From writing the job description to the paid trial day — a practical checklist for hiring a nanny you can trust, with the checks that matter in the USA, UK, Canada, Australia and the UAE.
Hiring a nanny is one of the most personal hiring decisions a family makes. You are not just filling a role — you are choosing someone who will shape your children's days. The good news is that a clear, step-by-step process removes most of the guesswork. This guide walks through it from the first conversation at the kitchen table to the nanny's first month.
1. Decide what kind of care you need
Before you look at a single profile, agree as a family on the basics:
- Hours and days. Do you need full-time cover for a working day, after-school care from 3pm, or a few evenings a week? Regular evening or weekend help is usually a babysitter role rather than a nanny role.
- Live-in or live-out. A live-in nanny suits early starts, shift work and travel, but needs a private room and clearly agreed off-duty time. Live-out is more common and easier to manage.
- Ages and number of children. Caring for a newborn is a different skill set from managing homework for two school-age children.
- Extras. Driving to school, cooking children's meals, nursery laundry or helping with homework. Anything beyond childcare should be listed and reflected in pay.
Write this down. It becomes your job description and, later, the basis of your contract.
2. Set a realistic budget
Nanny pay varies widely by country and city. As a rough guide, full-time nannies in large US cities often earn around $18–$30 an hour, while in the UAE nannies are usually paid a monthly salary with accommodation, visa and medical insurance provided. Our nanny hiring pages show indicative local ranges for more than 500 cities and regions.
Remember that gross pay is not the whole cost. In most countries a family that employs a nanny directly becomes an employer, with payroll taxes, insurance and paid leave on top of wages. Budget for those from the start so you are not caught out after the first month.
3. Write a clear job post
A good post attracts the right people and filters out the wrong ones. Include:
- The children's ages and a short description of your family.
- The days, hours and start date.
- Duties, separated into "essential" and "nice to have".
- Requirements such as first aid, a driving licence or a language spoken at home.
- The pay range you are offering.
Families who publish a clear, fair pay range consistently receive more experienced applicants.
4. Shortlist on experience, not just availability
When applications arrive, look for verifiable childcare experience with children of a similar age, paediatric first-aid training and references from families rather than friends. Short, unexplained stays in several roles are worth asking about. Pick two or three candidates to meet — interviewing ten people rarely produces a better result than interviewing three good ones.
5. Interview with real scenarios
General questions get rehearsed answers. Scenario questions show how someone actually thinks:
- "Walk me through a typical day you would plan for our children."
- "Our toddler has a tantrum in the supermarket. What do you do?"
- "How would you tell us about a problem without worrying us unnecessarily?"
- "When was your first-aid training last renewed?"
Include your children for part of the meeting if they are old enough. How a candidate engages with them often tells you more than any answer.
6. Run the right checks for your country
Background checks are not optional when someone will care for your children:
- United States: a criminal background check, identity verification, a sex-offender registry search and, if driving, a motor-vehicle record.
- United Kingdom: right-to-work checks, references and an enhanced DBS check for work with children.
- Canada: a police information check with a vulnerable sector check.
- Australia: a national police check and the state Working With Children Check.
- UAE: passport and visa verification, a medical fitness test and references, usually through a licensed recruitment agency.
Always call references yourself and ask specific questions: how long the nanny worked there, the children's ages, and why the job ended.
7. Agree a paid trial and a written contract
A short paid trial — a day or two — lets everyone see how the fit feels in practice. If it goes well, put the arrangement in writing. A good nanny contract covers duties, hours, pay, overtime, paid holiday, sick pay, notice periods, confidentiality and house rules on things like screen time and discipline.
8. Make the first month count
The first few weeks set the tone. Share written routines, allergies and emergency contacts on day one, schedule a short weekly check-in, and give feedback early — both positive and corrective. Most nanny placements that fail do so because expectations were never made clear, not because the nanny was the wrong person.
Quick checklist
- Hours, days and live-in/live-out decided
- Budget including employer costs
- Job post with duties and pay range
- Two or three candidates interviewed with scenarios
- Background checks and references completed
- Paid trial done
- Written contract signed
Ready to start? Post a free request to hire a nanny in your city, or read our guide to household employer basics before you make an offer.
This article is general guidance, not legal advice. Employment rules change and vary by country and region.