How to Hire the Right Nanny

Source : http://www.babysitter.com/babysitter-articles/hire-nanny/

Looking to hire your first nanny? Or maybe your last nanny didn’t work out so well? Finding and hiring the right nanny for your family can be a challenge. You want someone who is safe, reliable, creative, organized, friendly, energetic — it’s a tall order to fill. Here are some tips to help you hire the right person to care for your kids.

Follow a Process
When you start your search for a new nanny, it’s smart to have a plan or a process in mind that will keep you on the right track. You will probably end up with a list of names and not enough time to meet them all. Here’s a good plan to follow that will help you whittle down the list.

1. Conduct phone interviews.
Start by calling the candidates on the phone. Have a few general questions ready that will help you determine if they are available for the hours that you need, are willing to work at your pay rate, what type of experience they have, and why they like working with kids. These questions should give you a good feel for the candidate’s personality and interest level. If the phone interview doesn’t go well, cross them off your list.

2. Meet in person. Pick your top three or four candidates and meet them individually at a coffee shop.
They will feel more comfortable meeting a stranger for the first time in a public place, and you won’t have the distractions of home. Come prepared with a list of questions and be clear about your expectations for the job. This includes hours, pay, discipline methods, extra duties such as cleaning and laundry, house rules, vacation time, and more. The more details you give up front, the less room for misunderstandings later. Be sure to ask the candidates for references.

3. Meet the kids. After the first round of meetings, you should have a good idea of your top one or two candidates.
The next step is to let your kids meet their potential new nanny and give them a little time to get to know one another. This is a good way to see how they interact. You can also give the nanny candidate a tour of the house to make sure they would be comfortable in your home.

4. Do your homework. Before you jump in and hire on the spot, you must do your due diligence.
Get a background check and call references. This is the most crucial step of the process. Put together a family agreement or nanny contract in writing that details all the job duties so you and your nanny can have clear expectations.

5. Have a trial day. Invite your top candidate over for a day while you are still home.
This is a good way to show her the daily routine and how you like things done at home. It’s also helpful to see how she handles the kids over a longer period of time. Some moms may choose to do this step after offering the job.

6. Hire! If your top candidate passes all these steps with flying colors, you have found your new nanny!
As you move forward, be sure to keep an open relationship and talk openly with your nanny about how things are going. You should set up a time each month to discuss any issues that arise.

Follow Your Instincts
In addition to having a hiring process, it’s also important to follow your instincts when hiring a nanny. Hiring someone to care for your children is a huge responsibility, and one that cannot be taken lightly. A mother’s intuition is invaluable when making this important decision.

The best way to get a feel for a nanny candidate is to listen and observe. When interviewing, try to ask questions that will get them talking. Ask questions about:
- Personal values
- Discipline methods
- Personal hobbies and interests
- Family and loved ones
- Interests in children
- Experience in emergencies

Oftentimes actions speak louder than words. Is the nanny candidate energetic, passionate and fun? Is she calm and gentle? Does she seem truly engaged and caring about your child? Take the time to observe and take mental notes of how you think this person will complement your child’s personality, as well as your own.
If you follow the steps above and follow your instincts, you should be able to get to know your top nanny candidate well enough to feel confident in your hiring decision. Good luck!

What are your obligations when you employ a nanny?

Source : http://www.careforkids.com.au/articlesv2/article.asp?id=40

The CareforKids.com.au team receive many enquiries from parents regarding their obligations for employing a Nanny.

The guide below offers information on your key responsibilities and includes a sample employment contract and a Nanny/Parent Diary which you may find helpful for keeping the lines of communication open.

A Note About Cost
People who use nannies are not automatically eligible to receive the Child Care Rebate (CCR) or the Child Care Benefit (CCB) the two government payments available to help families manage the cost of child care.

To be eligible to receive both the CCR and the CCB you must meet certain eligibility requirements and use approved care such as a long day care centre or a family day care service.

The other type of care is registered care which can be provided by preschools, kindergartens, outside school hours care services and in some instances nannies. Registered care providers are not considered CCR approved providers by the govenment as they choose not to, or don't meet the minimum operating hours or participate in the government's National Quality Framework.

However, families who use registered care may, in some instances, be eligible to receive the CCB as long as they meet certain eligibility requirements.

