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  1. What are typical nanny duties?

    2. There are certain duties a nanny expects to perform and others which are variable depending on the negotiation process. Our nannies will provide full childcare, either sole charge or working along side parents as a team. They will expect to do the children’s laundry, prepare children’s meals, maintain the condition of the house; or leave it better than they found it. Taking the children to and from activities, and keeping them entertained in a productive and educational manner are part of the job description.

    Duties which are not as common, but certainly negotiable, include family laundry, family meal preparation, pet care, household related-errands and light cleaning.

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  2. How well screened are your nannies?

    3. Not all nanny agencies are created equal. Be sure to thoroughly investigate the agency's entire screening process and steer clear of any organization that does not run background checks prior to sending you a candidate. (Smaller organizations will refrain from background checking an applicant until a family decides to hire, thus cutting costs. This negates the purpose of hiring an agency in the first place, and results in frustration when a family finds the nanny of their choice to have a blemished background be revealed). Be concerned if an agency refuses to disclose the background reports to you, citing the privacy protection laws. As long as the agency receives formal written permission from the applicant clarifying that their employer will have access to their background information, you should be able to view the reports.

    For samples of Seattle Nanny criminal and DMV reports, click here.

    At Seattle Nanny we take extra measures to ensure that our screening is incomparable. We first require an online application and resume from applicants and from this information we decide whom to interview. Once the applicant has been granted an interview, our initial meeting will average 2.5 hours. Each nanny is required to be 21 at minimum, have multiple years of childcare experience, and a clear criminal and DMV background. Unlike the industry standard of checking a nanny in Washington State only, we check the nanny in each state they have lived. We also require a social security trace (to cross reference residence location history) and an Education check (to insure the diplomas/degrees stated on their resume are valid).

    In addition we require a total of five references (industry standard is three), and rather than requiring a reference to fill out a brief form or provide a letter, we interview each at length and provide you with a transcript of the conversation. Upon completion, our nannies reference pages alone run 10 to 15+ pages.

    We also require each nanny to score 80% or higher on an exam which tests their degree of knowledge in child development.

    The nanny must have (or obtain prior to commencing work) updated Pediatric CPR and First Aid.

    The nanny must also answer in essay format 21 questions which detail their personal history and experience with children. (Although there are now several agencies which also utilize this tool, Seattle Nanny was the first to do so).

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  3. How much will this cost me?

    4. We ask each family to first determine a budget and we base our search for your nanny on a number that comfortably suits your needs. We ask that you keep realistic expectations based on the market rate for nannies in this area and that you also calculate an additional 7-8% for taxes. We work closely with you to maintain your budget and we consult continuously with both family and nanny to limit miscommunication.

    There is a one-time agency fee of 12% of the nanny’s first-year projected salary, with a minimum of $2500. Seattle Nanny is seeing a market average of $3600 per full time placement (or nannies who earn a minimum of $31,200 per year). There is a 7.5% per family fee for nanny-share placements.

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  4. Is there an application fee to start the process?

    5. There is no application fee to initiate a search with Seattle Nanny. No agency can guarantee that they will have the perfect nanny for your family at the exact time you are looking. In addition, paying an application fee limits you from expanding your search through multiple agencies. Our ultimate goal is to find the best nanny for your family and if we don’t have that particular person here we don’t want to impede you from finding them elsewhere.

    We do charge a cancellation fee of $250. This cancellation fee is charged to you once interviewing commences.

    If you do incur a cancellation fee, it will be credited to your placement fee if at any time in the next 12 months you reactivate your search and hire a nanny through our agency.

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  5. Why is a nanny better than daycare?

    6. We believe that a nanny is the best choice for childcare including over daycare. A nanny allows you to sleep in longer and arrive home earlier than if you were transporting children to daycare. Your child(ren) are cared for in the comfort of their own home, the most secure environment they know. The revolving door of childcare workers with low pay will not be a concern to you, as your nanny will commit to at least one year and hopefully longer. As your sole care provider, the nanny can focus 100% of their attention on your child(ren) rather than dividing this attention between a classroom full of children. (Current daycare center staff:child ratio is 7 children ages 18-27 months to one provider, 10 children ages 3-4 per provider, and 15 children per provider for ages 5 and up.)

