Steps to finding a good nanny

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Steps to finding a good Nanny
When finding the Nanny who is just right for you, it is a ‘big’ job. You can do this job on your own by placing ads in the local newspaper; ask others in the community if they know someone to care for children in your home; or look for help through a Nanny Placement agency. No matter what your decision, the steps for finding a good nanny are the same. 1. Know what you want: Often these relationships break down because: the expectations have not been clearly defined. T alk with your partner and decide what it is that you want from your nanny who will be in your home. Outlining these expectations prior to placement will certainly assist in a positive outcome. When outlining expectations you are building a job description with work hours and responsibilities. What kind of education do you want the nanny to have? What kind of activities do you want the Nanny to complete? Remember a Nanny’s first priority is a child’s health, safety and well being. Child related activities can include some of the following: Age appropriate developmentally appropriate programming with daily activity planning. Involve children in outside activities to promote social development. Transporting children to and from activities and school. Meal planning based upon the four food groups for children, including children and parents in the planning process. Providing appropriate supervision to ensure child safety. Maintaining a safe and healthy environment for children. Based upon your children’s needs and your work hours, you will need to decide how many hours/ week you will want the nanny to work. What will the work hours be? How much flexibility will you need to accommodate your family’s work and children’s schedules? Can the nanny accommodate some change in her work schedule? How much notice will be required for changes to respect the Nanny’s personal time? Remember, a nanny’s first priority is your child. If you wish to include light housekeeping in the Nanny’s responsibility, look at how much time it will take to complete child related duties. Look at the responsibilities of housekeeping duties around the needs of your children such as: making beds, changing the children’s beds; doing the children’s laundry; clean up after meals and kitchen clean up. Finally, look at general household chores such as vacuuming and a family meal at the end of the day. 2. What are your resources to get what you want: Ask others in the community and workplace how they found a ‘good nanny’. Place ads in your local newspaper or community newspaper. Response from placing ads can be overwhelming so find ways to limit this by having respondents send resumes to an email address; fax machine. It is best not to give out personal phone numbers and names for purposes of contact. Post advertisements on bulletin boards at reputable colleges who may have new graduates from early childhood programs; recreation programs; teaching assistants or other related fields. Go to the professionals. Nanny placement agencies screen candidates, complete references, get medical reports, determine their matching requirements and can save families a lot of time. Go online. Websites can assist with lists of placement agencies and independent nannies to assist in your search. Care Finder Top
3. Interview for what you want: An interview is important as it is an opportunity to ‘get to know’ one another. Set an interview time; ask the potential nanny to bring all her credentials such as diplomas, first aid certificates, medical report and completed security clearance; have your questions written out as a list and address each one. An interview is a time to determine if the potential nanny’s values match your family values. Have an interview guideline with specific questions reflecting your needs and wants. Listen carefully to responses and ask for examples to support answers. Past behavior is a good indicator of present behavior. Important questions to consider include: Educational qualifications and supporting documentation. What were the nanny’s past work experiences and why were they terminated? Are there gaps? If so, why? Childcare philosophies: do they match yours? Positive Guidance policy: do they match yours? How does the nanny comfort children? How will she program for the children’s needs on a daily basis supporting their developmental needs? What would a day with the children look like? Availability and anticipated holiday time off? Ask questions about experiences with children? Ask for examples supporting statements. How would the nanny communicate your child’s day to you? Example Interview in two phases, first to find out about the individual. Second phase is to determine the nanny’s interaction with children. Is the nanny responsive to the children? Do they appear to like her? Does she get down to the children’s level to speak with them? Does she talk with the children or at them? Ask for references. Contact each reference personally. Written references with glowing reports are great, but they can be forged, duplicated and fraudulently created. REFERENCE CHECKS ARE ESSENTIAL. Last but not least, use your personal discernment: Your GUT. If all the answers were great but it does not feel right, then do not hire the Nanny. Trust your instincts and pay attention to this small detail, it is usually current. Have a trial run. Ask the potential nanny to come to your home to observe the interaction with your children. Pay the nanny for this time and complete this step several times before actual contracting. 4. Contracting to create understanding: A trusting relationship can be forged through expectations being developed right from the start and maintaining them in a consistent way. A contract will spell it out. The contract will outline responsibilities for both parties fairly. Top Home \| About Us \| Find Care \| Caregivers \| Membership \| Your Store Site designed, maintained and hosted by Sunergon Information Services

Steps to finding a good Nanny

When finding the Nanny who is just right for you, it is a ‘big’ job. You can do this job on your own by placing ads in the local newspaper; ask others in the community if they know someone to care for children in your home; or look for help through a Nanny Placement agency.

