A little preparation and communication can go a long way!

Follow these handy hints and tips to help ensure you and your family make the very most of your nanny booking.

Before the booking

• Food preparation: i) what will the children eat ii) should the nanny bring their own lunch?
• If your home is difficult to locate it's certainly worth giving directions from the nearest public transport, etc. (not everyone has a smartphone with Google Maps!).
• Let the nanny know if you'll be working from home on the day and whether you'll want to be disturbed or not.

On the day

• We want all parents to feel completely safe and secure trusting the care of their children to one of our nannies. Upon arrival, our nannies shall present their photographic identification to you. If they haven't volunteered suitable photographic identification (a passport, driving licence or government ID card), don't be embarrassed to ask for it.
  
  In the extremely unlikely event that an emergency nanny can't provide suitable ID, or if you have serious doubts or conerns about the nanny for another reason, please ask them to wait while you give us a call so we can assist.
• Give as much direction as possible about what you want the nanny to do with your children. Feel free to write out a schedule - our nannies will appreciate the structure, plus it will help ensure expectations on both sides are understood and met.
• Clarify how much communication you expect. Do you want hourly texts? Phone calls at set times? Or would you prefer to contact the nanny instead? What kind of feedback do you want at the end of the day - a written record or will a verbal summary do?
• Give a guided tour of your home and be sure to point out key information:
  • If the nanny is preparing food for your children, how to use any appropriate equipment e.g. microwave
  • Where toys and games are located - highlight current favourites
  • Where first aid supplies are kept
  • Any areas your children are not allowed to play / go e.g. parent bedroom
  • Locking up procedure if the nanny will be taking your children out.
• If your child is ill, be sure to agree when their temperature will be taken and medicine given (where appropriate).
• If you want the nanny to take your children to the local park, give him/her a head start by advising where the closest (and best) parks / playgrounds are in relation to your home.
• If you have pets the nanny shouldn't be expected to feed, walk or otherwise care for them. However, it's nice to tell him/her more about these important other family members.
• Pease don't forget the nanny is only contracted (and insured) to provide care for your children - not the children of relatives, friends or neighbours.

In our experience (and we've arranged over 250,000 hours of emergency nannies) following these little pointers will help ensure a smooth, safe and successful booking.We look forward to hearing how it all went!