In order to receive CCB your nanny must apply to the Department of Human Services to become a registered provider.

To become a registered child care provider a nanny needs to:

• apply to the Department of Human Services using a Registered Child Care Provider Application form
• be 18 or have a recognised qualification that makes them eligible for approval as a registered child carer. This includes evidence of a recognised qualification such as; nanny, child care or home based care certificate
• have a tax file number
• meet and maintain state/territory licensing requirements
• meet any requirements set by the Minister for Early Childhood and Child Care.

To receive the CCB you will need to take your nanny's child care receipts to the Department of Human Service and complete the Claim for Child Care Benefit for Registered Care form.

Your nanny can not claim the CCB on your behalf. The governemt will pay the CCB straight into your bank account.

Eligibility Reqiurements for Child Care Benefit

Families who satisfy eligibility requirements for Child Care Benefit may receive payments if they use registered child care, such as a preschool, registered nanny or kindergarten.

To be eligible for Child Care Benefit for registered child care you need to meet these requirements:

1. Eligibility - you or your partner (if you have one) meet residency requirements or have an exemption.
2. Immunisation - Children under the age of 7 must meet the Australian Government's immunisation reqiurements or have an exemption.

3. Responsibility for child care payments - You or your partner (f you have one) must have paid your child care costs..

4. Work, training, study test - You (and your partner, if you have one) must pass the work, training, study test, or have an exemption. For registered child care, you only have to participate in work related commitments at some time during a week or have an exemption. No minimum number of hours is required.

The Work, training, study test looks at whether you and your partner need child care for a work-related commitment. A work-related commitment is one or more of the following activities:

• paid work
• self-employment
• setting up a business
• looking for work, study or training
• voluntary work to improve your work skills.

If you meet these requirements, you may be eligible for the registered care rate of a maximum of 50 hours of Child Care Benefit per child, per week. Your income does not affect the amount of Child Care Benefit you receive for registered care.

Hiring a nanny
We recommend that you take a business approach to the hiring of a nanny, at the core of which is establishing a contract of employment. Such an agreement should limit misunderstandings regarding employment conditions, making sure that all parties are on the same page now and in the future. Areas covered in the employment contract can include salary, benefits, hours of work, main duties and responsibilities, sickness and holiday entitlements, notice period and performance reviews.

Salary

• Set down the agreed salary including $___ pay per week/month/hour
• What is the pay period and when will your nanny be paid?
• What is the method of payment for example cheque, cash or into a nominated bank account?
• What is the overtime rate that will apply?

Hours of Work

• Set out the expected hours of work. Days and times for example Monday to Thursday 7:30am to 6:00pm
• Agree on Public holiday entitlements. If the nanny is expected to work on public holiday's agree on the rate of pay or whether it is time off in lieu

Reference & Background Checks

We strongly recommend you conduct a background check on any prospecitve nanny to ensure he/she is suitable to provide care for your child.

For further information please see our article Working with children checks which outlines the various legal requirements and resources available to you in each state and territory.

The decision and responsibility of hiring any carer rests with you. Be sure you have the facts regarding previous employment, criminal records, driving records, immigration and visa status so that you can make the most informed decision possible.

Duties / Parenting Philosophy

Ensure you are specific about the nanny's responsibilities. Provide clear information about routines, including nap and feeding times, weekly activities and so on.

Include plenty of information about your parenting philosophy, including information on disciplinary measures, TV time, sleeping methods, nutrition, hygiene and safety. Spelling it out beforehand will minimise the potential for misunderstandings and disagreements down the track. Ensure you are available to discuss any changes with your nanny as they come up

Leave Entitlements

• Determine the Annual leave entitlement. All full time employees are entitled to a minimum of 20 days annual leave or pro-rata for the hours/days worked. Part time employees receive the same entitlement on a pro-rata basis
• The standard sick leave entitlement is eight days sick leave in the first year or pro-rata for the hours/days worked
• Set down notification times for when the nanny is to contact you by if they are sick and conversely set down a procedure in the event of you being delayed

Income Tax

The contract of employment is one of an employer and employee. Register with the ATO to allow for income tax deductions.

For further information visit ato.gov.au or call the ATO on 132 478

Superannuation

If the nanny works for more than 30 hours a week they are entitled to superannuation. This is currently 9% of the employee's gross wage so take this into account. For more information visit the ATO or contact the ATO's Superannuation Hotline 131 020.

