Searching For A New Nanny – Spot The Early Warning Signs

Finding the perfect nanny can be a worrying process for you and for your children. For you, it is entirely possible that endless advertising and interviewing could potentially result in an ill-considered choice – simply because it’s stressful and exhausting searching for that one perfect candidate.

For the children, having another significant adult organising their lives can be stressful too; after all, it’s your children that will be spending the most time with the new employee and they are the ones who need to be both comfortable and, above all else, safe with your chosen employee.

Whether this is your first foray into arranging this type of childcare or you are simply replacing an existing employee, your goal is to choose the right candidate right from the start. During the interview and initial induction period is the time when you need to be on the lookout for any warning signs and behaviours that could indicate that a candidate for the role may not be entirely suitable for your family.

We have a few helpful tips to help you navigate this difficult period:

Do Your Research

If you are using an agency they will handle background and reference checks but if you have placed your own advert never cut corners when checking out the background of applicants:

• Check for criminal background and request an up to date DBS (Disclosure and Barring service) report. You are perfectly within your rights to ask candidates to do a drugs test. Any hesitancy is the first red flag.
• Request a copy of their driving licence to check for driving offences – even when driving isn’t a large part of the job there may be occasions when the children need to be driven somewhere.
• Google all potential candidates to check their online presence and credibility – social media, in particular, can be a good guide to someone’s personality and habits.
• Check references thoroughly – you need to know how long each position lasted, the age of the relevant children and the reason why they left/are leaving their current post.

 Interviews

Once you have whittled down your top few choices, make time to invite each candidate for a face to face interview in your home:

• Write down all your questions and make sure to include a few which include ‘what if’ scenarios. You need to know how they will handle emergencies, first aid etc.
• If you have questions about the nanny’s past employment or any concerns that came up in your background checks, address them during the one-on-one meeting.
• Have your children present for at least part of the interview – first and foremost you need to be sure that they can potentially bond with this person.
• At the end of the interview, try a little small talk. Sometimes a person’s real personality comes to the fore once they feel that the crucial part of an interview is over.

Trial Runs

Once you have a front runner it’s time to schedule a couple of half-day trial runs – it’s perfectly acceptable to observe how they interact with the children in a number of situations:

• In the first instance, this is a very appropriate way to demonstrate how you want your children to be cared for and to watch how they perform everyday If you usually read/play/walk etc. at set times this is the perfect opportunity to see how they handle these things.
• If the nanny is likely to be taking the children out by car you need to take a trip together to see how efficient and safe their driving really is. It’s important to be certain that their first instinct is to strap everyone in securely.
• Keep an eye out for behaviour in relation to mobile phones. If they seem to feel the need to keep their phone in sight all the time they are around the children, perhaps they will not be paying full attention to them in your absence.
• Don’t expect perfection on the first day. Everyone is nervous at first and may act accordingly. The nanny needs time to get to know you and the children and vice versa.   Every new employee needs on-the-job training and a nanny is no exception.
• The second half-day trial run should involve a period with just the nanny and the children. This will enable you to measure how happy the children seem when you return. If they appear relaxed then it’s likely there have been no obvious problems.
• Be wary if the potential candidate seems keen to discuss her previous employers, divulging even small personal details. A well trained and professional nanny will never impart details on their charges or their employer.

When you are looking for any potential employee, there are minefields to navigate but when you are searching for the right person to care for your children, the pressure is increased immeasurably. Being thorough in your research, your interviews and during a trial run, will enable you to opt for a person who will provide your offspring with a safe and nurturing environment – leaving you in a position where you can function efficiently and confidently, without any worry about how your children are coping in your absence.