FAQ Parents

1) Why choose Nannies by Sarah?

Nannies by Sarah is run by parents just like you, so we’re especially attuned to your needs and concerns. Sarah has been personally helping place nannies with families in the DC region for more than 7 years. That experience, combined with her professional background as a recruiter, allows her to grasp the nuances of what makes a great fit for different families.  

 2) How long does the process take?

The process typically takes 2-3 weeks from initial contact to making your hiring decision. If you’re under a greater time constraint, let us know, and we’ll do our best to accommodate your needs. 

 3) Where do you get your nannies?

We have an established pool of nannies in the DC- metro region. All nanny-candidates have sat for an extensive interview with Sarah, come highly recommended both through their referrals and previous employers. We draw from other parent recommendations, nannies we’ve personally seen in action, and referrals from our recurrent nannies. As children grow up and enter the school system, our nannies come back on the market and are ready to be placed with new families. If we don’t already have someone in our pool who meets your family’s specific criteria, we will activate our networks and find candidates who do.

 4) I have certain requirements and preferences. Will you take these into consideration?

Yes! In addition to our general minimum requirements, we want our nannies to meet your needs and preferences. Our extensive Intake Questionnaire covers these desires and we will go over them together in our first meeting.

 5) How much does a nanny cost?

You negotiate the final contract, so that’s mostly up to you. In the DC-area, nannies typically earned between $27+/hour. You also need to account for paid holidays, benefits, and worker’s compensation.   

 6) Will my nanny clean or cook?

All of our nannies have agreed in advance to do light-housework, including anything that relates to the child, such as washing the child’s dishes, doing their laundry, and prepping their meals. If you need more than that, please make that clear and we will try to match you with a nanny willing to meet those requirements.

 7) Is there a minimum commitment to the nanny?

Our process includes the option for one to five day trial. After that, we do encourage you to provide a 1-year commitment, because that security makes it easier to attract the best candidates. However, we do work on short-term placements (less than one year) as well.  

 8) What are your fees?

We charge a percentage of the nanny’s first-year salary. Please contact us for more information at sarah@nanniesbysarah.com.

9) Do you negotiate the nanny contract?

No. You keep total control over the process. We turn all the paperwork from our reference checks and our notes over to you, and (with our help, if needed) then you negotiate the terms of employment.

10) Do you run background checks?

We use an independent professional background check service, which will check the nanny’s criminal history, presence on sex offender registries, and motor vehicle driving history, and we share these reports with you. The background check is performed once you make your selection. We also check their references and share our notes from these phone calls. Transparency is one of our core values.

11) Are there any conditions all of your nannies must meet?

Yes. We only work with nannies who can communicate well in English, are legal to work in the United States, and have a minimum of 3 years of childcare experience. We also track our nanny’s progress to make our clients are satisfied with their choice. All of our nannies have agreed in advance to do light-housework, including laundry, and anything related to the child.

12) How do you know if a nanny is a good fit?

Nanny placement is part art and part science. All of our nannies meet our minimum requirements and typically have come highly recommended from other parents and/or trusted nannies. Our process is designed to get to know your family’s needs and preferences so the candidates we present meets them. And then there’s that well-honed intuition that comes from hiring experience. At the same time, the family interview, the trial day, and the grace period leave the decision ultimately in your hands as to whether the nanny is the right fit.

13) What if it doesn’t work out?

We understand that sometimes someone initially seems like a great fit but the chemistry just isn’t there. We operate on a replacement credit system for one-year post hire.

 14) How many hours a day does a nanny work?

You negotiate the terms of employment, so this depends on the agreement that you and your nanny reach. In general, nannies work 7-10 hours a day. Household employees are protected by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) which states that they be paid 1.5 times (time-and-a-half) for all hours worked over a 40-hour workweek. 

 15) What if I’m looking for a family/house manager who works for thirty hours per week, picks up the kids from school, drives them to their activities, oversees homework and dinner, and looks after the house when the kids are at school?

We can help with that too! 

Have more questions? Drop us a line at sarah@nanniesbysarah.com.