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. To improve your efforts to hire a qualified, caring nanny or sitter incorporate these tips into your search.
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, 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. 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 rates 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 with chores around the house. Keep in mind even the best afterschool 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, discuss the possibility of dinner meal prep, laundry and other supplemental tasks once your nanny has the basics mastered.
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 pick up 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.
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 and 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 then have two people who you can reach out to when in a pinch.
5. Pay Attention to Values of the After School Nanny
Your nanny/sitter will spend a considerable amount of time 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. If something seems like it might not work out, it probably won’t.
6. Complete a Background Check
A background check should be completed on any serious candidate, and it should include 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 already passed a background check through a third-party service.
7. Contact References
After you have thoroughly interviewed and screened potential nannies, the matter of actually calling references may seem rather unimportant. However, the types of references the individual provides as well as what these references may say about the candidate can tell you valuable information you may have not yet learned through your other efforts.
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 find yourself dealing with many new problems if you do not take proper steps to make a 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.
