CHOOSING A NANNY

Care should always be taken when seeking any new employee, a nanny more so than any other. Due to the role played by a nanny in taking care of young children, every precaution must be taken to ensure that the right person is chosen for the job.

If a nanny is to live in as part of the household, then you would also need to assess their compatibility with the entire family unit and not just the children. Taking on a live-in nanny is inviting a stranger to share your home; this can initially be a very stressful transition although the nanny-parent relationship, if a good one, can be mutually rewarding to both parties.

Most western nations have some form of vocational qualification for nannies.  When choosing a new nanny one should always try to verify that the candidate is indeed trained to take care of small children. References should be sought from previous employers along with a thorough background check.

Remuneration of a nanny will depend upon several factors. If the nanny is living-in then any salary would be reduced to take into consideration that the employees is receiving free food and lodging as part of their overall reward package. A live-out nanny will often be called upon at unreasonable times or outside of a pre-designated work schedule as the needs of a child are not constant; in these situations a nanny should be rewarded for their flexibility by some sort of bonus. Loyalty in a nanny should be nurtured and trust must be given both ways.

If you are having trouble finding a nanny or aupair in your local area, you could always try searching online with sites such as easy au pair.com, nannyconnections.co.uk and dotukdirectory.co.uk. Sites such as these advertise nannies with profile photographs, their location, qualifications and references. They're brilliant sites to help you to find the right nanny/au pair for you and your family.