How to ensure your nanny’s skills align with your child’s needs
One of the great advantages of hiring a nanny for your childcare is that you get a highly personalised
service that’s tightly tailored to and strongly focused on your little one’s unique needs.
If your son or daughter is shy and needs bringing out of their shell, or needs a bit of extra help with
their maths, for example, a nanny is ideally placed to assist.
But you need to be sure that the skills of your childcare professional are the right fit for your family.
Here’s how you can go about doing that:
1.) Use a reputable agency
The right nanny agency will have a large databank of potential staff, encompassing a wide range of
varied skills. They’ll take the time to understand what you need before they do anything else, and
then write a detailed job description and match your requirements with a nanny who fits the bill
perfectly.
Communicate what you’re after to the agency and your nanny, both before and when they start
work. Be extremely precise on your expectations and what their role involves from the outset, and
be open about your family dynamics, including any cultural or religious considerations. Then keep
the dialogue open and the conversation flowing, with active listening and constructive feedback.
Ask for regular updates on your child’s progress and work towards mutually agreed goals or
milestones.
2.) Assess what your child needs yourself
Think carefully about the developmental stage your child is at, plus their requirements and
personality. Are there any special needs to take into account? How do they learn best? Do they
present any particular disciplinary or behavioural challenges? If there are learning differences, the
person you hire will clearly need to be able to provide the right level of support. If there are specific
medical issues, such as allergies, does the prospective employee have experience in dealing with
these? Then when you interview, focus on the person’s experience, understanding of child
development, and their ability to adapt to your requirements.
Equally. look closely at how they interact with your child when they first meet them.
3.) Age matters
Your nanny should also have the skills and experience to look after a child the age of your little one.
Babies, toddlers, pre-school kids and those of school age will, of course, all have very different
needs.
4.) Temperamentally suited?
Your nanny needs to have an approach and learning style that suit the way you run your family and
are bringing up your brood. It’s all about matching the personality your interviewees present as
having with that of your child.
Think about what your child likes doing, whether that’s indoor play or outdoor activities, for
example, and ask whether the would-be nanny can provide this well.
By carefully assessing a prospective nanny’s skills and aligning them with the unique needs of your
child, you’ll ensure a childcare experience that’s supportive and positive for your whole family.
Align skills and needs with Fox & Cubs
At Fox & Cubs, we’re a boutique agency supplying nannies, newborn care and other household staff
to homes in London. Families across the city trust us to provide a highly personal service, with a
strong level of tailored care and support, including from multilingual staff if that’s what they require.
We’ll take the time to understand your unique needs, and support you from the moment of first
contact. We have the experience and reach to find the perfect match for your children, and the ideal
fit so that the nanny can thrive in your household.
Take the first step by getting in touch with the friendly, professional team today.
