Nanny agencies in SE London/Kent/Bromley area

[goldenbaby]

My project for th enext couple of months is to find a nanny to look after ds when I return to work in the summer.

I am told that a good starting point is to register with some nanny agencies. However, I see from other threads that the charges from agencies can be high. So I need some recommendations from you knowledgable people as to which agencies are worth the fee/generally good service.

Also, is it worth contacting multiple agencies or the local nannies register with several agencies so all the agencies have the same pool of nannies to draw from, IYSWIM?

As you have quite a long time to find someone, start by not using an agency - post ads yourself on sites like Gumtree.com Nannyjob.co.uk Childcare.co.uk and Netmums.

You will find lots of advice on here about recruiting a nanny. I would suggest setting a salary so that applicants don't waste your time if they want more money than you can afford to pay.

Agencies can charge high fees so it's a good idea to shop around!

It would also be a good idea to check their 'guarantee' before you proceed (good agencies offer you a 4 to 6 week guarantee period where you can get a free replacement nanny or money back if your chosen nanny leaves).

In my experience of running an agency, we have some nannies who have registered with lots of agencies and others who are only registered with us.

Good luck
Sally :)

Goldenbaby - my friend recommends Tinies SE London. I don't doubt their prices are high though! Also Dulwich Nannies if you are around that way, as well as the Simply Childcare and East Dulwich forum website. I have a fab nanny friend looking for a job in SE London from aug/sept if you wanted to pm me your details to pass on to her. Good luck wth your nanny hunt!

We went through Nanny Link. No more expensive than others, I believe.

se london/kent/bromley covers a huge area

im in kent and my fav agency is elizabeth henry nannies it is owned and run by my friend sam,she is an nanny and a mum and also worked in a recruitment office so has business sense (unlike some agencys)

tbh as a nanny i register with most of my local agencies as do most of the nannies i know - generally all get the same jobs in, but sometimes there may be a job that is only with one agency

I have a problem with a nanny agency I just registered with. They randomly sent me a weekly fee of £20 (they say discounted from £65 - the cheek')! ld also I paid their annual £150 fee for their babysitting service and I mentioend from the start that I would also need two mornings/afternoons. They never mentioned this weekly fee - they only sent me their T&Cs after I complained about the weekly fee. I was ill with nasty flu when they sent the daytime help - I feel they saw me vulnerable and are trying to take advantage of the situation as I seemed desperate. Their argument is that £150 only covers evening babysitting service. Anyone have experience of dealing with a situation like this? Thanks