No matter what your decision, the steps for finding a good nanny are the same.

1. Know what you want:

Often these relationships break down because: the expectations have not been clearly defined. T alk with your partner and decide what it is that you want from your nanny who will be in your home. Outlining these expectations prior to placement will certainly assist in a positive outcome. When outlining expectations you are building a job description with work hours and responsibilities.

What kind of education do you want the nanny to have?
What kind of activities do you want the Nanny to complete? Remember a Nanny’s first priority is a child’s health, safety and well being. Child related activities can include some of the following:
Age appropriate developmentally appropriate programming with daily activity planning.
Involve children in outside activities to promote social development.
Transporting children to and from activities and school.
Meal planning based upon the four food groups for children, including children and parents in the planning process.
Providing appropriate supervision to ensure child safety.
Maintaining a safe and healthy environment for children.

Based upon your children’s needs and your work hours, you will need to decide how many hours/ week you will want the nanny to work. What will the work hours be? How much flexibility will you need to accommodate your family’s work and children’s schedules? Can the nanny accommodate some change in her work schedule? How much notice will be required for changes to respect the Nanny’s personal time?

Remember, a nanny’s first priority is your child. If you wish to include light housekeeping in the Nanny’s responsibility, look at how much time it will take to complete child related duties. Look at the responsibilities of housekeeping duties around the needs of your children such as: making beds, changing the children’s beds; doing the children’s laundry; clean up after meals and kitchen clean up. Finally, look at general household chores such as vacuuming and a family meal at the end of the day.

2. What are your resources to get what you want:

Ask others in the community and workplace how they found a ‘good nanny’.
Place ads in your local newspaper or community newspaper. Response from placing ads can be overwhelming so find ways to limit this by having respondents send resumes to an email address; fax machine. It is best not to give out personal phone numbers and names for purposes of contact.
Post advertisements on bulletin boards at reputable colleges who may have new graduates from early childhood programs; recreation programs; teaching assistants or other related fields.
Go to the professionals. Nanny placement agencies screen candidates, complete references, get medical reports, determine their matching requirements and can save families a lot of time.
Go online. Websites can assist with lists of placement agencies and independent nannies to assist in your search. Care Finder

Top

3. Interview for what you want:

An interview is important as it is an opportunity to ‘get to know’ one another. Set an interview time; ask the potential nanny to bring all her credentials such as diplomas, first aid certificates, medical report and completed security clearance; have your questions written out as a list and address each one.
An interview is a time to determine if the potential nanny’s values match your family values.
Have an interview guideline with specific questions reflecting your needs and wants. Listen carefully to responses and ask for examples to support answers. Past behavior is a good indicator of present behavior.
Important questions to consider include:

Educational qualifications and supporting documentation.
What were the nanny’s past work experiences and why were they terminated? Are there gaps? If so, why?
Childcare philosophies: do they match yours?
Positive Guidance policy: do they match yours?
How does the nanny comfort children?
How will she program for the children’s needs on a daily basis supporting their developmental needs? What would a day with the children look like?
Availability and anticipated holiday time off?
Ask questions about experiences with children? Ask for examples supporting statements.
How would the nanny communicate your child’s day to you? Example

Interview in two phases, first to find out about the individual. Second phase is to determine the nanny’s interaction with children. Is the nanny responsive to the children? Do they appear to like her? Does she get down to the children’s level to speak with them? Does she talk with the children or at them?
Ask for references. Contact each reference personally. Written references with glowing reports are great, but they can be forged, duplicated and fraudulently created. REFERENCE CHECKS ARE ESSENTIAL.
Last but not least, use your personal discernment: Your GUT. If all the answers were great but it does not feel right, then do not hire the Nanny. Trust your instincts and pay attention to this small detail, it is usually current.
Have a trial run. Ask the potential nanny to come to your home to observe the interaction with your children. Pay the nanny for this time and complete this step several times before actual contracting.

4. Contracting to create understanding:

A trusting relationship can be forged through expectations being developed right from the start and maintaining them in a consistent way. A contract will spell it out. The contract will outline responsibilities for both parties fairly.

Top

Site designed, maintained and hosted by Sunergon Information Services