Hiring a maternity nurse or nanny for your family is a significant decision that holds the potential to greatly enhance the well-being of both your children and your household. While the prospect of finding and bringing a new person into your household may appear daunting at first glance, with careful consideration and expert guidance, the process can be an enjoyable one, leading to a successful and harmonious caregiving arrangement. Here at Nannies ÌÇÐÄTV¹ÙÍø, we harness over 35 years of experience sourcing and matching high quality nannies, maternity nurses and governesses to support you with this process.

Reflection and Preparation

The initial step in the process of hiring involves a deep introspection into your family's unique needs and dynamics. This introspection serves as the foundation upon which you can establish the criteria for selecting someone who aligns with your family's values and requirements. Essential factors to consider include the ages of your children, their daily routines, and any special considerations, such as medical conditions or developmental needs. This moment for reflection provides an important steer towards the most suitable candidates.

Approach

Armed with a clearer understanding of your family's needs, you can consider how you’d like to go about finding a pool of candidates. One starting point is through recommendations from friends, family members, or trusted acquaintances. If they have worked with maternity nurses or nannies in their own families, they will likely have invaluable insights into the qualities and attributes that make a reliable and trustworthy candidate. Their recommendations carry an inherent endorsement, reflecting personal experiences that can greatly help your search. When going down this route do be sure to undertake comprehensive background checks on your candidates. Many of our clients find this process to be quite daunting, if you choose to hire with us, Nannies ÌÇÐÄTV¹ÙÍø takes on all these responsibilities for you. 

Consider Experts

Engaging a reputable agency like Nannies ÌÇÐÄTV¹ÙÍø is an approach that significantly expedites the process. We specialise in meticulously vetting potential candidates, encompassing background checks and thorough screenings. We take time to individually interview every applicant, either by video call or in person. By entrusting this task to professionals, you gain the assurance of a well-vetted pool of candidates, we take this further by offering a bespoke, individualised service which enables us to perfectly match to your family’s individual needs to selected candidates. Unlike other options who prefer to focus on quantity, we prioritise the quality of our selected candidates. Taking time to find out about their personality, background and ideal position to match them with our clients’ needs.

The Interview

Once we have sent across the CVs of our selected candidates, we will then walk you through the interview phase. We have resources available to guide you in which questions to ask candidates and remain on after to ask any further questions you may have forgotten. During these conversations, you should try to delve into candidates' qualifications, prior work experiences, and references. Beyond the professional aspects, explore their personal philosophy towards parenting and their approach to discipline. Aligning these beliefs with your family's values ensures a harmonious caregiving environment. This phase also presents an opportune moment to discuss specific requirements such as possessing a valid driver's licence, CPR certification, or proficiency in a particular language. 

Practicalities

If you’re opting to hire a maternity nurse or nanny independently, as the selection process evolves, the discussion naturally transitions towards the practical aspect of compensation. Engaging in open and transparent dialogues with the potential new hire is paramount. By establishing a clear and mutually agreeable salary and benefits package, you lay the groundwork for a harmonious professional relationship. Many of our candidates and clients speak of experiences in the past with other agencies or independently when this discussion has halted the process, it should be handled delicately. Here at Nannies ÌÇÐÄTV¹ÙÍø, we are used to these conversations and consider ourselves advocates for both sides. Our aim is to find a solution to make the engagement long lasting and beneficial for both sides. Nannies ÌÇÐÄTV¹ÙÍø, take care of any discussions around compensation, avoiding any uncertainty or awkward conversations further down the line.

Moving Forward

We often remind clients that the journey does not necessarily conclude once you have found your perfect candidate. Nurturing effective communication forms a cornerstone of a successful partnership. Regular interaction with your chosen maternity nurse or nanny ensures that your children's needs are met, and that you remain attuned to their well-being and development. Being accessible and responsive to any concerns or queries that may arise demonstrates your commitment to fostering a collaborative and fulfilling working relationship. Following any successful placement, we - as an agency - opt to conduct regular check-ins with both the placed individual and client through the first 8 weeks, and beyond this are always available to both parties for discussing questions, queries or concerns for as long as the placement lasts (in some cases, years!)

In summary, the process of hiring for your family is more than just finding the ‘right’ candidate; it's about establishing a working relationship that fundamentally shapes your children's early years, and ensuring that you feel completely supported in your household.