Payroll Services
If you are a little unsure about how payroll works, consider a payroll service to assist you in paying your nanny's salary. There are many available in the market here are a few you may wish to consider Easypayroll.com.au or Epayroll.com.au

Domestic Work Cover Insurance
Insurance to cover your nanny in the event of an accident is a further consideration. Legislation on insurance requirements vary between the different states and territories.

For information on the insurance requirements in your state or territory click on the links below:

New South Wales
Queensland
South Australia
Tasmania
Victoria
Western Australia
Australian Capital Territory
Northern Territory

Automobile and other insurance
If the nanny has use of your car, make arrangements to include them under your policy. Check to ensure that compulsory third party insurance also covers third party property damage and if your nanny is under 25 years of age, you should check what additional provisions need to made to cover them under your policy.

You may also wish to request that your nanny have additional insurance. Policies available for nannies can be obtained from Altiora Childcare who specialise in all forms of Child Care Insurance or Nannysure (underwritten by QBE).

For further information visit altiorachildcare.com.au or nannysure.com.au

Additional Expenses
Any additional out of pocket expenses should be agreed upon. It's a good idea to set aside an additional cash amount each week to cover outings, snacks, excursions, swimming classes etc.

If the nanny will be using their own car for work related tasks then an allowance to cover fuel costs and additional wear and tear on the car should also be set down.

A log book should be established to record kilometres travelled in the course of their duty.

Ask your nanny to check their insurance policy to ensure appropriate cover for transportation of your children.

Notice Period
Agree on a notice period including any arrangement for payment in lieu of notice. The standard notice period is generally two to four weeks.

Probation Salary & Performance Reviews
Conduct regular salary and performance reviews. Set down the times for a performance review. For example after the 3 month probation period, have another review at 6 months followed by a 12 month salary and performance review.

Consider a mediation procedure for any issues or grievances that need to be raised throughout the period of employment.

Contract Review and/or Amendments
In the event of the birth of another child, both parties should discuss the continued employment arrangements, including a review of the current employment contract.

Communication
Many nannies cite poor communication as a reason for leaving a post, so take time at the beginning and the end of each day to discuss the children. If this isn't possible, introduce a diary system which allows the nanny to record the events of the day including appointments, meals, social outings, sleep times and medications as well as the child's developmental steps.

Consider a weekly review which involves an informal discussion allowing both parties to give and receive feedback.

Provide positive feedback and praise for a job well done; conversely, if you are unhappy in any way with the nannies performance, discuss this immediately.

Click here for an example of a diary system you could introduce.

Confidentiality
It is also important to consider a confidentiality agreement to ensure that the affairs of the household is kept confidential.

Here is an example:

The employee shall keep the affairs and concerns of the household and it's transactions and business confidential. It is a condition of employment that except as required by Law, the employee shall not disclose confidential information to any persons whatsoever without the consent in writing of the employer. This provision shall apply for all time and survives expiration or earlier termination of this Agreement. The operation of this clause shall not apply to information disclosed to medical or other health professionals in the course of obtaining treatment for the child(ren).

Other Benefits
Look at longer term benefits to make the job as attractive and enjoyable as possible.

Benefits you may wish to consider include:

• Good living quarters (if applicable)
• Use of a car
• Occasional late starts and early finishes
• Cash Bonuses
• Health cover
• The occasional token of gratitude such as night out, movie tickets, pamper pack

All of the research about early care and education leads to one overriding conclusion - quality matters.

To get started and put your Nanny Employment Contract together click here for an example contract you can use as a guide.

If your nanny is a trusted and valued employee whom you wish to retain, then these incentives can go a long way in improving staff retention.

Other Useful information from CareforKids.com.au:
Help to keep lines of communication open with your Nanny - print out this useful daily diary

How To Hire a Nanny

Source : http://www.peter.com.au/articles/nanny.html

We recently hired a Nanny so that Nikola could go back to work a couple half days a week. The following describes our experience and advice on how to hire a Nanny.

In Australia, most people use Child Care Centers rather a Nanny because it traditionally it has been cheaper and the government gives rebates for Child Care. However, Child Care is getting more expensive, and the rebates are not always easy to get, and a Nanny has several advantages:

• Children can be cared for even if they are sick.
• A Nanny may provide extra services like cleaning or washing.
• A Nanny often gives more flexibility.
• Cost is not proportional to the number of children.

