Hiring live-in nanny for 3 kids, struggling to find candidates, what would you do?

[orderlyhall]

I have twin babies (3 months old) and a little boy (nearly 3) and a week and a half ago started a search for a nanny for when I go back to work in July. We're looking for someone to live in and take care of all 3 full time on a sole charge basis, with the exception of when the toddler is at nursery for a few hours in the afternoon (and we may also arrange a nanny share for him some/all mornings). We are struggling to find candidates; my Gumtree posting has only yielded one candidate who had the required qualifications but who we weren't mad on. I'm surprised but am assuming that it's down to the live-in requirement and the fact that it's 3 kids. I've also tapped into all my networks and have been recommended another candidate by someone who nearly hired her (but didn't because she found someone with more relevant experience). [I haven't gone the agency route because I've heard that all they do is filter CVs which I'm happy to do.]

This girl is young and has only been an au pair for 2 years but seems smart (good uni/grades), committed to childcare, proactive, etc. I'm confident in her abilities with 3 year olds but she has very little experience with babies and certainly not with twins or with 3 full time and sole charge! (She does have experience with multiple kids though.) We specifically set out in our search to get someone experienced but given our difficulty in finding any candidates at all we are considering this girl. To complicate matters further she is based in France at the moment, we are going away on Saturday for a couple of weeks and she has an offer she needs to make a decision on by the end of the week. So we're arranging to bring her over for a day this week to spend some time with her but I wonder how much we'll be able to tell in half a day.

Going from au pairing to full time sole charge for 3 is a very big jump that I'm not entirely comfortable with but on the other hand I think good childcare ability is somewhat born rather than learned, being proactive and switched on gets you very far, and we don't seem to have many options! If it were you, would you keep looking and hope to find a better candidate within the few weeks I'll have when I come back from being away?

Thoughts/advice appreciated. Thanks (Sorry such a long post)

I wonder if parents who use an agency would think less of an agency which only sent a couple of candidates, rather than an agency which sent a handful or more.

In my view, an agency which only sends one or two candidates is doing their job correctly - they are making a short list of candidates who are suitable. An agency which sends 5 or 6 candidates is not short listing sufficiently... are all of those candidates really meeting the full criteria for the job?

As a nanny I have had jobs via agencies and privately, so I am not anti agency or pro private ads, both forms of recruitment can work and parents are free to choose which to use.

Outraged. But a nanny can see for themselves at least basic details online, as you agreed.
I suppose the problem would come if there were not many details given by the parent.
Again, I can only speak about the agency my DD used, when there were a lot of details posted about each job.

Ilike not all the jobs are online, as someone has already said. The fact is, it happens. You can dispute with me if you like , but I've worked in this area a while. I know agencies, staff from agencies, families, lots of nannies etc. It happens.

It's great that your DD found a good agency.

I dont dispute you at all.You are much more experienced about all this than me.

As a former London nanny I know that we use a lot of ways of looking for work, outside of agencies. Have you a local website like the West London ones? Ealingw5.com etc. I was with several agencies and twice I was in a position for several weeks with unchecked refs!! They are overrated IMO.

Try searching the 'looking for work' sections on Gumtree. It will save you sifting through a lot of unsuitable candidates.

I would be concerned using someone inexperienced with babies. Under fives really need an experienced carer. Also, If you can reconsider a daily you will have a much better response. I couldn't handle the 'never finished' feeling and a lot of friends felt the same.

Some agencies give next to no info though... such as this - the agency website lists exactly the same details.
So the basic details online may be very basic, they may not even mention if a driver is needed or not.

What a ridiculous advert that is nannynick.

Also many experienced nannies will find work through word of mouth. In my current job I know of 4 parents either as neighbours/ friends etc who are looking now/ will be v soon, as well as others knowing friends/ family etc looking.. If I was too leave my job I could easily find work through these type of people.

So many long term nannies will never advertise as they don't really need to as snapped up before then

and buttons is a well regarded agency Ilike, it just goes to show.....

They are! Dont want to say too much, but wow!

Yes, forever, I am beginning to see that there is a nanny network, just as in any other occupation really.
That is why I am a bit alarmed for the op, as she says she has already tapped into all her networks.

I honestly didn't look for long... just did a quick search down the list of the first results page for jobs in London and picked one, so purely random but a lucky find perhaps. It's an initial advert, so maybe people contacting the agency would get more info but it does seem rather lacking.

In some areas there is a nanny network. Not much of one around me, there is a facebook group and some of us meet at a toddler group on occasion but there are probably quite a lot of nannies within say a 7 mile radius so bumping into the occasional one or two is not exactly a network. Maybe though being a bloke I'm not invited into the club!

OP - do consider live-out as well, it may open up the job to more candidates. Maybe something is putting people off applying... maybe the mention of twins. Is twins mentioned in ads? How about changing it to saying 3 children.

Sorry forgot I'd suggested someone earlier - we paid her what you're suggesting for full-time for four days (40 hpw) plus with only one child at home during the day (others at play group/school).
So maybe that's what you're not getting candidates with comparable experience. Oh yes, that was also £350 net.

Didnt know you were a man.
You are the 3rd man I have encountered on MN today for some reason!

Re wages, I've been paid 300 net for 30 hrs as live in before

As a nanny I would always job search through agencies, for reasons others explained above. I sign up to 6+ London agencies then do loads of interviews for a couple of weeks. I know one shouldn't generalise...BUT... I imagine jobs advertised on gumtree to be from employers who don't want to pay full tax/take on responsibility re maternity pay etc. Once I was employed by a family who were using gumtree and agents too, and my suspicions were confirmed.

There are definitely those type of jobs on there, but also good ones (and agency ones!).

Same with the nannies, there are good ones on there, but also a lot of crap.

You could try this media request: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/media_nonmember_requests/1760259-Documentary-series-on-Aupairs-in-London-Family-needed-to-participate-Salary-paid

Victoria, I have been to lots of Interviews through agencies, many the top London agencies and parents have then said theywill only pay a percentage of wages through the books. These are top wack positions.

How is taking part in a documentary about au pairs going to help them find a full-time live-in nanny?!

I wouldn't dismiss the au pair. At 18 I i got my first sole charge nanny job, having only experience of babysitting previously and a short 3 mth stint as a au pair. I looked after a 3 mth old, a 20 mth old and a 4 year old. I LOVED it. I had bags of enthusiasm and a genuine love of children. I coped absolutely fine and stayed with family for 4 years. Loving children, and having that special natural ability with children is so important. I'd meet the au pair, and take it from there. She may be perfect for you. Good luck x

For me as a Nanny it would also very much depending on the accommodation, I have a 1 y/o atm and she keeps waking me up whenever she starts crying at night or very early in the morning because my room is pretty close which is so exhausting to manage when I still have her all day long and it's only 1 child!

You should try this, great opportunity for an aupair and family: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/media_nonmember_requests/1760259-Documentary-series-on-Aupairs-in-London-Family-needed-to-participate-Salary-paid