    It is common knowledge that the better behaved a child is, the less attention he/she receives in a daycare environment, by sheer necessity. A nanny will limit the number of illnesses your child(ren) are regularly exposed to, thus resulting in healthier children and limited absence from work for parents. If your child does become ill, the nanny will still report to work and so will you. If you require extra help around the house, a nanny can provide assistance with laundry, general pickup, pet care, and in some situations errand running and meal preparation. For interaction and socialization, the nanny can participate in a variety of outdoor activities, educational field trips, organized classes for play or exercise, and playgroups with children of similar age.

    For a family with two or more children (or a nannyshare between two families) the cost of a nanny can run close to that of a daycare, and the benefits make the two incomparable.

    *Statistic from the U.S. department of Health & Human Services Administration for Children & Families, Washington State, 2003.

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  6. Does the nanny have to live in our home?

    7. Not at all, in fact Seattle Nanny places primarily live-out nannies. We will work with a client who requires a ‘live-in placement’, but only if the family is willing to consider a live-out nanny to broaden their search.

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  7. Where do you find your nannies?

    8. Our reputation allows us first choice selection of the finest applicants in the area. We hear from nannies through personal recommendations from those who have worked with us in the past and from local colleges and universities. Our staff is requested to speak at high school and colleges about the career choice of being a nanny. A constant refrain regarding Seattle Nanny is in reference to the level of high caliber candidates we represent.

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  8. Should I register with multiple agencies?

    9. This should not be necessary if you choose to sign up with our agency. We have the largest pool of available candidates and are constantly reviewing new resumes and holding daily interviews with nanny hopefuls. We only recommend registering with multiple agencies if your needs are unique (i.e. you live outside the scope of our general placement area, you have a highly specialized situation, etc.)

    Be aware that when you register with a lesser-known agency, the search process can be delayed by their lack of resources.

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  9. Why should I use an agency when I can do it myself?

    10. The process of locating a nanny is intensive, costly, detail-oriented and time consuming. In addition, the domestic household staffing industry is unique and general corporate rules do not apply as they would in an office setting or general staffing search. Seattle Nanny Network has been locating and screening nannies in Seattle since 1997. As an experienced agency working with only the best candidates in the industry we eliminate untold hours of footwork.

    An independent search will require you to network with friends, neighbors and co-workers, design and post costly advertisements, screen numerous calls and invite people whose backgrounds and intentions are entirely unknown into your home.

    You will be limited to using an internet background checking service whose reputation you are unfamiliar with or forego background checking altogether. You will be dealing directly with your future employee to negotiate a contract, wages, benefits, and raises; a process which requires fragility and skill. Once you hire your nanny, should there be any questions or concerns that arise, you will have no support system to guide you. If your nanny requires health care benefits or you wish to eliminate the hassle of doing their taxes yourself, you will be on your own. If your nanny is ill, takes a vacation or quits work suddenly you will have no back up childcare service at the ready. Ultimately, you may find yourself replacing the nanny and beginning the above process over again.

    Your time is valuable. Locating a nanny on your own will not necessarily save you money given the costs of advertising and background checking. By completing an application and initiating a search you have instant access to all candidates whom your counselor deems suitable. You may review candidate files which on average contain 30 to 50 pages per applicant.

    Your counselor is available for any question that may arise and will arrange any interviews for you by giving the candidate descriptions of your family and needs and providing driving directions to the applicant, confirming the meetings with you once they have been arranged and immediately following up with you post interview. We will negotiate salary, benefits, vacation time, and a myriad other aspects of the contract for you so you don’t have to deal directly with the nanny until the day they begin working for you, if you wish. We coordinate health care for you and guide you through the process of setting up tax payment plan. If ever a concern should arise we are a phone call away. If ever a need for a backup care should arise you will be an automatic member of the program since you have hired a permanent nanny through our service.

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  10. What if it doesn’t work out? What is your replacement policy?

