You might have heard the old adage “You get what you pay for…” Although this is not true for all situations, there is definitely some substance behind it. Whether it is for fresh vegetables or dependable nanny services there is usually an indication that there are better choices available if you are willing to pay more for them. Buying things for cheap prices does not always mean you are getting a good deal.
When it comes to bringing a person into your home and allowing them to be responsible for your children there is no reason to skimp on quality. We are not saying that if a nanny agency does not cost a ton of money they are no good, we are saying that it is wise to really pay attention to how the nanny agency operates before you decide to choose them.
Table of Contents
What to Look for in a Nanny Agency
Whether you are looking for a live-in nanny, a full-time nanny, or even a part-time nanny, there are some details that you might want to know about them before you hire them. If you try to find a nanny on your own or go through an agency that just wants to make fast money, you may miss out on some information that if you knew beforehand would have saved you a lot of headaches.
First things first: Know who you are allowing in your home.
If you find a nanny agency that hand picks their nannies after they do a thorough background screen and completely assess their qualifications before they ever present them to a family, you’ve struck gold.
Here’s why:
A person does not have to get a special license or have to go through any type of training to say they are a nanny. What this means is that anybody can make a profile on a nanny website and claim to be a nanny. Regardless of whether or not they have been convicted of crimes, regardless of what kind of work ethic they have, regardless of how little experience they have.
If you do not have the time or resources that it takes to look deep into the past of your potential nanny, all you have is their word…which might or might not be good. Why take that chance?
A high-quality nanny agency will:
- Require a background check of any potential nanny
- Require verifiable qualifications and certifications
- Require the nanny to have outstanding references
- Require the nanny to have verifiable experience
- Meet, screen, and interview the nanny before presenting them to any family
- Even the nanny interview process is a test of professionalism and reliability a professional interview process weeds out the fly by nighters
As you may imagine, taking the time to look deep into the past of the nanny and verifying all of the information that they provide can be very daunting and time-consuming. However, all of the work that goes into finding qualified, skilled, trustworthy people to be a part of your family is worth it.
You Never Know
It would be unfair to say that all nannies that don’t get hired through respectable nanny agencies are untrustworthy. However, you just never know and your family goes through the trial and error process and ends up with a revolving door of candidates that are not a fit, or are downright unreliable. It is no secret that high-quality nanny agencies are always on the search for great candidates that they can pair up with needy families. What would be the reason a nanny wouldn’t try to get hired through an agency?
It could be that they do not trust agencies and would rather seek out work through their own means. It could also be that they have something to hide that they don’t want to disclose. It could also be that they have better luck finding families on their own.
In any event, bringing a complete stranger into your life that has all power over your children is not something that should be taken lightly. When you leave your home you need to be able to go to work or do whatever it is that you do without having to worry about whether or not your nanny is going to put the lives of your children at risk.
Some Red Flags to Look for in a Nanny Agency
Most nannies are out there just trying to find a good family to work for where they can remain gainfully employed, doing what they love. They do not realize that there are agencies out there that do things illegally or that are unethical so that they can make as much money as they possibly can.
Unfortunately, there are crooked agencies out there that do not always go by the book. They are always on the lookout for nannies that are not fully aware of laws that surround their area of expertise in the city and state they are working in.
It pays to pay attention to details about a company and see tell-tale signs of illegal or immoral practices.
- No insurance
- Not licensed – make sure they are licensed if they need to be in your state
- Insufficient vetting process
- Unable to provide details
- Lack in communication
- Nannies not US citizens
- When agencies charge nannies to work
It goes without saying that if you are working with an agency that does not have insurance there may be a problem. Although it may, or may not be legally required in the state you live in, an agency without insurance is an indication that something is amiss.
If you are working with an agency that is required to have a license to do business, but they don’t have one…you might want to look elsewhere. Do your research and learn what is legal and what is not for the area that you live in. If your agency is breaking the law, you don’t want to work with them.
As we mentioned earlier, a respectable nanny agency will make sure that any nanny that they hire is fully-vetted and is an acceptable candidate. If they say that they are CPR certified, a respectable nanny agency will not merely take their word for it, they will find documentation to back it up.
If the agency is unable to provide these details, there is reason to be concerned. When an agency fully vets a nanny they should be more than willing to provide all of the information that they obtained so the family knows and has records of the nanny’s history.
If the nanny agency fails to respond to emails and phone calls there is definitely a reason to question the integrity of the company. Although the company might be busy and have a lot of things going on, they should make it a point to keep communication open between themselves, the nannies, and the families at all times.
If the nanny agency you are working with hires nannies that are not legally documented to work in the country there is no way you should ever continue working with them. Even though they might offer a great deal and a substantially lower rate of pay it is illegal to do this and your best bet is to stay far away from that kind of practice.
If the agency you are working with charges their nannies to find work for them, they are not the ideal agency to work with. In many places, it is against the law for agencies to charge the nannies to find work. If you learn that there is no charge for you to find the nanny, it is probably because they are charging the nanny for the services. Find out. If the agency does not offer a replacement guarantee, it may be something to consider that they do not back up the quality of their placements.
Playing it Safe
It is not being paranoid, or overly suspicious about whether or not you are getting a legitimate nanny from a legitimate company. What it boils down to is whether or not your family will be safe in the hands of whomever you bring into your life.
For example, if you hire a nanny through a sketchy agency that tells you that your nanny is CPR certified and has taken a course that gives them the ability to save the life of a child if something goes wrong…but the agency only said it was so because they were supposed to…and the nanny is not certified at all, it could be a difference between life and death.
What if the agency failed to report to you that the nanny you are hiring has lost their driver’s license because of drunk driving in the past? Wouldn’t it be better if you at least knew that the nanny had a record of driving while intoxicated in the past?
If you go to a legitimate, respectable agency in the first place you won’t have to worry about any of these things. Do your research and learn the details about your agency before you choose to go with them. Find out if they are licensed and insured. Find out what kind of track record they have. Most importantly, get to know who they are and how they will be of assistance to you. In the end, you will not only have a better nanny for your family, but you will have peace of mind when you leave your kids with them.