Questions You Can Ask The Nanny’s References

Here are some sample questions that you will want to ask the nanny’s references:


How did you come to hire your nanny – did you use an agency, and if so, which one, did you find her through word of mouth, etc.?
How long did the nanny work for you?
What was the work schedule?
How did you like the work she did for you?
Would you recommend her? If not, why?
What were some of the things about her employ that you wish had been different?
How many nannies have you had?
What did you like most about the nanny?
What were her skills and strengths?
What were her weaknesses?
What were the compatibilities between her and your family/child/ren?
What were the incompatibilities?
How was the nanny's health – did she take a lot of sick days?
Was she prompt or late?
Did the child like the nanny?
Did she do housework?
Did she do any cooking?
Did she do driving?
Did the nanny read to the children?
Did she do homework with the children?
What are the exact dates she worked for you?
Did you give her paid Christmas vacation?

This is a good time to do some research also – if there are questions about what you should do with a nanny once you hire them, like if you should give paid sick leave or if you should pay forthe nanny’s car insurance, or insist that she buy it herself -- this is a good time to find out whather previous employers did so that you can either do the same, or make an improvement on the situation for her.