agencies Act, the really professional agencies are also members of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation, which regulates its members with a strict Code of Conduct.
Your chosen nanny agency should be able to put your mind at ease that all its candidates have passed their in-depth selection procedures at interview, had their relevant qualifications verified and had at least two of their references checked, prior to being put forward to you for consideration.
It would seem natural that all nannies love working with children. However it is vital to establish at interview exactly what a nanny's motivations are for choosing childcare as their career. As every parent will know, it is not easy to keep babies and toddlers happy all day without the occasional challenging incident and it is therefore essential to find out how the nanny will deal with any difficulties as they arise.
When deciding which nanny agency to chose for your specific requirements, there are several excellent questions that can be raised when you contact them and these questions are listed on the next page.
Questions to Ask Your Nanny Agency
How long has the company been established?
It the company a member of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation?
Do the consultants interview all their nannies personally?
What reference checks do they make?
Do they verify childcare qualifications?
Do they ask nannies to produce original identification, e.g. driving licence, passport, etc?
Ask if you can also make the checks that the agency has made?
Can anyone in the agency answer any queries I may have regarding current legislation on employment issues?
Can the agency offer advice on contracts, Tax/NI, holiday pay, statutory sick pay, maternity pay, etc?
Will the agency be able to advise me on the level of salary which the nanny should be paid?
Would the consultants ask the nanny to update their First Aid Certificate if their previous one had lapsed?
If I intend to ask the nanny to use their own car, will I be advised on levels of petrol allowance, etc?
If unsuitable applicants apply to the agency, will they be taken on to the agency's books or will they be rejected?
Does the agency offer help and advice to the nannies on seeking the right family for them?
What is the background training of the consultants in the agency, staff qualifications, etc.
How will the agency assist you if things are not working out very well with their chosen nanny?
How accessible is the agency if I wish to visit you?
Is the agency run from an office or from home?
Is the agency happy to receive visits from potential clients and nannies to come and discuss their requirements?
Does the agency the offer a bespoke, tailored service for more discerning clients?
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