How would I go about finding a nanny to work in Switzerland

[Leoladyofleisure]

I have come to a blank with the nanny agency here, dh suggested contacting a college that does nanny training.
Does anyone know one? Can recommend anything helpful.

Thanks!

Gumtree and nannyjob I suppose are the best ways to contact nannies yourself. There is an agency which specialises in bi-lingual nannies which may be suitable? Can't remember the name offhand but I used to be registered with them.

Colleges are in many ways a risky way to go - your nanny will be young (usually 18 or 19) AND away from home, possibly for the first time. She might be inexperienced, she may not know about nannying (what are nursery duties? how do you stand up to your boss? what is and isn't reasonable in a contract from her POV?) and making nanny friends etc so unless you're prepared to go and hold her hand through the introductions she might feel very isolated. You may also want to see the thread about hiring an inexperienced nanny for a more detailed discussion!

On the plus side you get a qualified and hopefully enthusiastic nanny who won't have "her" way of doing things and every nanny has to start somewhere.

From a personal POV the first time I worked abroad I was 21, spoke the language, I'd been a live-in nanny previously in England and was used to making nanny friends....and I still found it INCREDIBLY hard. Personally I wouldn't hire a newly qualified nursery nurse to work abroad.

Private colleges your two options are Chiltern in Caversham, Reading and Norland in Bath. I don't know whether either, but especially Norland, will send probationers abroad though.

Are you currently in Switzerland?

As frannikin said, it's very hard on nannies abroad imported from England unless the family is living a jet-set lifestyle - they find it hard to make friends and have any life outside the family.

Hi and thanks for your replies.

Yes we live in just outside Zurich.
You have confirmed my feelings about having a young inexperienced nanny. We have 3 very small children so I think the job would be tough enough on its own anyway.

Gumtree and nannyjob? I guess these are websites? I'll take a look.

Any other suggestions of how we can find someone?

You could put an ad in The Lady.

You can try greataupair.com where you can search for nannies/au-pairs who want to work or currently live in specific countries - you do that from the home page by putting mouse over the 'find au-pair' tag.

I did a quick look for you and there were some possibilities including this one here

Only downside is that there is lots of dross to search through on this site and once you register you can get inundated with applications from unsuitable people, regardless of how specific you are in what you are looking for

Squiffy, thanks for looking for me! This looks interesting.

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