findananny.org

The internet is a great resource for families seeking nannies and nannies seeking jobs. You’ll find that most online job seeking nannies and families are honest - but there are the occasional problems with using the internet to find your nanny. Protect your baby by taking the necessary precautions before hiring a nanny. Discover the top 10 things to consider when sourcing a nanny online.

No 1 OBTAIN A FORMAL JOB APPLICATION A formal job application should include the candidate’s name, address, and all phone numbers, job and educational history. Confirm name and address agree with the photo ID. Look for unexplained gaps. If significant gaps exist, ask why. Ask probing questions - often gaps indicate a prior poor employment experience, but they can signal a myriad of other problems.

No 2 ARRANGE A PROPER INTERVIEW Consider holding your first interview in a public place - a coffee shop is ideal. This protects you and the nanny. You don’t have to admit strangers into your home and the nanny may have some safety concerns.

No 3 GET REFERENCES Character and employment references should not be friends and family of the applicant. Be wary if the candidate cannot or will not provide employer references.

No 4 CHECK THE REFERENCES Personally speak to all referees. Verify how they know the applicant. Don’t be afraid to push them for detailed answers as to the quality of person they are giving a reference for.

No 5 VERIFY IDENTITY Ask the candidate to show you valid, government issued photo identification. Consider making a copy for your records. A candidate without a valid photo ID is not likely to possess valid work authorization and most likely cannot be reasonably background checked.

No 6 GET A SIGNED BACKGROUND CHECK RELEASE AUTHORIZATION Be concerned if the candidate refuses to sign the consent or provide her Social Security Number, license number, and/or date of birth..

No 7 SCHEDULE A SECOND, WORKING INTERVIEW This should be at a time when you and the children are both present. Allow the applicant to observe your typical family rhythms, patterns, and interactions. Allow some time for the applicant to interact with the children independently whilst you watch. Pay the applicant for her time.

No 8 OBTAIN A SSN TRACE & ADDRESS HISTORY REPORT This provides all names and addresses associated with this Social Security Number over the last 7 years as known to the credit bureaus.

No 9 FINALIZE BACKGROUND CHECKING Best practices are to search criminal records under all names and in all jurisdictions as reported by the SSN trace. Consider including Driver’s License History, sex offender registry and National Criminal Records Locator checks. Remember you are entrusting your children with this person, it’s worth putting in the time to be safe.

No 10 USE A REPUTABLE AGENCY If all this is too hard use a reputable nanny agency who will manage all the background checks for you. You will still need to interview of course and should ask to see references.

Let your nanny know why you’re hiring her. It will help her understand your individual mothering needs. If you are honest with yourself, and your nanny that you dislike not being present for your baby’s developmental steps because you are working, and would like to be there for your baby’s daily activities as much as possible, your nanny can better respond to your needs.

She can phone you when your baby sits up or starts talking or takes his or her initial footsteps or looses a tooth, including you in important activities. She can assist your baby in re-constructing these events by capturing photos for you of the events you want to see when you are home.

There are plenty of ways for the two of you to talk and meet both your needs if you are honest and clear concerning your emotions and your needs.

Are you hiring a nanny to lend a hand so you and/or your spouse can conduct business at home, without interruption from the kids? If you or your spouse run a business from home, and you require a nanny to care for your child so you can get your work completed, you will want to hire a nanny who is experienced and comfortable enough to appreciate the needs of parents who work from home and one who you’ll feel comfortable having around.

Somebody who was raised in a big household and is accustomed to not having a great deal of space to themselves may be a model nanny for this job. Somebody who is self-doubting and anxious as to what type of job she is performing may feel too much pressure by the parent being there to do her job comfortably and properly. A person having a tough ego may be ideal in this case because she is confident and can do her job and not feel threatened by the parent’s presence in the home.

What would you like your nanny to do while in your home?

This question may sound very silly to you but keep in mind that numerous families want a nanny that will do housework on top of looking after their children.

Others want the nanny staying away from anything not involving the child’s care. While there are families who don’t want the nanny to use their telephone, others want the nanny to answer the telephone and take messages along with answering the front door. And then there’s some employers who expect the nanny to stop by the cleaners, drive the child or children to restaurants for their meals, and do grocery shopping.

Consider which days of the week you will need the nanny’s services.

Prior to you working up a nanny agenda, think about your own agenda. On the days the nanny is caring for your child what would you be doing? Are you going to be at your place of work forty-five minutes away? Perhaps you’re travelling while your nanny looks after your children. Maybe your business is at home, and you simply want a nanny who will keep your children occupied so you can get your work finished in your home office? Or maybe you would like to go to the gym and do shopping while your nanny looks after your child?

The answers to these questions can assist you in establishing how many days a week you require a nanny’s assistance. If your occupation requires you to work Monday through Friday or even more, you may want to hire a nanny five days a week, one who will have no problems getting to your home with ample time for you to get to your place of employment, and who can look after your child until you get home in the evening.

Take the time to consider what those hours will truly be. If your work hours are nine to five, look for a nanny who will work from 8:00 am until 6:00 pm. Bear in mind that this is a 10-hour day and it’s not at their house. It’s where they work, so while you may see the job as cushy with recliners, sofas, television, the fridge and pantry well stocked this is very much a job for the nanny and it’s a very long day. By day five, she’ll be looking forward to the weekend.