Why use a nanny agency? 

There is nothing more precious than your child and this is why you should certainly use an expert nanny agency.  Agencies provide a service that massively increases the chance that your child gets a safe, secure, experienced, skilled, suitable and honest nanny. Attempting to hire a nanny directly can be a harrendous can of worms and will involve hours of emails, interviews, knowledge of criminal checks, visas, nanny tax, first aid courses and a myriad of qualification and cv checking.  Many parents try to hire a nanny direct and then give up, having wasted weeks of work!

Which Nanny Agency?

It is not an easy feat for nanny agencies to gain approval from The Good Nanny Agency Guide and that is why we at Nanny-Nanny.co.uk value their standards.  Agencies recommended by The Good Nanny Agency Guide have proven to take three crucial aspects of the nanny recruitment process very seriously: child welfare, parent relations and professional ethics, as well as nanny development and nanny welfare. 

The ‘Code of Practice’ for nanny agencies, detailed below, is provided  courtesy of The Good Nanny Agency Guide (which will appear in all good bookshops from December 2007, priced ?.99).

Child Welfare & Nanny Welfare

a.   Qualified Nannies: Good Nanny Agency Guide (GNAG) Recommended Nanny Agencies only deal with experienced and/or qualified nannies – those with a serious training course qualification and one year of childcare experience or a minimum of two years childcare experience.  A recommended nanny agency will ensure that it inspects original copies of all qualifications and certificates and/or run adequate checks with previous employers and colleges.  The qualifications that are valid in this scheme:

-         Diploma in Childcare & Education (NNEB)

-         BTEC in Child Studies/Nursery Nursing

-         CACHE Certificate in Childcare & Education

-         GNVQ Level 2 or above in  Early Years Childcare & Education

-         Advanced Diploma in Childcare & Education (equivalent to a Master’s Degree)

-         Diploma from The Norland Nanny College

-         The Princess Christian College

-         The Chiltern Nursery Training College

-         Montessori Teaching & Childcare Diploma

-         Or the equivalent from other countries that have a strong nanny culture such as Australia, New Zealand, The United States, Canada or France.  These courses must cover the same subjects and training, and be of equal integrity and duration.

b.   First Aid for Nanny: a GNAG Recommended Nanny Agency will verify whether or not the nanny candidate has a First Aid qualification. If not, before employment commences, it will help arrange an appropriate First Aid Course for the new nanny (this may be paid for by the nanny, parent or agency).

c. Suitability of Nanny: It is the policy of GNAG Recommended  Agencies to put forward only those candidates who are suited to the nanny job in question.  In terms of personality, qualifications and experience, meeting the needs of the baby/child are the primary objective.

d. Nanny  Criminal/ C.R.B. Checks: a GNAG Recommended Nanny Agency guarantees that all nannies placed will have had an Enhanced Disclosure from Criminal Records Bureau underway before commencement of employment in the nanny job.  If a candidate has not lived in the UK for at least 6 months, they must have an up-to-date equivalent check from their country of origin or most recent residence (if having lived there for at least 5 years).  Once the nanny has been in the UK for 6 months, (s)he is then required to complete an Enhanced Disclosure from the UK Criminal Records Bureau, regardless of having completed one in his/her home country. 

e. Nanny Identity Checks: a GNAG Recommended Nanny Agency demands a minimum of two identity documents from nanny candidates prior to employment – these may include passport, driving licence, birth certificate, utility bills, work permits and visas.

f. Nanny Reference Checks: GNAG Recommended Nanny Agencies thoroughly check with at least two references to confirm a candidate’s competence, suitability and trustworthiness for a nanny job.  Reference checking entails two verbal conversations with referees (even if they have furnished the candidate with a written reference).  Verbal reference checks grant parents the privacy to disclose the full details of their experience with the nanny, which a written reference does not.  The point of these conversations is to verify the validity of a nanny’s employment, to glean a better sense of his/her disposition, and if all checks out, place her appropriately with a family.

Professional Nanny Standards

g.  Nanny Employment Contracts: GNAG Recommended Nanny Agencies help, if required, with the provision of a suitable contract of employment between parents and nannies.

h.  Nanny Agency Insurance: GNAG Recommended Nanny Agencies holds certificates to cover both Public and Employer’s liability.

i.  Legal Requirements: GNAG Recommended Nanny Agencies' code of practice complies with the Employment Agencies Act 1973 and the D.T.I Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Business Regulations 2003.

j. Nanny Interview Policy: the policy of a GNAG Recommended Nanny Agency is to interview nannies for jobs in person prior to putting them forward to parents - except in exceptional circumstances in which case the nanny agency will inform the parents otherwise.

k. Nanny Agency Terms & Conditions: On request, a GNAG Recommended Nanny Agency will provide a full written copy of its Terms and Conditions to the parents.  Otherwise, the Terms and Conditions should be clearly displayed on the nanny agency’s website.

Nanny Welfare

l.  Nanny Advice:  GNAG Recommended Nanny Agencies should provide information on nanny career development courses, on applying for a National Insurance Number, interview tips, detailed instructions or directions to each interview, and a solid briefing on each position for which the agency sends the nanny to interview.

m.  Experienced Nanny: GNAG Recommended Nanny Agencies only submit nannies for jobs who have adequate experience and qualifications.

n.    No Discrimination: A GNAG Recommended Nanny Agency will operate an equal opportunities policy and will not discriminate on grounds of race, religion or sex.

o.    Conflict Resolution: GNAG Recommended Nanny Agencies offer to help with resolve potential conflicts between the parents and the nanny they have placed.

Now that you know what to expect from a nanny agency, you should use this ‘Code of Practice’ as a benchmark before you register with any nanny agency.  If you want to save time and effort and still be confident in your selection, register with nanny agencies approved by The Good Nanny Agency Guide.   Last but not least, make sure the nanny agencies know which approach you prefer – are you busy parent in an office and prefer to communicate through email, or would you like daily updates via telephone?  Let them know and a good agency will follow through on your wishes.

Click here for details on recommended nanny agencies in your area. All our recommended nanny agencies have confirmed that they conform to our  strict nanny welfare and child welfare Code of Practise.

 

 

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