Perhaps you’re considering hiring a nanny for your family? Doing so can be an excellent childcare option for those who prefer a home childcare setting. When you’re trusting someone with your children, the process can feel a little daunting. To help you on your journey to finding the perfect nanny, let’s take a look at some key considerations.
4 Things for Parents to Consider When Hiring a Nanny
Use an agency or service
There are plenty of agencies and services out there who can streamline the hiring process for you. Ensure that the service has the right kind of experience and reputation to suit your needs. There’ll likely be a few in your local area, so check the websites and features of each. If you have friends or family who have found nannies through agencies, why not ask them about their experiences? The great thing about agencies is that they can deal with the initial applications, interviews, and background checks before.
When you know that your candidates have been properly referenced and checked, you’ll be able to rest easy.
Which type of nanny?
It’s important to establish which type of nanny you require before you start the hiring process. If you don’t know what you want, there could be a whole lot of confusion ongoing. Do you need a nanny who lives with your family? If so, how will you arrange their working hours? You’ll need to think about the effect of having another person living in your family home. How will you and your children cope with this? Perhaps you need night nannies or merely part-time nannies who pick up your kids from school? You’ll also want to think about which kind of personality will best fit in with your kids. Do you kids need a stricter nanny to keep them in check? Or do they need someone who is more laid back and outgoing? All of these questions need to be answered before you start putting out adverts.
For those looking for after hours care, night nannies are available here. If you’re a new mum who just needs a good night’s sleep, hiring a night nanny can be a great act of self-care!
Check their documents
If you don’t go through an agency, you’ll need to check your nanny’s documents yourself. Ensure that you receive their police check to make sure there is no prior evidence of criminal activity. You’ll also want to obtain at least two childcare references which prove their experience and aptitude in such a role. Some families are comfortable giving new nannies a chance with minimal experience; this all depends on preference.
Don’t forget to check their legal documents which state their right to work in the country.
Any failure to obtain all of these documents could lead to problems further down the line.
Have a trial week
It’s important to have a trial week before you commit to hiring any nanny. You may have the perfect candidate on paper only to find that the dynamics with your children are all wrong. Make sure that you spend enough time checking that the nanny is the right fit for you and your kids both. Ask your kids for their feedback, but remember that sometimes children can be a little nervous around new people!
Kori
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