5 Nanny Screening Tips Every Family Should Know

A practical, expert-backed guide to nanny screening that walks families through best practices for vetting candidates—from interviews and reference checks to working trials and agreements—so you can hire with confidence and avoid costly missteps.

Finding the right nanny for your family goes far beyond what fits neatly on a résumé. Yes, you’ll review certifications, past roles, and professional qualifications—but what you’re really trying to understand is how this person shows up day after day in your home. How do they handle stress? Do their instincts align with your parenting values? Can you trust their judgment when you’re not there? Those questions don’t show up in bullet points, and they’re exactly why thoughtful nanny screening matters because the last thing you want to do is second guess your nanny when you’re in the middle of a client call.

Thoughtful nanny screening includes structured interviews, detailed nanny reference checks, and a clear understanding of a candidate’s experience, judgment, and professionalism. When done well, screening helps families avoid costly missteps and ensures expectations between you and your employee are aligned from the start.

At Hello Nanny!, we believe families deserve a hiring process that feels thorough, human, and supportive—not overwhelming. Below, we’re breaking down proven best practices for nanny screening, so you can move forward feeling informed, prepared, and confident in your decision.

Hiring doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. Share your needs with us and we’ll guide you through next steps.

5 Nanny Screening Tips to Know Before Hiring 

1. Start with Truly Qualified Candidates 

An effective and streamlined hiring process starts with qualified candidates who are experienced and vetted. 

There is no effective nanny screening or vetting process without the right starting point: qualified candidates. Yet this first step is where many families unknowingly take their biggest risk by beginning the interview and nanny screening process with unqualified or inexperienced candidates.

To find nannies or family assistants, parents often turn to Google searches, local Facebook groups, or large online platforms that promise quick access to caregivers. The appeal is obvious: profiles are easy to browse, photos are friendly, and the process feels efficient. But what’s often missing is meaningful vetting. On many large platforms, caregivers can create profiles with little to no verification of experience, references, or professional standards. In other words, “qualified” can be entirely self-defined. 

That doesn’t mean these channels are unusable, but it does mean families must approach them with caution. If you’re sourcing candidates independently, expect to take on the full responsibility of nanny screening, including deep reference checks, employment verification, and safety screening.

Families who work with a professional nanny agency start from a different place. Candidates are typically pre-screened for experience, professionalism, and role alignment before families ever review a profile. This upfront vetting doesn’t just save time, but it efficiently reduces risk, sets clearer expectations, and creates a stronger foundation for a long-term employment relationship.

The takeaway: strong nanny screening begins long before the interview. Where—and how—you source candidates matters more than most families realize.

Prefer a vetted, professional process? Fill out our family intake form to get started.

2. Check Multiple References

Checking multiple references by phone or video is one of the most reliable ways to verify a nanny’s experience, judgment, and professionalism.

A strong nanny reference check goes far beyond confirming dates of employment. In fact, walking away from a reference check will hopefully leave you with an understanding of how a caregiver actually showed up in someone else’s home—day after day, under real-life pressure.

Families should plan to speak directly with at least two to three former employers and do so by phone or video whenever possible. Email references are easy to script and difficult to verify; live conversations allow you to ask follow-up questions, listen for nuance, and assess consistency across responses.

These conversations should be just that: a conversation, not a one-way interrogation. Ask open-ended questions about the family assistant’s or nanny’s responsibilities, communication style, reliability, and how they handled challenges. Give references space to reflect—often the most telling insights come after a pause, not a yes-or-no answer.

Unfortunately, fake or inflated references are a real issue in the nanny hiring process, particularly on unvetted platforms. Skipping reference checks—or treating them as a formality or something you rush through—can lead to costly hiring mistakes.

Professional nanny placement agencies, like Hello Nanny!, are experienced in identifying red flags, verifying employment history, and knowing which questions reveal meaningful insight. Whether families screen candidates independently or work with an agency, thorough reference checks are a non-negotiable best practice for hiring and managing a nanny with confidence.

Related: Hiring a Nanny? Here’s What You Need to Know

3. Host Several Interviews & a Paid Working Trial

Multiple interviews followed by a paid working trial help families evaluate fit, communication, and real-world caregiving skills before committing.

Strong nanny screening rarely happens in a single conversation. We typically recommend one to three interviews, giving both families and candidates time to ask thoughtful questions and build clarity around expectations, communication style, and values—not just availability and pay.

Early nanny interviews are your opportunity to understand who the nanny is beyond their resume. These interview typically happen over the phone or via video call where questions about motivation, transitions, and how they acclimate to new households can reveal judgment and professionalism far better than logistics alone.

👉 For a full list of agency-approved interview questions, explore our nanny interview guide.

If you walk away from an interview excited about the candidate and moving to the next steps, an in-person meet-and-greet allows children and caregivers to connect while parents observe interactions firsthand. From there, a paid working trial—usually three to seven days—offers the most honest insight into how a nanny operates in your home. During this time, the nanny should be compensated at an agreed-upon rate.

A working trial in the family’s home benefits everyone. Families see how a nanny manages real routines, transitions, and stress, while nannies assess whether the role and household are the right fit. Of course, in one day a nanny won’t know the intimate ins and outs of your home or child’s personality, but when done thoughtfully, it’s one of the most effective ways to move forward with confidence—and avoid costly mismatches.

Take the stress out of nanny screening. Start the Hello Nanny! family intake today.