For us, the first one was the primary motivation. Generally, if a child is sick they cannot attend Child Care, but then what would Nikola do about work (as a Sonographer, her work would have already booked people in to see her, all of whom would have to be cancelled if she had to stay home to look after a contagious child).

Having decided to hire a Nanny, we first tried looking at the various Nanny agencies. We were very disappointed with the results - many wanted up front payments without any guarantee of success, and the one we eventually tried sent two Nanny's both of who took the job and then quit a few days later, before even starting work (so it wasn’t our kids!). They finally managed a Nanny who was leaving the country in six weeks, but at least that managed to tide us over until we could find a replacement as Nikola had committed to going back to work after the first Nanny accepted the job.

So we decided to do it ourselves. We placed an ad in The West Australia newspaper which cost around $30 (all prices in AU dollars, AU$1 is roughly US$0.75 currently). The ad stated that we wanted a Nanny for two specific days a week, to look after our two children, aged 1 and 3 and gave our mobile phone number. From the ad we received well over a dozen responses.

For each person who called, we first ask some basic question which eliminated about a third of the respondents:

• We are in our suburb, is that suitable?
• Do you have a driver’s license?
• I work from home, is that a problem?
• What is your contact details, and when is the best time to call you?

Several people were from too far away and so our location removed them, several people did not have a driver’s license (which we required for various reasons), and (surprising to me) several people would not take the job upon learning I worked from home.

If we were busy at the time of the call, we would then call back later and ask further follow up questions, otherwise we would continue with the questioning at the time:

• Do you have a police clearance?
• Do you have a First Aid certificate?
• Can you provide two references?
• Can you provide a resume?
• What qualifications do you have?
• What experience do you have?
• Do you have experience with small children, eg feeding and changing nappies?
• Do you have children?
• What age are you?
• What activities would you do with the children?
• Would you do any extra duties (cooking, cleaning, washing) if time permitted?

For us, none of these were show-stoppers, but they did give us a range of things to base our estimation of the person on, as well as just time to take about various issues with them to get a better handle on the person (as much as can be done over the phone anyway).

Having narrowed the field, we then called back the ones we thought were best to organise an interview. Unfortunately, due to the itinerant nature of Nannying, several of them had changed their minds or got another job, or even just did not show up for the scheduled interview. In the end, we interviewed about three or four.

The interview gave us a chance to better know the person, as well as their physical abilities (keeping up with two very active children requires a fairly active person), and to go over the above questions in more detail. The interview also gave us a chance to talk about more delicate issues, such as:

• We like to enforce good manners, and would like the Nanny be a possitive influence.
• How would they deal with discipline issues? (always a hard question)
• What were their views on religion? We are Christians, and while we do not expect the Nanny to assist in teaching our children Christian values, we would not accept teaching them other religions at this early age.
• Health issues, such as experience handling sick children.
• Pay.

As far as pay goes, we had previously learned that the going rate for a Nanny is $12-$18 per hour, and so simply offered the middle of the range price as a starting point which seemed acceptable to all the people we ended up talking to. There is also the issue of holiday and/or sick pay if any, as well as specifications on how to handle the inevitable holiday time the Nanny will want (Since Nikola was effectively casual, we could deal with any holiday time as long as we had a couple weeks warning). We also needed to work our both the frequency and method of payment (for example, fortnightly via a bank transfer).

Insurance was another area we needed to look in to. The Nanny could be added on to our car insurance without any costs, but they needed to know that she had a clean driving record, and had not committed any serious offenses such as fraud or arson. We also added Workers Compensation Insurance for Domestic Employees to our home Contents Insurance for a nominal amount ($17/year).

It is possible that if the Nanny is accredited and has an ABN (Australian Business Number) that we might be able to obtain some sort of government rebate for hiring the Nanny. As yet I have not found any evidence to support this, although if we did we would pass on some or all of the benefit to the Nanny anyway.

It is too early to tell whether we made the right decisions and made wise choices, and it certainly has been a more challenging exercise to hire a Nanny than we ever would have expected, but the potential benefits over Child Care Centers (especially in terms of flexibility, consitency/reliability, extra services such as washing and cleaning) make the concept of hiring a Nanny far more attractive.