One of the essential decisions you make as a working parent is selecting a nanny for your child. You want to choose a professional who will fit into your family’s schedule, share your values, and seem like a good match.
However, when it comes to child care, various families have varied requirements and expectations, and for many, the quest for the perfect nanny can be overwhelming or even terrifying. A professional that specializes in knowing your requirements, saving your time, and matching you with the ideal nanny for your family may be the best answer. A full-service nanny recruitment agency is the best option in this scenario.
You probably don’t have time to go through dozens of online apps, perform a plethora of interviews, and then check references if your schedule is already jam-packed. Nanny services are professionals at pre-screening candidates to locate individuals who are a good fit for your family.
Going to a nanny referral service, often known as a household staffing organization, is a safer option for parents. With a full-time service, each and every candidate has been thoroughly screened and, in many cases, have already worked with the agency’s clients. Utilizing a vetted agency that is a member of APNA, the Association of Premier Nanny Agencies can add to the comfort zone of using a vetted agency that has vowed to uphold the highest values of in-home child care and domestic staffing.
These services can provide short-term nannies and babysitters as well as full-time, long-term carers. There are some agencies that offer both full service and an “A La Carte” option, which is more of a Do-It-Yourself strategy with expert guidance. The “A La Carte” concept is that a parent who has selected an apparently suitable applicant can use the agency’s screening skills to ensure that the candidate is acceptable.
What is a Nanny Agency?
A Nanny Agency is a company (agency) that helps find and provide families with the right nanny or childcare provider to best fit their specific needs. A Nanny Agency does the groundwork in finding individual, administering interviews, call and check job references, personal references and perform background checks. A Nanny Agency job is to get to know the parent’s specific needs then placing them with the right Nanny and childcare provider.
How to find a Nanny Agency?
The Best way to find a Nanny agency is to do a Google search, type in ” Nanny Agency in…”(your local area). Once you’ve found a list of Nanny agencies, you want to be sure the agency meets the Association of Premier Nanny Agency or APNA standards along of those of the International Nanny Association or INA. The APNA is a professional organization for Nanny Agencies who enforce standards for its members thru a meticulous vetting process. Nanny Agencies who have meet both APNA and IPA standards will have a membership badge on their website.
Since every family’s circumstance is different, it’s critical to choose an agency that can help you find the type of nanny care you need, whether it’s live-out, live-in, travel nanny or part-time. The majority of agencies are small, local firms that service a certain geographic area for live-out care, and many can also arrange live-in nannies across the country.
Popular online Nanny agencies such as Care.com, Sittercity.com and mynannyagency.com are nanny placement agencies that offer a nationwide selection of vetted nannies whose profiles are easy to navigate and you’re able to directly connect to a nanny of your choice by leaving a direct message.
Other Nanny placement agencies are respected organizations such as the International Nanny Association (INA) and the Association of Premier Nanny Agencies can also help you identify Nanny placement firms (APNA). Use terms like “nanny agency,” “nanny placement agency,” “live-in nanny placement agency,” “placement service,” “household staffing,” and so on to find what you’re looking for.
What are The Benefits of Hiring a Nanny Agency?
Walk you thru the steps of being a new employer
The Benefit of hiring a Nanny Agency begins with helping you take on the new title of employer. As a first-time employer You might not know the things to include in a Legal contract with your nanny if you’ve never been an employer before. What are the most comparable wages in the industry right now? What is the maximum number of hours your nanny can work? How about other financial and legal matters?
A nanny agency can assist you in gaining a better understanding of your new job as an employer by teaching you about labour regulations, overtime, hourly pay, perks, performance evaluations, and other topics.
Saves you time and Stress
Another great benefit of hiring a nanny agency is they will save you a significant amount of time and stress in the long run. Consider this: finding a nanny necessitates sifting through a large number of applications, selecting and interviewing applicants, checking references, and doing background checks.
A nanny agency would usually handle all of those preliminary processes for you, selecting suitable nannies who would be a good fit for your family. An agency will solicit your feedback on potential applicants and assist you in conducting interviews with those you select. Once you’ve chosen a nanny, the agency will assist you in making an offer and setting up the job for success.
If you find a nanny on your own and it doesn’t work out, you’ll have to start looking again. After your original placement, many agencies offer warranties and/or replacement solutions within a particular time frame.
Assistance from someone who is well-versed in the field
You may have a vision of the ideal nanny for you — someone who works full-time and can care for numerous children, for example — but there are other attributes you might not consider looking for in a nanny!
Perhaps you’re looking for someone who has a similar approach to discipline—alternatively, a nanny with experience dealing with special needs children or newborns.
The benefit of hiring a nanny agency is a competent nanny agency will spend time learning about your family’s needs. They can also use their years of nanny expertise to assist you in determining what you require in a nanny.
That’s how they’ll find the ideal individual for you.
Professional screening
For example, at All About Nannies, the agency offers a multi-step screening process with various placement packages that can include:
- Verification of references
- Checks for criminal history and sex offenders on the national level
- Check your driving record
- Drug testing
- Financial background
- Personality evaluations
Working with a nanny agency gives you the peace of mind that you’re on your way to finding a trustworthy, dependable, and experienced nanny for your family.
If all of these advantages appeal to you, working with an agency to find a nanny for your children is your best option. Working with such a nanny agency can provide you peace of mind, knowing that you’ll be matched with a competent and skilled nanny in half the time it would take you to find one on your own.
What Makes a Good Nanny Agency ?