4. Run Background Checks and Audit Their Online Presence

Comprehensive background checks and a thoughtful review of a nanny’s online presence help families confirm safety, professionalism, and consistency before hiring.

Effective nanny screening requires diligence both offline and online. When it comes to the people caring for your children, this is not the stage to rush or cut corners. A thorough process protects your family and reinforces professionalism from the very beginning of the working relationship.

A legal, comprehensive nanny background check is essential. If you’re working with a placement agency, this step is typically handled or facilitated for you. Families hiring independently should ensure checks are run through a compliant provider and include identity verification, criminal history, and any other screenings required by local and state regulations.

Beyond formal checks, a light audit of a candidate’s online presence can provide additional context. Reviewing public social media profiles or publicly tagged content isn’t checking up on what your candidate does on the weekend, but really about who they are outside of the interview. A candidate’s public social media profile is just one piece of the puzzle. Use what you see as a conversation starter, not the final word. When combined with interviews, references, and background checks, a candidate’s social media presence can help you get a well-rounded sense of whether someone is the right fit for your family. If something feels off, it’s worth asking clarifying questions before moving forward.

Taken together, background checks and online review add an important layer of confidence to the nanny vetting process—one that supports safer, more informed hiring decisions.

Related: The Benefits of Having a Nanny

5. Don’t Underestimate a Written Agreement 

A clear, written nanny agreement sets expectations, protects both parties, and creates a more professional and sustainable working relationship.

Before a nanny or family assistant officially commits to a role, a written agreement should be in place. A written contract is a foundational part of responsible nanny vetting and long-term success. Just like any other job where you’d sign an employment agreement, a thoughtful nanny agreement brings clarity to the role, aligns expectations early, and helps prevent misunderstandings down the line.

At minimum, a nanny agreement should clearly outline hours, pay, overtime policies, sick leave and vacation time, guaranteed hours, and any additional benefits discussed. It should also capture household-specific expectations and personal preferences that may not appear in a standard job description. For example, is your nanny responsible for washing anything child-related like bottles, crib sheets or clothes? What about responsibility around letting your dog outside during the day? When these details are documented, both parties can refer back to them with confidence.

A written agreement protects families just as much as it protects nannies. Verbal conversations can be forgotten or interpreted differently over time, but a clear document creates shared accountability and trust. It also signals professionalism—setting the tone for a respectful employer-employee relationship from day one.

Families working with a placement agency typically receive support in drafting and reviewing this agreement. Agencies like ours help customize contracts to reflect each household’s unique needs while ensuring critical details aren’t overlooked. The result is a stronger, clearer start for everyone involved.

What Else to Consider

Nanny screening isn’t a single checklist you run through once. In fact, the above tips are merely the biggest red flags and pain points we hear from our families. Other things to consider include certification and document verification, a review of their past driving record if they’ll be driving your kids and more. 

Beyond what’s on paper, every family and every caregiver brings different expectations, values, and working styles into the relationship. Factors like communication style, flexibility, household dynamics, and long-term goals all play a role in whether a placement truly works. Trust your instincts, take your time, and don’t rush decisions simply to fill a gap in care. A thoughtful, measured approach nearly always leads to a better outcome for everyone involved.

Screen with Intention

The goal of nanny screening isn’t to quickly work your way through your must-do list, or to interrogate somebody’s past experience, or even what they might have posted on their public Instagram account. The goal of a comprehensive, effective screening is to build trust, clarity, and confidence—after all, you’re welcoming someone into your home and child’s life. When you approach nanny vetting with structure and care, you reduce risk, set clearer expectations, and create a more professional foundation for the working relationship. Plus, you will avoid hiring the wrong candidate, which will save you time (and money) in the long run. 

Strong screening practices protect your children, support your caregiver, and ultimately make day-to-day life easier. Whether you’re conducting nanny reference checks, hosting interviews, or finalizing a written agreement, each step is an investment in long-term stability. When in doubt, lean on experienced professionals, ask the extra question, and remember: a well-screened hire benefits everyone from day one.

Ready for support? Start our family intake form to get matched with a thoroughly vetted nanny.

Nanny Screening FAQs

1. How do I properly vet a nanny?

Proper nanny vetting goes beyond a resume. It includes structured interviews, multiple reference checks, a comprehensive background check, and ideally a paid working trial to see how the nanny shows up in real life—not just on paper.

2. What causes a red flag on a background check?

Red flags can include undisclosed criminal history, inconsistencies between what a candidate shared and what shows up in a report, a questionable driving record (that they undisclosed to you), or gaps they can’t clearly explain. One flag doesn’t always mean “no,” but it does mean you should pause and ask your candidate more questions.

3. How do I make sure a nanny is safe?

Safety comes from layers: thorough screening, clear expectations, and ongoing communication once the job begins. A well-defined agreement, routine check-ins, and trust built over time are just as important as formal background checks. If something doesn’t feel right to you, document it and communicate early and transparently with your candidate or employee. 

4. What are good questions to ask a nanny?

The best questions invite stories, not yes-or-no answers. Ask how they handle transitions, discipline, or unexpected situations—then listen closely to how they think, not just what they say. We have a comprehensive nanny interview guide for families navigating the process and wondering what to ask. 

5. How much should a nanny get paid?

Nanny pay depends on experience, location, responsibilities, and schedule. Industry-standard wages, guaranteed hours, and overtime aren’t just best practices—they’re key to attracting and retaining a professional caregiver. For industry-specific guidance, reach out to our recruiting team who can walk you through what your desired role and region would look like.