4EverythingNanny, Nanny Services for Parents To Find A Nanny, Nannies, Nanny Agency Search, Nanny Jobs

Interviewing a Nanny Agency

How do I find a reputable agency ?

The best way to find an honest, reputable agency is through word of mouth. If you know someone who has had a good experience with a company, this is the best recommendation you can get.

If you're not lucky enough to have a recommendation fall in your lap, the next way to find an agency is through our Nanny Agency Locator which will also give you the fee structure for each agency listed as well as a listing of the services they provide and the year they were established.

You can contact the International Nanny Association at http://www.Nanny.org for a list of their members. Your local Chamber of Commerce is also a good resource as well as the Better Business Bureau. And last but not least, the yellow pages. Once you locate an agency you would like to hire, you can contact the Better Business Bureau to check for any complaints on the company.

You will find that many agencies advertise, some more than others. Just keep in mind that the agency with the biggest ad is not necessarily the best one to do business with. There are many things to consider, so keep reading. I would suggest that you check out at least 3 or 4 agencies before you make a decision.

"There are many agencies that are good, but unfortunately the bad ones always seem to pop up and get press. I have a friend that had one well know agency (that advertises on the web a lot) not comply with their agreement when the nanny she hired changed her mind and wanted to stay with her boyfriend. The owner of the agency said "So sue me, I don't care. Your check is cashed...." I have had reputable local and national agencies tell me that it is better to pay "off the books...so that the nanny can get more cash in their pocket". I also have had agencies send me applicants that lied on their applications and I had to find that out...luckily before hiring any of them. But of course I have searched and searched and found good agencies that really try to help and give qualified applicants based on what you are willing to pay and provide." Nanny Employer

Back to Top

What do I look for ?

First, pay attention to the kind of response you get. Are they courteous and professional over the phone? Do you just get an answering machine and it takes more than a day to get back to you? If so, move on. You don't want that kind of service especially if the Nanny they placed in your home is a nightmare and you want her out. On the other hand, you don't want someone who is over anxious, won't give you concrete information about fees and policies, and tries to persuade you to come in and talk. If your gut tells you this doesn't feel right, you're right. Move on.

Important Note: Take what agency owners tell you about "their" nannies with a grain of salt. Of course they are going to give you glowing descriptions of the nannies they represent. This is how they make money. They're not going to tell you that she likes to date guys with criminal records and hang around biker bars till 3am. It's your job to determine if she's really a "gem" or not.

Back to Top

What should I ask ?

Here is a list of questions you can use and expand upon as you see fit.

Important Note: Be sure to write down all the answers you get to these questions. When it comes time to signing a contract. Make sure everything that was verbally promised to you is in writing. If not, write it in and get it initialed by the owner. Don't let them tell you there's no need to have it in writing. Without it, you're out of luck.

What fees are involved? (Many, but not all, agencies charge a "deposit" or "application" fee before they will begin to conduct a search for a nanny.

What is the payment schedule? (how much up front, when the nanny is placed)

Do you have Nannies available right now? (If this is important to you. If you won't need one for 3 months, skip this)

Where do you recruit your nannies? (An agency with a good reputation will attract nannies through word of mouth. If they get them primarily through the newspapers, so could you.)

Do you perform background checks? (Be sure to ask the agency what company they use for these checks. Call this company and ask if "ACME Nanny Agency" does business with them. You will be surprised to know how many agencies make up the background check information.)

What is your average Nanny like? (age, education, salary range)

Do you offer training to your nannies? (CPR, emergency, childcare)

What is your policy if the nanny doesn't work out? (some agencies will find a replacement for free if things don't work out within a certain amount of time. The very generous agencies offer 90 day windows some even 6 months or a year. If the agency you are considering doesn't offer any replacement arrangement, move on.)

What is your policy if disagreements arise between myself and the nanny? What would you do if my nanny called you and said she's unhappy? (You want an agency that will work for you. You don't want the agency finding your nanny a new job without you're even knowing about it. The agency should offer some type of mediation to try to work things out.)

Here are some more questions to ask a Placement Agency (Courtesy of My Child's Best Friend Nanny Services, NY, NY.)

How long does it usually take to make a placement? Do you think you will be able to locate a childcare provider for me within the time I have?

What types of caregivers do you place (full-time, part-time, live-in or live-out temporary, etc?)?

How do you gather information about families? Do you make home visits? Is a written application part of the process? Do you ask for references for the families with whom you work?

Will you assign one person to be my contact at the agency throughout my search?

How long has your agency been in business?

How long have the staff members been in the placement business?

How many placements have you made during your years in business? In the past year? In my geographic area? What percentage of these has lasted for at least one year?

Do you have names of some families who have used your agency that I can call for references?

What is the minimum age requirement to be listed as a childcare provider with your agency?

What kind of education or training must the applicants have? High school? First aid? CPR? Other? What kind of training does your agency provide?

How much and what kind of childcare experience do you require of applicants?

Do you work only with people who can legally work in the United States?

Do you interview all the candidates in person? How many people at the agency interview them? How long do these interview usually last?

How many references do you require from the applicants? Are these written or phone references? If written, do you verify all of the references with a phone call? What types of questions do you usually ask the references?

Will you give me a copy of the written references, and the names and phone numbers of the phone references so that I can call and check them?

What background checks do you conduct? Driving record? Criminal record? Credit history? Others? In your state, what do these records include? Do they reveal convictions only? Do they include information from out-of-state? How far back do they go? Do you do these background checks before or after I interview candidates?

Do you conduct any other types of screening? Do you ask for a physical examination? A TB test? A psychological or personality profile?

How do you recruit your candidates? Do you recruit just in the local area or from other areas as well? Do you use recruiters in other parts of the country? If so, have those people been trained by the agency?

Will I be able to interview all of the candidates in person? If the candidates have to travel for these interviews, who pays the travel expenses?

Will I have to pay a registration fee to begin the process? If so, will this fee be applied toward the placement fee if I hire one of your candidates?

Is the placement fee billed as a lump sum, or can the payments be spread out over time?

What is your refund or replacement policy? Do you have any exceptions to this policy?

What support services do you provide for the nanny and/or the family after placement is made? Do you have a nanny network or support group organized in my geographic area? Do you have regular social or educational events for the nannies or families? Do you have a newsletter? Do you provide telephone support?

What does my fee pay for? How much of it does your agency devote to assuring the quality of the candidates? How much to your support services? How much to your thoroughness of screening?

Where do you make most of your placements?

(What a good agency should do for you) Most issues and concerns surface within the first two months. You must make time and investigate the problem. Discuss the issues with the parents and nanny separately. Then you must bring them together either in person or via a three way conferencing call. The agency representative must help them to understand each others' needs and how to deal with concerns that could arise in the future. Reassure them that your doors are always open if there is a need to talk, but that most things will be resolved from within their existing relationship. Communication between the family and nanny is as vital as it is to a marriage. When all issues/concerns are presented in a forward and positive manner, than solutions can be found. When that line of communication has failed, it is time to involve the agency (as a mediator). It is in the agencies best interest to have satisfied clients with little or no turnover in their placements. I believe that an agency be allowed to follow up with both the parents and nanny. Follow up phone calls should be made separately to the family and to the nanny, once a week for the first three to four weeks. Thereafter a once a month call to touch basis is always appreciated.