Okay....I start with making sure they have proper paid child care experience, if they need to drive that they can drive and their licience is clean, I presume that you need someone to help with homework, so they need to be able to speak and write a reasonable level of english.
I would only employ a non-smoker, so a check that too.
You also need to make sure they have a valid VISA for working in the UK.
(You'll then be able to reduce your CV's accordingly.)
Then you need to check.
They have experience looking after children the approx ages of your children, so a todller and a child over 5. Also that they have experience looking after more than one child at a time. You also need them to be able to supply references that you can contact to check (although not all will supply that information on a CV).
I would also look for any gaps in their employment history which haven't been explained on a cover letter. Lots of short periods of employment are also a warning light for me, unless they are v short temp positions.
I then print out CV's that are interesting and make notes on them.
After that its really up to you - make a list of qualities and qualifications you may want/need.
- If its a 2 day position you need to make sure they already have some employment (or college course etc) on the other days - otherwise they will just leave you when they get a full time job.
- CRB checks are advisable as are first aid certs - although I have paid in the past for nannies to do them, with the proviso (and written in the contract) that they must pay me back if they leave before a certain time.
- Are you bothered about qualifications?
I then send out a more detailed job description to all remaining candidates, explaining family, location and duties in more details. I also put in any odd non-negotiables - I think mine last time was they couldn't take any holiday for the first 2/3 months (as I had a new baby and rest of kids off school). I ask them to read through it and email me back if the position suits them and to ask any questions. If you haven't put a salary on the job ad, ask them to provide salary expectations.
I then ring any candidates that have emailled be back, to check they sound nice and can speak english. If they can, I then ask them to come for an interview, I like to have the children around to see how they interact with the nanny, but meet her myself first.
Phew that was long, I'll post again if i think of anything else.