What Makes a Good Nanny agency is ;
- The Company’s Reputation. How does the Better Business Bureau rate the company? What do others have to say about their experience with the nanny service?
- The Fees. For the cost of using a company’s database, what is included? Is it a reasonable price to pay for the amount of time needed to find a nanny on their site?
- The Nanny Selection. You’ll want to have plenty of nannies to choose from so you aren’t “settling” when you find someone to watch your children. If it’s a reputable company, they will have more nannies using their platform to be matched with families.
- The Use of Background Checks. Does the company run background checks on all of the caregivers on their site? Are the checks accurate? Is this included with your fees?- source top consumer review.
Although A Nanny Agency is a great and stress-free way to find a nanny, not all nanny agencies can deliver. Parents should also do their research on the agency they are looking to work with and make sure they are settable to work to meet your needs. Google the company and read the reviews on what families who’ve work prior with the company has to say about their services. Before using a nanny agency to find a nanny or sitter to care for your children, the following should be considered.
What are the Signs of a Bad Nanny Agency?
- Bad Reviews
- Out of Date Job Listings
- No registration Number (it may be illegal)
- Misleading on finding you a perfect fit
- Do not correct Unrealistic expectations
What is Nanny screening process?
A Nanny screening process is the process of investigating and weeding out nannies who do or do not meet the requirements of a nanny agency to find the proper placement for them. An agency will meet with every potential nanny candidate and interview them. Agencies will look into the candidate work history, education level, call references and perform a background check. Once the agency has look into all these things, they will make a folder of the nanny candidate and place them with the proper families. You as a parent can also look into the nanny folder and determine if it is a perfect match for your family.
Nanny Screening looks for the following
- Work History
- Childcare Experience
- Work References
- Education History
- Legal statue to work such as social Security number (SSN)
- Background check: Criminal history, sex offender registry, driving record
Are all Nannies required to have a Background Check ?
No, not all Nannies are required to have a background check. Although most reputable nanny agencies do perform background ,some may not always A Nanny who is self employed and recommended thru word of mouth will not come with a background check. As a parent you can run your own background check with great companies such as Truthfinder.com, Beenverified.com and enannysource.com
The Disadvantages of Hiring a Nanny Thru a Nanny Agency.
As with everything, there are always disadvantages to hiring a nanny. A few of these advantages will be;
There will be no oversight.
In most cases, the background check is done by the agency through whom you recruited the nanny. Because becoming a nanny does not require any training or a degree, they may lack adequate knowledge of child care, hygiene, and health. Although some may be CPR trained, it’s a good idea to do a background check on them before hiring them.
The Employer is the Parent.
Because nannies are household employees, you will be responsible for paying taxes and dealing with a variety of legal issues. You’ll need to work out a contract with them and talk about their vacation time and sick days. This procedure consumes a significant amount of your time and is inconvenient; therefore, you may need to pay an adviser.
Totally reliant on one person
Leaving your child with a nanny all of the time makes both the child and the parent completely reliant on her. If their nanny becomes ill, the parents must rapidly find alternative childcare. Finding a replacement for a nanny can be even more difficult if she quits.
Someone that gets along really well with your children will be the best nanny for your household.
You can get an idea of whether or not a nanny will get along with your kids by inquiring how the nanny:
- fosters positive interactions with children
- Play and other activities are used to promote learning and growth.
Trial sessions also can help you figure out if the nanny & your kids get along. Trial sessions can also assist the nanny in determining whether or not your circumstance is right for them.
Many agencies will supply a nanny for a trial period. If you’re hiring a nanny on a private basis, you can schedule a few trial sessions yourself. Don’t forget you may be charged for this trial session.
If you have a trial session, set aside some time afterwards to discuss preliminaries with the nanny. It’s an excellent idea to talk about:
- What worked well
- What modifications would be required to make the arrangement work?
- What information or resources do you and the nanny require in order to make a final decision?
The nanny’s availability, as well as other practical considerations
It’s critical to be clear about what you need and desire from a nanny when you’re looking for one.
You should think about things like:
Whether you require a nanny during the week, on weekends, or in the evenings,
How consistent your hours are — for example, do you work shifts?
Who your hours would suit — will they suit a college student, or are they more suited to someone with a part-time job looking for extra hours?
What the nanny’s responsibilities will be – for example, do you want the nanny to solely focus on caring for your child, or will she also drive your child to activities, cook, and clean for your family?
Where will the nanny reside – for example, will the nanny live in your home, or will she simply be there when you require overnight care?
In conclusion
After you’ve narrowed down your list of potential agencies, read the reviews before calling any of them. Look up the agency’s name on the internet. Is there any kind of feedback on their services available on parenting blogs? Are the families happy, or are there any red flags? Is there any information on them on the Better Business Bureau’s website, such as reviews or complaints?
When you are able to find an agency that you think would work for you, you should learn a lot of information before signing on the dotted line.
It’s critical that you should remain active in the process, whether you utilize internet services or a full-service nanny placement agency.
Families should check references, conduct extensive interviews, and observe how prospects interact with their children and family. Plan surprise drop-in visits after you’ve hired a babysitter to see how things are going. Find out what it takes to be a Fair Care Employer.
Because the government unregulated childcare placement sector, this self-regulatory institutions give parents a better sense of quality and trustworthiness. Finally, hiring a new nanny, whether for a few hours of babysitting or as a long-term child care option, should be considered completing a puzzle and not giving up until all parts are in place.