A nanny is an integral part of your baby’s upbringing. Most people refer to nannies as second moms since they spend the most time with their kids when they are away. As such, it calls for due diligence while hiring one as you want the best for your kids.
As a parent, you also want to ensure the person you are engaging is reliable, trustworthy, and human. You do not want to end up in legal implications because your nanny did this or that to your kids and caused injuries or the unimaginable. Therefore, it is crucial that you make the decision intelligently and responsibly on whom to hire. Invest in a lot of research, due diligence, and planning and get your kids safe caregiving.
If you are looking for the best tips to consider while looking for a nanny, read through this insightful post.
- Visit A Nanny Agency
The emergence of professional nanny agencies has streamlined the search and hiring of nannies. A placement agency, therefore, is the best way of finding a reliable, highly qualified, and certified person to hire. As most agencies are widely known and reliable, it will be easy to land a dependable candidate.
Also, the nanny agencies are professional placement bodies. They conduct thorough searches on the candidates they place to their clients and ensure their qualifications are at par. They also ensure the candidates undergo through the thorough vetting and screening processes, confirm their past engagements, and even check their references before they place them to any client’s home.
- Asking the Right Screening Questions
Now that the agency you approached has sent you a few of their best candidates, it is time to interview them. Remember the agency has screened them too and the ones they send equal each other in different aspects. It is now your time to filter them by asking the relevant questions.
By conducting the interview, remember you are getting the best opportunity to know the candidates as well as figure out who is the best fit for your family’s needs. The questions you ask, therefore, should be focusing on your preferences and family needs. The questions should also reflect on what you want for the baby and not necessarily what you desire. Remember the baby in question is the determinant.
To help you out, you can come up with a list of questions before the interview. The questions could be inquiring about the candidates’ backgrounds, years of experience, relevant training, and why they left their former employers’ places. The questions will also help you know the candidate’s flexibility, the activities they are most interested in, and their discipline ideas.
- Doing Background Checks
Doing a background check for each candidate is important. Every parent should consider this as one of the steps to take before settling for the best. You could start by checking the necessary authorities’ files as well as checks that are compliant with such bodies as the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
Also, at the minimum, a parent should also check the National Insurance Number from each candidate. The search will help check both for felonies and misdemeanours. The records can also be checked in all the areas that the candidates have lived in in the recent past.
Lastly, you can check the sex offender registry. The candidates’ motor vehicle driving records could also shed more light about their past conducts. Additionally, drug tests and credit checks would also help in filtering the candidates and getting the best. Nevertheless, always remember that a candidate might come with a clean record, but that does not guarantee their future behaviour.
- Think Long Term
Normally, a parent would be looking for an individual who can take care of their new-born babies’ immediate needs. However, you should be thinking beyond the three to 12 months. You should consider that your kids are growing and learning how to sit, crawl, walk, run, jump, and leap.
As such, you should be looking for an ideal candidate with whom the kids can grow with. The candidate should be one who can handle discipline and control tantrums.
- Setting Your Expectations
While you conduct the interview, it is crucial that you let the candidates know your expectations. Remember you are the boss and you are looking for an individual who will fit in and follow your house rules. Also, you will be looking for an individual who is innovative and can advise you on the best ways to approach emerging issues. Once they know what your expectations are, the naturally-fitting ones will just fit in.
Conclusion
Getting a nanny who can live as you expect and offer the best care for your kids is a nightmare for many parents. It is almost impossible to get the best. However, if you would follow the above simple tips, it might be worthwhile and will give you the right candidate.
