When screening a nanny, we look for lots of things.  All parents have a gut feeling when interviewing nannies. She could look great on paper and then you meet her and something just doesn’t sit right. You should listen to your voice. It’s the best place to start. You want to find out more about the nanny. You want to find out if she was a good nanny and what kind of duties she preformed for the family.  You need to find out if the last family she worked for is like your family. Did she work with infants while your children are school age? If she was fired from her last position this will give you a chance to find out why. Was the safely of the children ever put at risk or did the family and nanny just never mesh personally? For security reasons you need to double check the information the nanny gave you in the interview. Was everything she told you true? Was she covering anything up? The nanny tells you during the interview that she worked with the family for 2 years and left because the children went off to school. When you call the reference they tell you she was fired. This is a big discrepancy that needs further investigation.
You can gain valuable information by asking the right questions and at the same time ensuring the safely and security of your family.

See also our article on How to Hire a Great Nanny.

Michelle Kelsey is the founder of Nannies On Call. In 2001, Michelle launched a small nanny referral service with one pager, five nannies and a determination to never find herself without reliable childcare. Nannies on Call now counts over 250 nannies, with offices in 4 cities. www.nanniesoncall.com

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