Getting a temp nanny coming - paying for her flight from abroad?

[nannyadvice]

So we’ve been narrowing down a live in temporary Nanny

One is British but based in a country in Europe right now.

She’s asked us to cover her flight over.

Done, telephone calls, Video call, As she’s been living in this country in Europe for 12 years, even though British. She sent over her criminal record check to work with children from that country.
Got a few references to follow up.

But what’s the score on paying for her flight to come over?

I think she’s signed up with a Nanny Agency as well looking for temporary jobs. As she mentioned, she passed the checks to join that Agency.

she has no current DBS or on the update system as she has been working abroad for 12 years. But like I said, we’ve checked her International criminal record check.

What else can I do to put our mind at rest regarding the no uk DBS?

An having not yet met in person or had a trial because she’s based in Europe currently but willing to fly over for this one or two month temporary live in role. Should we be paying for her flight over, or should we be becoming to some kind of agreement regarding compensating for that in another way. Incase it turns out things aren’t right when she comes.

Advise would be great, To know that we’re going about this right way and they can right choice

Thanks all

Well I can’t imagine she’ll accept the job if you don’t pay? She’s not going to be earning enough to make it worth paying the flights for a 1/2 month gig. FWIW when we hired an au-pair we covered the flights.

Why on earth are you paying for someone to come from abroad when you could just book a nanny who's already here in England?

This.

But also, a one way flight for one person in Europe can’t be that much, surely? I’d imagine it pales in comparison to the nanny fees, which I imagine will be extortionate.

theres a lot going on in your post, for me, the cost of a flight would be the least of my worries.

The DBS check only covers any potential criminal history in the UK. To be honest for overseas candidates it’s not worth anything (if she’s never been in the Uk/ lives abroad it won’t show her defrauding people in France or crazy driving in Spain). A criminal check from whichever country she’s living in (or the past 3) will cover this.

every time I have ever worked a nanny role in another country the employer has paid for my flight out and back at the end of the contract.

It should have been brought up at the very beginning and you could have said no we are only offering the role to candidates in country. But I think you will now have to decide if she’s your number one candidate and if you love her and think she’s the one for you then it’s not worth losing her over a few hundred quid in flights?

you could write the contract to say that you will withhold holiday pay to the value of the flight if she leaves early ect but you would need to check the legality of that and if it would hold up in small claims court

I’d cover it once she starts work, in case she gets to the airport and vanishes. Yes, this is a thing.

Thanks. good info to know

can I ask what age bracket your kid/s were?

as coming from abroad did you find no uk dbs was an issue for you

did it all go well?

thanks

It’s reasonable for her to ask, and reasonable for you to refuse.

If she’s not been in the UK, there can’t be any offences, surely? How old is she?

She’s British with ties to the area ish we live - was a plus point

shes available soon asap (which we need) but so were the others that applied

she seems very down to earth and quick on communication
(Following up with the other viable candidates has been relentless. They’re super slow in responding.
its getting frustrating)

still trying to narrow it down who will go for

Is she your preferred candidate over other nannies you interviewed who are (already) in the UK? If so then paying a few hundred for a cheap flight over seems like a drop in the ocean. If you have other reasonable choices (and have UK DBS and have met others in person) then just go with one of them...

Thanks for sharing your insight

Yes, so her European criminal record info looks legit and all ok

shes British just been abroad with husband / ex husband working with kids in this country the last decade or so

has her elder parents based in the part of the uk (about an hr from where we are based) so that’s her interest and tie to this part of the UK

still trying to follow up with other candidates that applied. And there were some very strong UK based ones. But they’re either not available soon, or they’re just extremely slow on communication.
Especially the one that was the number one candidate, Who? ticks all the boxes, But she’s so slow on communication, which is a red flag.

Today is my job of sorting this out because it’s relentless 😮‍💨

Thanks

I do like the sound of her, She’s very easy-going adaptable, But there was one other candidate that I really liked as the top candidate. (amongst others that applied- They’re just not available as soon)

And the favourite candidate that I think would be best for my daughter and her age That’s UK based is extremely slow on communication

Yes, I think it’s just the lack of DBS that worries me more.

Although she’s British. middle aged. She seems very adaptable and flexible and easy going. I’ve got on well on our communication and phone calls, etc

But of course, being a mother myself, with the lack of DBS even though she is British. Just has been living abroad with Her husband / Ex-husband. (Works with children in this European country of my daughter’s age doing fun classes And helping them with English.
Mention she’d looking for temporary roles as she’s a bit fed up of the country and her husband.

(She mentioned during our chats that she’s just looking for a temporary roles to get away from the country she’s in as she’s a bit fed up of her husband and needs a change, And would probably use her time off to catch up with her family based in this side of the country here)

Has ties to this side of England, apparently (Her elderly parents - Grew up in this side of England, apparently)

I mean, a CV can be written by anyone and we know a CV you can’t go on As 100% truth

So the lack of DBS worries me (Even though she sent over her criminal record check certificates for the country she works in now) I had a friend look over those and he thinks they look legit

She has sent references. I’m following up today further. But being a mother who needs to be cautious, we all know and I’ve had friends tell me in the childcare industry in the past that references can be faked.

I need to try and ask her proof of where she’s registered as working with kids in her country doing these classes or kids clubs further I think. She sent me photos of working with said kids, but there’s no website or anything so far that’s been given that shows that she actually does these classes with young children over there, you know..

she did mention she worked in the police in her youth when she was UK based - Perhaps I ask for proof of that?

She’s mentioned her father used to work in social services. If that put my mind at ease and sent his phone number over. I haven’t yet called as juggling a load of admin right now.

It’s extremely hard when you know CVs or references can be faked in any industry, we all know that

This is why I started this post on here to ask what others think. As my friend brought this exact thing up 😬

Middle age. Late 40s

Why can't you find anyone locally that you can interview in person? Have you spoken to this woman's references?

Have you used a nanny agency?

Hi all,
have updated lots of the queries people had in replies to their post comments. Hopefully that gives a bit more of a backstory.

Thanks all, for the advice so far.

Hmm out for over 10 years only some offences would still exist on her file, if indeed they existed at all.

What is DBS policy then, nothing that old?

It’s a tricky one because we’re moving house and so it will be and has been advertised as a temporary role for someone who can start in one location and then move with us to the new location which is another area in England so someone locally wouldn’t work. I tried asking around with local agencies, but they usually have families and cannot /
are not in the bracket of this type of temporary role.

I do also like that some of the candidates that applied (I’m relentlessly trying to follow up with them right now - As time is not on our side to find the right candidate) Might be open to stay on with us at our location we’re moving to. As it’s a location on outskirts of London.
Which if it all went well, I would be open to something a bit more longer term if they wanted.

Agencies, I’m not too keen on because I’ve been burnt by an age Agency in the past when my daughter was a baby. The huge Agency fees. The candidate that was placed Had huge issues in their past of frequent family hopping due to illness and not being kept on by the family. Safety issues. Motivational issues. Had clinical depression Which led to endless illness. Unfortunately, not all agencies seem to check this and so that resulted in being burnt from using agencies.

You can ask her for a DBS but it will only cover the time before she moved abroad..
I would pay for her flights if she is only coming over to take up a temporary post with you

Thanks all for input on this post.

Took some advise as well as the advise on here and narrowed it down I think to a great uk based candidate who seems fab. Makes life a lot easier.