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Original poster

No luck finding a nanny - what am I doing wrong

30 replies

PremierBebe · 07/03/2012 13:10

Hello,

I am looking for a nanny to look after my baby daughter who is due in two weeks. I am in my last year at university and will start full-time work in September. I need therefore a nanny that helps me at the beginning when I need to study and when i have my exams in May, as well as somebody who looks after her when I start to work in autumn. I have contacted several nanny agencies (Eden, Little Ones, Nannies Inc etc.) but nobody sends me suitable nannies. What am I doing wrong? I don't want Mary Poppins (I actually hated that movie) nore do I expect 10 years of experience and a Norland qualification. The "most" important thing I am after is that the nanny speaks French (preferably MT) and is comfortable looking after newborn babies.

So what can I do to find somebody?

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Original poster
PremierBebe · 07/03/2012 13:43

+minderjinx+ There will be no gap in employment. We will travel a lot in summer and would like the nanny to come with us. I am not somebody who will let the nanny alone with the child 12 h a day when we are travelling but would like to bound my baby and the nanny together and therefore it would be great if she could come with us. Oh what a long sentence.

OP posts:
minderjinx · 07/03/2012 13:33

Is it the gap in employment that is putting candidates off? When you say you want help with the newborn in May and then care when you return to work in September, do you mean that they would not be needed in between? If not, and you do want someone over the summer, is it possible that candidates might have thought otherwise and perhaps you should clarify what your needs are?

dinkystinkyandveryverybored · 07/03/2012 13:29

I found our lovely nanny via gumtree. Think about what you need from your nanny - is french speaking a necessity or is the previous experience of looking after a newborn the most important point? Focus on that, and then make your list of like to haves from it. For me, I needed someone who spoke and read good english (as I wanted them to read to my children lots and take them out to local playgroups/have playdates as they got older) and who had at least 2 years of previous experience, including looking after 6 month old babies, and an up to date CRB check and infant first aid certificate. Everything else was a nice to have.

Fraktal · 07/03/2012 13:20

Also what's wrong with the nannies they are sending? Not French speaking, not experienced or meeting all your requirements on paper but just not what you want?

Fraktal · 07/03/2012 13:19

Have you tried advertising in French speaking communities? Or via French agencies?

Is the job attractive? Is the salary competitive? Have you been given any advice from agencies?

It also depends how long you've been looking.

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