Nanny Induction
When you hire someone to look after your children in your home, you owe it to the nanny, and to yourself, to have a very clear picture of exactly what the nanny's duties will involve
If this nanny is taking over from a previous nanny, it is a good idea to have a week or two handover. Or as the employer you may need to take a week off to settle the nanny in with your children and home.
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Some areas to think about when you're inducting your new nanny:
Your children
1. What are their likes and dislikes?
- Favourite toys, books and characters
- Special soft toy friends or comforters
- Any allergies or regular medications - how and when to administer
- Food - what are their favourite dishes and what do you prefer them to eat
- Who are their nearest and dearest - grandparents, cousins, aunties, uncles and friends
2. Go through:
- Routines (sleep, play, bath time, eating)
- Approach to discipline
- Television
- Taking telephone messages and making calls
- Dealing with people who come to the door
- Petty cash/expenses
- Nanny diary - how will you correspond with each other at the start and end of the day.
General
1. Around the house:
- Kitchen - how does the cooker/washing machine/microwave work?
- Where do you keep your vacuum cleaner and cleaning products?
- Where is your first aid kit and medicine?
- Where is your sewing box?
- Locking up procedures - alarm codes
- If the nanny is live in - does she need a shelf for her own food etc
2. Introduce your nanny to your:
- Neighbours
- Playgroups, swimming classes, NCT etc
- Children's teachers and play workers
- Children's friends and their carers and parents
- Any other people who are important to your family
3. Prepare a contact list:
- Phone numbers to include parents' work and mobiles; neighbours; school; doctors; grandparents; friends
- Will your nanny always be able to contact you at work?
4. Equipment check and demonstrations
- Car seats - correctly fitted into car (check with her car and your car)
- Pushchairs, buggies and highchairs - collapsing demonstrations
- Tour of the local area: local parks, library, shops, swimming pools, schools, playgroups, doctors, hospital
Send your childcare requirements to your local Tinies nanny agency
Using Tinies gave me peace of mind and also removed a lot of the stress and administrative side of the process. I could be sure that any CVs sent to me had already been screened for suitability, and that the consultant had already ensured that both I and the potential candidates would be a good fit. I felt that they were really committed to ensuring that I got the best person to help care for my daughter, and that they also understood how nerve wracking an experience it can be for a parent to leave their child with someone.
Sarah, Gerrards Cross