    11. After many years of working with Seattle area families with various needs, we have designed a replacement program that will continue to work for you (and save you money) up to twenty-four months after hiring your nanny.

    We have recently extended our replacement policy, and now offer a 100% replacement during the first six months of a nanny's employment. We feel confident extending our replacement policy because our replacement rate is consistently low, and we have a high level of confidence in the success of our placements.

    If you hire a nanny through Seattle Nanny you will pay a full, one-time placement fee. If for any reason or no reason, you wish to replace this nanny within the first six months, you will pay nothing. From that time forward (beyond 180 days) you will be responsible for a pro-rated fee, which will be discounted the closer it is to your hire date. We offer a discount up to two years from your date of hire.

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  11. How long will it take to find a nanny?

    12. This can take anywhere from twenty-four hours to six weeks, with an average search-to-hire duration of three weeks. We always have screened and processed candidates available for hire; your specific criteria will determine whether or not one of them is the right one for you.

    You will need time to apply, interview, and negotiate an offer. Many clients would like to know an exact number of candidates they can expect to see. This is variable depending on a number of factors; primarily the ages of your children, geographical location and proximity to available candidates, whether you require a particular skill set, and your schedule.

    Current economical conditions combined with a record low unemployment rate are affecting the entire childcare industry, with nanny agencies being no exception.

    We pride ourselves on a strong reputation for high quality candidates, and an understanding that our clients’ time is valuable and not to be wasted. One of the benefits of working through a reputable agency is that you will not be consumed by sorting through a myriad of unsuitable applicants. We will work together with you in an efficient manner to locate the most appropriate nanny for your family.

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  12. I need a nanny who can drive. Is special insurance required?

    13. If you require the nanny to drive their own vehicle, you may be required to pay what we refer to as the ‘insurance differential.’ This will be the difference in cost per month, toward insurance, which will allow an employee to utilize their vehicle for work purposes. Our experience has been that the cost runs about 10% additional to standard insurance fees. Some agencies will not allow for this type of insurance, and if not the nanny will be required to switch companies. If the nanny is driving your vehicle (always preferable), check with your agent to insure that their name is added to your policy.

    As the employer, if you choose to allow the nanny to drive your vehicle or their own without being properly insured, any accident they are involved in could ultimately become your responsibility. This is called ‘vicarious liability’ and can be easily avoided by making sure all parties are properly insured.

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  13. How do I handle taxes?

    14. Seattle Nanny works with GTM Associates, a well known national company who specialize in domestic household taxes. To reach them directly call toll-free: 1-888-4EASYPAY (1-888-432-7972) or visit their website at www.GTMAssociates.com

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  14. How long will the nanny commit?

    15. Applicants are screened for their consistent job history, loyalty, commitment, and desire to work long term. Unless expressed otherwise, all of our applicants want a job they can stay at indefinitely.

    We ask that they sign an employment agreement committing to an initial term of one year. If a family requires less of a commitment, only applicants looking for the same will be sent for review.

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  15. How can I arrange for a nannyshare?

    16. At this time, we require families to locate a family they wish to share a nanny with prior to applying with Seattle Nanny. We find that new parents can network easily through parent support groups such as www.pepsgroup.org, their place of work, or their local birth hospital. Parents of older children can often network through playgroups, co-workers and their neighborhood. It is essential to have established a rapport with the family you intend to share the nanny with, and to be open minded to the opinions of all four parents. An article about sharing a nanny recently appeared in Northwest Baby and Child. Click here to read the article.

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  16. What happens if my nanny is sick and can’t come to work?

    17. If you have hired a permanent nanny through Seattle Nanny, you are already a member of our temporary backup childcare program. Place a call to our temp staffing counselor, as soon as you discover a need for childcare.

    If you are not a member, but still wish to join the program, you will be responsible for a $250 annual membership fee and a temporary daily service fee of $25. You will pay the nanny at the end of each shift (be it daily or weekly) at the rate of between $14-18 per hour, depending on the number of children you have. Please call 425-803-9511 with additional questions.

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Questions? Please call 425-803-9511 or email info@seattlenanny.com

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