Where do I even begin to start looking for a nanny??

Decide if you want live out or live in.
Then if live out, they need to live within reasonable travel time of your home, both in summer and winter!

Nanny payroll - there are various companies around. Compare what they offer and prices. Personally I'm happy and my boss seems happy with www.payefornannies.co.uk but that's just one of many nanny payroll companies, though does get mentioned on here quite a lot.

Recruitment wise, if you need to use Childcare Vouchers, then make sure the agency is registered. Also make sure the agency advertises the job as Gross... you don't want to be talking about pay with a nanny to find that you are talking gross and they are talking net.
A good agency will not send you many candidates - they should be matching candidates to the job.

I wouldn't use nannyjob to look for a nanny in anyway other than placing your own ad and seeing what replies you get. However, as you are in Scotland, if you self recruit you may not be able to use Childcare Vouchers as that aspect must be done via an agency. Would you be using childcare vouchers?

Look at other jobs on offer, what are they offering. I would have thought for live-out it would need to be a bit higher, esp if wanting someone experienced. However it's down to what you can afford - so work out what you want to pay, then offer a bit below that, so once someone is in the job and past probation you could raise the salary a little if you felt they were worth it.
No to negotiations, wastes time in my view. Had enough of that in other lines of work. How would you determine what to offer each candidate? If someone got offere the job below the top of the salary range, could you justify exactly why they didn't get full salary? My advice, just pick a figure, far easier to raise it for an exceptional employee later on via a pay review, if your funds allow to do so.

I used nannytax.co.uk - very helpful.

I paid £18k live in. Don't ask me, I'm in Oxon. You have to pay more for everything here.

To agree with Nick - I worked as an Au Pair for 16 months in France at 18 years old. No full time childcare experience before that just babysitting/Guides etc. I had three children 5 years, 3 years and 8 months to look after soul charge, got on really, really well and the children now come and stay with my family 6 years later. I then nannied in Ireland for a year for four children under five years old (only one at school 9-2 and did overnight cover as well). I would ask for some experience but agree 5 years seems excessive. You will know the right nanny when you find him/her.

5 years of what experience, nannying? If so, seems excessive.

I have no nannying experience prior to caring for multiple children - most people wanting a nanny have multiple children in my view, as other forms of childcare are cheaper if someone only has one child.

If caring for multiple children, try and find a nanny who has over five years experience. Many people seem to nanny for a year or so and then do something else which is fine but it's not long enough to get 'coping with multiple monsters' under one's belt Also be aware of the difference between au pairing and nannying. We interviewed a few who said 'well I've been an au pair for two years and now I'm nannying' - the jobs are very different and would say looking after kids a few hours a day is not quite the same. (But please feel free to correct me nannies out there). :)

Echo gumtree, nannyjob and childcare.co.uk. Agree four kids under 8 is fine, last nanny job I did I had 4 under 5 years! Best wishes with your search.

You can use a URL shortener like Bit.ly, goo.gl, if necessary.

I walk 3 children to school - well 1, or recently 2 in buggy, but it's still walking. We have rarely taken the car, even in the rain.

Consider what you need to include in an advert. Personally I like adverts which state the salary. I don't want to negotiate, I just want to know how much is on offer.

I've been told nannies all look at Gumtree - that's where I found our last one. I got a load of applications, many of which were no good but they were quite easy to sift. And far cheaper than using an agency.

Make sure you check ALL their references, and make sure their CRB
is in order.

Start online and local village shop postcard advertising board just in case there is a local who might be interested... could put URL of the online ad on the postcard ad, so someone can find out more info before contacting you.

As a nanny, I would first look on NannyJob then Childcare.co.uk - an ad on NannyJob will cost you money. A listing on Childcare.co.uk is free but will cost the nanny money to contact you, unless they Favourite your ad, then you pay to be able to send messages and send them a message - if that makes sense. Initially create a free listing and get to grips with the way the system works so you can make the ad as good as possible given the way it works.

Last family I nannied for had 4 children aged 8 and under at one point. So yes some nanny are mad enough . Currently nannying for 3 children aged 6 and under - a little easier. No difference salary wise for number of children... nannies are paid per family, not per child. What I will say however is that the more children there are, the bigger the issue with transport. How does nanny get them all from A to B - will you be providing a car, or would nanny need to provide that... or is everything walkable?

And in the same way... your nanny will practically leg it the minute you are back through the door at night

I used childcare.co.uk and found that very useful. However we eventually found our nanny on gumtree.

Good luck. It's a really hard job both finding the right person and leaving your child with them while you go to work.

Yes nannies will take on multiple children. And yes they cope. Much as you do. :)