Last month we shared some of our go-to tips for finding a daycare for your family. While child care centers can be excellent options, we know that some families want to explore in-home care.
In-Home Childcare Options
Many of our clients choose to use a nanny or au pair. These are two fairly common options for families who want in-home childcare. In some cases this may be in your own home, and other times it may be in a neighbor’s home (in the example of a nanny share) or in the provider’s home.
In-home childcare has many benefits, including the support and care of an additional adult.
A nanny or au pair can bond with your children AND be an extra set of hands for you. They can really add to the family system if it’s a good fit. Sometimes a nanny or au pair can bring a second language into your household. They can help your child(ren) with schoolwork, plan enrichment activities, support logistics and transportation to extracurriculars, prepare meals, and so on.
The childcare search process can be quite cumbersome, and we just want to address that right off the bat. Give yourself plenty of time and grace as you navigate the process. Ideas for streamlining the process include:
- Ask trusted friends and family for referrals.
- Utilize Facebook, Nextdoor, and other hyperlocal apps to seek referrals.
- Work with an agency to find your provider. (This is a paid service, which typically involves a placement fee.)
- Browse care.com as needed
How to Find and Hire a Nanny
Nannies are providers who offer in-home care for your child(ren). Some nannies have formal training; however, most of them have knowledge from experience. If you are working with an agency, it’s helpful to ask what they do to support the nannies in their program and what continued education and training is like. The agency will typically send you prescreened providers that you can choose to interview and potentially hire.
Nannies may work full-time or part-time, and you may set the intention for either short or long-term work depending on your family’s needs. It should be noted that nannies are household employees, so be ready to take care of the administrative side of things. (You can also hire a payroll company to help with this.)
Often, nannies are paid an hourly wage and receive a W-2 from you. However, some arrangements are salaried. As the employer, you will need to be prepared to pay social security and Medicare taxes, negotiate paid time off, and navigate other employer dynamics. We suggest researching this before you begin the search process (and/or hire an agency to support you). It can also be helpful to both parties for you to create and sign a contract or agreement that outlines the job description and the administrative aspects of the role.
Some families find a nanny directly. We always recommend starting with your neighborhood groups on Facebook and Nextdoor. Search recent posts or make your own post with a wishlist for your provider. Sometimes you’ll get really lucky and someone will have a nanny who is ready to move on to the next job. There are also local Facebook groups where nannies can post to advertise their services and families can post their needs.
If you are only looking for part-time support or feel open to mixed family care, you might arrange or join a nanny share with one or two other families in your neighborhood. In some nanny shares, the provider will watch the kids from one family some days of the week and other families on alternate days. In other cases, the nanny works with one family in the morning and the other in the afternoon. Occasionally, a nanny will watch two families’ kids together at either home. Nanny shares can make in-home childcare less expensive for the families, as well as more sustainable for the nanny. That said, the logistics of the share can be a bit heftier.
More about Au Pairs
An au pair is a provider who lives and works in your home. Often, they are young adults who want to travel and experience different cultures and travel to the US from other countries. Au pairs often have some training in childcare.
To hire an au pair, you would partner with an au pair agency. Their intake process will help them understand your family’s needs and preferences, and they will find a good match. Au pairs often live with your family for six to twelve months. Typically, au pairs will not be matched with families who have a newborn. While the provider lives with you, they will have scheduled work hours. They are welcomed into your home as part of the family, often joining for dinners and activities, even outside of working.
Quick Tips for Finding the Right Provider
- Go with your gut. Trust what feels right or wrong. And don’t just settle for “okay.”
- Prioritize connection. Do you connect with the provider? Do you align on discipline and values? Does your kid seem to be comfortable around them? Are you comfortable around them?
- Ask for references– 3 personal + 3 professional. Talk to previous families and learn what they loved about the provider and what feedback they have to offer. Consider asking questions like: What were the nanny’s strongest skills? Areas of growth? Would you hire them again? Why did they leave?
- Consider safety measures. We recommend paying for background checks, asking for driving records, and reviewing car insurance policies. We also recommend requiring CPR and first aid certification.
- Ensure shots are up to date. If this is important to you, check in early and openly.
We Are Here For You
Parenting is big work, and it comes with lots of decisions! We know that you are doing your best to navigate each and every transition with your family. ABG is here to support you in planning for and navigating information overload and getting clear on your preferences as parents. Please reach out if you’d like to explore these ideas more deeply in a consultation!
* Photo credit: rawpixel.com
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