A good after school nanny can be difficult to find. Without the right hiring and screening process completed upfront, you may rely partially on luck to locate the right caregiver for your children. Incorporate these tips into your search to improve your efforts to hire a qualified, caring nanny or sitter.
1. Prepare a Job Description
When you prepare a detailed job description in the beginning, it is easier to quickly narrow your search to candidates who satisfy your essential needs. In the job description, lay out your objectives, expectations, hourly rate, work schedule, and other factors (such as if you want to work only with a nanny who has been background checked).
Nanny-finding sites streamline the process to find the exact type of help you need (i.e. full time nanny, afternoon nanny, morning drop off nanny, pickup nanny, nanny driver). For instance, UrbanSitter provides a job posting form that helps you summarize your after school care needs by ticking boxes. Don’t forget to research average nanny costs in your area to be competitive.
2. Be Realistic About Tasks for the After School Nanny
Some parents understandably get excited about getting extra help with the kids and chores around the house. However, keep in mind that even the best after school nanny may not be able to tackle everything you might otherwise be able to.
Start with the basic responsibilities: afternoon pick-up from school, snack time, and homework help. Then, once your nanny has mastered the basics, discuss the possibility of dinner meal prep, laundry, and other supplemental tasks. Be mindful of how many hours per day these tasks will take and adjust expectations accordingly.
3. Consider Transportation Needs
Will your after school nanny meet your child at the bus stop, or will you need a pick-up nanny who can drive your kids from school to and from their various activities?
If your nanny will need transportation, ensure that the pickup nanny has a safe, reliable car and a great driving record. Also, consider that many families will allow their nanny to use the family car for transportation or offer reimbursement for gas or mileage. car for transportation or offer reimbursement for gas or mileage. This ensures your potential nanny can efficiently handle school pick-up and drop-off duties.
Superstar After School Nannies
4. Look for Flexibility
In many cases, parents may arrive home from work at different times in the evening from day to day. If this is the case for you, find an after school sitter who can stay later as needed without advance notice.
If you can’t find one nanny to cover every afternoon, consider splitting the job across two after school babysitters or nannies. The bonus is that you have two people you can contact in a pinch, providing more flexibility and coverage for extra hours as needed.
5. Pay Attention to the Values of the After School Nanny
Your nanny/sitter will spend many hours per week with your children and may be responsible for preparing meals and snacks, helping with homework, and enforcing rules.
Ideally, their efforts will be a seamless extension of your own. To vet this out, ask the right questions in your interview and trust your gut. It probably won’t if something seems like it might not work out. Ensure their approach to educational activities and emotional well-being aligns with your family’s values.
6. Complete a Background Check
A background check should be completed on any serious candidate, including a review of criminal history, credit rating, and employment history. Any red flags should be taken seriously.
Reputable sites like UrbanSitter only provide nannies who have passed a background check through a third-party service. This helps ensure you’re hiring a nanny with verified childcare experience and a clean record.
7. Contact References
After you have thoroughly interviewed and screened potential nannies, actually calling references may seem relatively unimportant. However, the types of references the individual provides and what these references may say about the candidate can tell you valuable information you may have not yet learned through your other efforts.
Be sure to ask about the nanny’s childcare experience, ability to manage a wide range of activities, and reliability. Contacting references can give you peace of mind and provide insights into the nanny’s ability to effectively handle afterschool nanny care responsibilities.
Related: Conducting Reference Checks on Nannies and Sitters
In conclusion, your life may be stressful until you hire the right nanny to care for your children, but you should avoid rushing through the hiring process. You may face many new problems if you do not take the proper steps to make the best selection for your family. Follow the 7 tips above to make your search for an after school nanny or sitter much easier!
Additional Resources:
- Not sure which type of after care you need? Review this list of 6 practical after school care solutions.
- Need tips working with your after school nanny? Read our After-School Babysitter: Your 101 Guide.
