Many parents use a home nanny to provide care for their child. In addition to giving him their baby, young parents open their homes to him: trust must be in order. In this context, how can we be sure to find the rare pearl? Here are some tips for successfully recruiting a nanny.

No room in a nursery, shortage of childminders or a deliberate choice, hiring a home nanny is a task that many young parents are tackling. And recruiting a nanny can sometimes be a real challenge, with this concern in mind: how to find the best nanny for your baby? Parents typically face several challenges, including:

• Find an available person: in large cities, supply is often lower than demand.
• Find the right profile: feeling, flexibility, remuneration, skills… so many requirements that dictate the parents’ choice.

It is not easy to overcome these two difficulties… Fortunately, more and more organizations – in parallel with traditional recruitment channels – are making it easier to put available nannies in touch with their future employers.

Find your nanny through word of mouth

Finding out from those around you and using your network of acquaintances is a good way to find a nanny. The person is recommended by people they trust, a guarantee of safety for young parents.

The best tips from parents:

• Recruit the former nanny of a person close to him: the child of a close acquaintance returns to school in September? The nanny is a priori available for the next school year …
• Opting for shared custody with a person close to you: has a close acquaintance found a rare pearl? Parents can agree to shared custody, at the home of a family or both alternately.

Get information from the dedicated administrations

Young parents can contact public bodies directly:

• The Relay for maternal assistants (Ram), the Communal Center for Social Action (CCAS) and the Maternal and Child Protection (PMI) of their home. These meeting places with early childhood professionals are an opportunity to obtain information as well as, possibly, a list of available home nannies.
• The town hall of their home.
• Employment center.

Some companies also provide their employees with lists of nannies: young parents can contact their works council.

Use the web

More and more websites offer the connection of parents and nannies on the basis of a multi-criteria search. This option has the advantage of saving significant time.

Entrust the mission to a specialized organization

For a fee, some agencies take care of the initial part of the research: interviews, selection of the best profiles, handling of administrative formalities… Parents just have to sign the employment contract with the nanny of their choice!

Post a classified ad

To find a nanny for their young child, parents can also use the classifieds system, which can be posted in particular in neighborhood shops, in newspapers or on the Internet.

Whatever the search method, parents have every interest in selecting and maintaining several nannies in order to make their choice under the best conditions.

Parents who hire a nanny become private employers. They must :

• Agree on a trial period. The nanny’s trial period cannot be longer than 2 months. Employers can agree to a shorter duration, or choose a 1-month trial period renewable once.
• Establish an employment contract. It can be a CDD or a CDI. The contract specifies in particular the description of the job, the remuneration, the place and the working hours.
• Pay their home employee. The nanny’s salary cannot be lower than the legal minima: € 9,98 gross / hour.
• Declare their employee to URSSAF. The declaration can be made online on the Pajemploi website. Please note, employers must declare their nanny at the time of hiring and make monthly salary declarations.

Good to know: parents who are employers of home childcare can benefit, under certain conditions, from financial assistance from the CAF – Complément de free choice du mode de garde (Cmg) – within the framework of the Paje system. In addition, young parents who employ a nanny at home benefit from a tax reduction: they can deduct 50% of the costs incurred within the limits of the legal ceilings.

Parents who recruit a nanny give them their baby, and the keys to their house! Under these conditions, they must ensure that they choose a person they can trust. It is during the job interview – then during the trial period – that everything plays out. It is recommended to maintain the nanny in the presence of the baby, in order to get an idea of ​​the bond that she can forge with him.

Its formation

The nanny status does not require a diploma or training. However, some nannies hold a DEAP (State Childcare Auxiliary Diploma) or an early childhood CAP, or have taken private training. These assets can represent a real plus.

His motivation

It is important to test the future nanny on her motivations for babysitting your child. By discussing with her, parents will be able to judge the involvement and investment she will put in the context of the care of their child.

Her experience

Just like training, experience is a guarantee of seriousness and competence.

The parent conducting the job interview with the nanny may ask her questions about this, and in particular:

• How long has she been exercising?
• What are his motivations in the context of his work?
• Does she have any references you can contact?
• Why did his last contract end?

By way of experience, a mother is also an asset: the nanny will know how to react all the better to all kinds of situations.

His salary

Question to be addressed during the job interview, the salary expectations of the various candidates for the post of nanny will help young parents to make their choice on the basis of an objective criterion.

Its constraints

How does she get to your home (and how does she deal with a transport strike)? When does she plan to take her vacation? What are his availability in terms of hours? Is it flexible?

So many questions to address to verify that the person is suitable in all respects for the family and that they will be available at the desired times.

His role with your children

Parents can ask the nanny about the typical organization of her days with the child. They can also ask them to observe the pace they want to impose. In this context, it is important to address the following topics:

• Planned activities.
• Meal preparation.
• Outings outside the home.
• Educational rules and principles.

At the end of the job interview, do not forget to ask the nanny if she sees other families: this allows young parents to gauge the competition and make a decision quickly if necessary.