A1: Trust your instincts when choosing a Nanny. Don't underestimate or disregard your instincts, they're probably correct. Just like when you choose a house or a spouse, you just "know" when it’s right. Follow your intuition either way: if you get a good feeling, trust it and vice versa.
To succeed in professional childcare, it’s important to be kind, caring, patient, intelligent and trustworthy. It’s also vital that prospective candidates are completely reliable and resourceful, with a great deal of commonsense. It should go without saying that they also need to enjoy working and interacting with children.

When checking out CVs, it’s useful to note that there are two key routes into nannying, either via a childcare diploma through the colleges, or more commonly many move into professional nannying following on-the-job training and qualifications whilst working in nurseries as nursery assistants.

Just because a prospective Nanny looks perfect on paper doesn't mean they're right for you. And, even if you do click, you must still conduct a thorough interview and check up their references. If you have any doubts do not proceed. Where children are concerned, there’s no such thing as being too careful.

It’s crucially important that the Nanny likes your family, too. It’s a good idea to ask the Nanny to come and spend a few hours with the children, before you make a formal job offer, so you can assess how they get on.

Trust your children’s instincts, too. Children are highly perceptive and it’s important that they have some input in the decision making process.

It’s best to ask open-ended questions when interviewing and checking references so that you can gain a true picture of her background, attitude and personality. It’s also important to ensure that the applicant has had a current CRB check.

A2: Generally speaking, families enjoy the greatest cost efficiencies when they have two or more children and the appointment of a Nanny also provides greater flexibility of childcare. This is especially useful if parents work outside of the traditional nursery opening hours.

A3: Nanny Share is proving increasingly popular, as more and more parents are working part-time. The most common forms of Nanny Share that we arrange are either one family employing the Nanny for say three days and then the second family employing her for the remaining two days of the traditional working week or families and friends teaming up to pay jointly for the Nanny. Under the latter arrangement, the children are cared for together or the families come to their own arrangements re hours.

A4: Yes, Maternity Night Nannies are typically trained or experienced Nannies or Midwives specialising in care for newborns. Maternity Nurses/Nannies will help with the new baby and guide and advise the mother on feeding patterns, sleeping routines and other aspects of newborn babycare.

Employment periods can vary from a few days to four months plus and they are appointed for 12 hour night care, five or six days per week. If you decide that you need further support, Maternity Nannies and Maternity Nurses can also be appointed to handle day care as well as night care.

A6: If you are able to be a little flexible in your hours and outlook, you could benefit from the skills of a very experienced Nanny. As you'll appreciate many Nannies do not return to work when they have children of their own. However, if you feel from the outset that your children could get on, it could be the flexible option that you're both seeking.

A7: Yes, it’s certainly possible as our Maternity Nurses and Maternity Nannies offer both 24 and 12 hour services. Maternity Nurses and Maternity Nannies are self-employed and therefore set their own rates.

A10: The first stop in selecting a reputable agency is by canvassing friends and acquaintances for recommendations. Look in the Yellow Pages and try the Internet. Then, when you’ve located their advertisements, check which one best suits your individual needs. Some clients feel more confident if they use an agency that has been well established for several years.
It is important that the agency is REC approved, which is the professional body for all recruitment agencies, as there are currently no regulations specifically for Nanny agencies.

The agency will also give information of previous clients who you can contact for references. Also ensure the agency conducts the Criminal Records Bureau checks. You should check all references of the nannies and then interview them thoroughly. Make sure that the agency is giving you what you expect in all of your dealings with them and they spend time listening to what you are looking for in order to help you to find your perfect nanny.

Don't hesitate to ask questions, it is a very important decision, take your time.

A11: Nurseries that use the specialist services offered by North West Childcare to handle their recruitment rely on us to provide access to a new pool of suitably experienced potential employees and also to save them valuable time in their busy daily schedules.