Skip to main content
FamilyEducation
FamilyEducation
Family Education

FE-Menu

  • Pregnancy
    • <blank>
      • Pregnancy Tracker
      • Trying to Conceive
      • Signs & Symptoms
      • Pregnancy Health
    • <blank>
      • Baby Names
      • High Risk Pregnancies
      • Preparing for Baby
    • <blank>
      • Concerns & Complications
      • Labor & Delivery
      • Postpartum
  • Baby Names
    • <blank>
      • Browse All Baby Names (A-Z)
      • Top Names for Boys
      • Top Names for Girls
      • Baby Name Generator
    • <blank>
      • Baby Name Lists & Ideas
      • First Names By Origin
      • Browse All Last Names (A-Z)
      • Last Names by Origin
  • Babies
    • <blank>
      • Caring For Your Baby
      • Baby's Health
      • Feeding Your Baby
    • <blank>
      • Your Baby and Sleep
      • Baby's Growth & Development
      • Baby Hygiene
    • <blank>
      • Baby Safety
      • Baby Products
    • <blank>
  • Toddlers
    • <blank>
      • Toddler Growth and Development
    • <blank>
      • Toddler Behavior and Discipline
    • <blank>
      • Your Toddler and Sleep
  • Kids
    • <blank>
      • Health
      • Childhood Development
      • Fitness & Nutrition
      • Childhood Safety
    • <blank>
      • Communicating with Your Kids
      • Childhood Behavior and Discipline
      • Fostering Responsibility
      • Instilling Values & Manners
    • <blank>
      • Childcare
      • Neurodiversity in Kids
      • Adopting Children
  • Teens
    • <blank>
      • Teen Health
      • Teen Puberty & Sex
    • <blank>
      • Behavior & Discipline
      • Teen Social Development
    • <blank>
      • Values & Responsibilities
  • Activities
    • <blank>
      • Printables
      • Indoor Activities
      • Learning Activities
      • Arts and Crafts
      • Performing Arts
      • Food Activities
      • Outdoor Activities
    • <blank>
      • Books
      • TV
      • Movies
      • Online
      • Quizzes
      • Games
      • Celebrities
    • <blank>
      • Parties
      • Travel
      • Toys
      • Holidays
      • Gifts
  • Learning
    • <blank>
      • By Grade
      • By Subject
      • College
      • Preschool
    • <blank>
      • Back to School
      • Study Skills
      • Learning Styles
    • <blank>
      • Homeschooling
      • Parental Involvement
      • Your Child's School
  • Family Life
    • <blank>
      • Mom Life
      • Dad Life
      • Family Relationships
      • Having a Healthy Marriage
      • Divorce
    • <blank>
      • Health & Fitness
      • COVID Resources
      • Managing Your Home
      • Moving Your Family
      • Pets
    • <blank>
      • Family Finances
      • Work
      • Families and Food
  • NewslettersNewsletters
    Newsletters

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Kids
  3. Childcare
  4. Locating Nannies

 

 

Locating Nannies

This article contains a comprehensive guide to finding a good nanny.
  • facebook share icon
  • pin
  • twitter share icon
  • email share icon
  • Print page icon

In this article, you will find:

  • Use a nanny agency
  • Do your own nanny search
  • Contact nanny training programs

Use a nanny agency

Locating Nannies

So, how does one begin a search for a nanny? There are generally two ways to go about it. You could go through a nanny agency or you could seek out nanny candidates on your own. The advantage to using an agency is that they do the recruiting and screening legwork for you, although you will still want to check the candidate's references yourself rather than leaving this to the agency.

The disadvantage with an agency is the expense. Some agencies charge a flat fee, which may start at $1,000 or more. Other agencies may charge a percentage of the nanny's salary, in some cases up to 25%. Usually, the fee is payable upon the signing of an employment agreement, or sometimes after the nanny has been employed for a certain period of time, such as ninety days.

There are a number of ways to locate a nanny on your own and save all those fees. Finding your own in-home caregiver, however, can be a great deal of work. You may have to advertise for help or search advertisements of nannies looking for positions. If you find a candidate who appears to be suitable, you will have to research her background thoroughly.

Agencies
If you are not familiar with any reputable nanny agencies, you should be able to locate some in the Yellow Pages of your telephone directory. Look under "Nanny Services." The Internet is another good resource for agencies. Some agencies will be local, and the nannies they place already live in your area. Other agencies operate nationwide, and can connect you with nannies from out of state as well as close to home. This will give you a greater pool of candidates from which to choose, but you probably will be required to pay an out-of-state nanny's relocation costs.

As already mentioned, agencies can make the screening process much easier for you. Aside from the background checks the agencies perform, they also can take into account your preferences regarding the personality and other attributes of your nanny. For example, if you prefer a care­giver who is an outgoing person to someone with a quiet, introverted disposition, an agency can provide you with a pool of candidates with the desired quality. This will save you the effort of weeding out incompatible applicants on your own.

Having a nanny whose personality fits in with your family is important under any circumstances, but it is especially important if you are looking for a live-in caregiver. Not only do your children have to spend a great deal of time with the nanny, but if she is living under your roof, so will you. It is difficult having a nonfamily member residing in your household day in and day out, even a conscientious and agreeable one. If the nanny's demeanor does not match your preferences, it could make for a difficult living situation.

Aside from the day-to-day routine your family will share with the nanny, you may want to take her along on family outings and vacations so that she can provide childcare for you while you are on the road. For that reason, it is not just a personality match you will want to look for. You will want your nanny to share some of the same interests as well. If your family is an outdoorsy bunch, a nanny that prefers needlepoint to hiking and biking might not be the best candidate. Again, a good agency will have profiles of its nannies and will keep you from wasting your valuable time interviewing unsuitable candidates.

Next: Do your own nanny search

What's hot

  • Attention Seeking Behaviors KidsHow to Handle an Attention-…
  • an age-by-age guide to teaching kids about "the birds & the bees" KidsAn Age-by-Age Guide to…
  • How to stop bullying KidsHow to Stop Bullying: Real…
  • Treating Burns KidsFirst Aid For Burns: How to…
NewslettersNewsletters
Your partner in parenting from baby name inspiration to college planning.
Family Education
FamilyEducation does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Your use of the site indicates your agreement to be bound by our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Information on our advertising guidelines can be found here.

FE Footer

  • Newsletter Center
  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Editorial Policy
  • Editorial Team
  • Expert Panel
  • Cookie Policy
  • Site Map
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Terms of Use
  • Do Not Sell My Info (for CA Residents)
sandbox learning logo
Family Education is part of the Sandbox Learning family of educational reference sites for parents, teachers, and students. 

factmonster logoinfoplease logoTeacherVision logo

sandbbox logo
©2022 Sandbox Networks Inc. All rights reserved. Sandbox Learning is part of Sandbox & Co., a digital learning company.