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In-Home Child Care GuideChild Care GuideHaving decided that the best choice for day care for your child is within the home then your next choice will be what type of home care provider you require, there are basically two choices - a nanny or a live in nanny who is labeled as an au-pair. The option you decide to take will depend on your circumstances, the hours which you will need care for your child, the flexibility of your working hours and if you need additional help around the home. Whichever option you choose to go with there are several things you should consider and questions you will have for the people you will interview. It will be useful also if you made a list for yourself regarding qualities to look for, such as experience, any religious or cultural beliefs the person may have as these could be passed onto your child through spending hours together and also the flexibility of the person. You will also have to make the choice of advertising for a nanny or Au-pair yourself or going through an agency. By going through an agency you will have the reassurance that the person will have had a criminal background check made and the nanny is registered as a child minder. If you choose to advertise yourself then you will have to make your own arraignments for a criminal background check, it is also recommended that you interview any candidates that look promising twice before making the final choice. Questions to ask candidates * What qualifications they have if any and how many years have they been in the child care profession? * Why they are interested in working in child care? * Do they have any family of their own? * Ask for references from their last jobs and check the references. * What their policy is regarding discipline of children? * Offer scenarios such as, what they would do if the child threw a tantrum, or if a child hits another child, or won't do as they are told and study the candidates' answers. * Ask what they can provide to stimulate your child's development. * Ask what activities the carer would provide your child with during the day * Ask about any first aid training they have taken. * Ask them how they would handle any anxiety to your child caused by the separation. A Nanny or Au-pair what is the difference? An Au-pair will live in the family home and become a member of the family, they will as part of their job assist in light duties around the home such as ironing, dusting, vacuuming and sometimes shopping. Very often an Au-pair will be working far away from home as a cultural learning experience, as such many of them are only young and do not have any child care qualifications other than general common sense. A nanny will usually live outside the home and work a set amount of hours which should be discussed beforehand, they are generally not as flexible as an Au-pair and most will only take care of your child and house work is not done. Nannies, especially those sent through agencies, will usually have had some training in child care and will have at least the minimal qualifications. They will also have passes a screening test. Draw up a contract Once you have hired a care giver for your child it is important that you draw up a working agreement or contract, this is for the benefit of both of you and you should outline duties, hours, salary, vacation time, sick leave and any obligations. A review date should be set for a few months which will give you both the chance to discuss how the arraignment is working out and to help iron out any little problems. Warning signs to look for Whoever you choose to take care of your child in your absence whether it be a nanny from an agency or an au-pair you chose yourself, there are no absolute guarantees and you should be vigilant at all times. Signs that something could be wrong are: * Money goes missing or valuables which could indicate theft. * You find your child alone unsupervised. * The care giver does not bond with your child or vice-versa. * Your child becomes agitated showing signs of problems sleeping and eating, or becomes suddenly withdrawn. * You notice marks on your child which can't be explained easily or happen frequently. Filed under: Child Care Guide |
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