How to Find a Nanny

There seem to be two ways to do everything these days, online or offline, and finding a nanny appears to be no different from any other undertaking!  A quick hunt around the web turns up dozens of nanny services, from private listings to full blown agencies.  You'll also find nanny services and agencies in your Yellow Pages and through other locally advertised services.

There's no doubt that the internet has opened up competition in a profound way, so it's understandable that nannies found online are a little bit cheaper than ones found in more traditional ways.  This could be a good thing, but online also allows less qualified or less experienced people to offer their services to a wider audience.  Finding the right nanny for your babies is an important step and you must take care not just to find the cheapest nanny, but to find someone who you can trust will care well for your children, bring them up in the way that you wish, and is competent and confident enough to be trusted with your most valuable assets...that's the kids!

Lack of experience doesn't necessarily mean a bad nanny - everyone has to start somewhere and it would be a shame to pass over a star candidate because they lacked experience.  However, all nannies should be vetted to ensure that they are suitable to work with children.  There are many organisations that will assess nanny's on a personal level, including most nanny agencies, local authorities and children's charities.  Whilst some countries have legal requirements that all nany's must conform to, no country has a single register where all qualified and suitable nannies can be found, but hunting around you'll quickly find that there are agencies that exist to help you in your quest to find the best nanny.