A question that we often get asked is “why would I pay to work with an agency when I can find a nanny on my own?”
This question has many answers, and each one is important to families in different ways.
- Some families like the peace of mind of receiving qualified candidates who have been vetted in advance for experience, criminal/driving record, and specific traits to suit each position.
- Some appreciate the resources provided regarding the logistics of hiring, as well as context on the market, so they can bounce their impressions off of seasoned professionals
- Others rely on the long-term support that our team provides, long after successful placement of a nanny. Many clients call us years later to ask for advice on raises and changes to their contracts as their children grow.
All of the above reasons are important, but the Covid pandemic has added a critical element that is becoming more prevalent with each passing day: safety.
The safety and health of our families and nannies has always been our top priority. Since Covid began, the measures we are taking to match families and caregivers regarding their health needs and exposure risk are adding new value to working with Seattle Nanny.
We are uniquely prepared for this crisis based on our years of providing PPE equipped backup care nannies, long before the pandemic began. Additionally, our collaborative efforts with worker and employer advocacy organizations, creating tools to improve our vetting and training processes around Covid, enable us to match families with candidates who share similar concerns and practices around the pandemic.
This is not something that you get when finding a nanny through word of mouth or large platforms, where you don’t always get information that is critical to your family’s safety.
Prospective employers are not legally allowed to ask personal questions that get to the heart of a candidate’s Covid exposure profile. We find candidates to be more candid with providing these details to a third party, because they know it is also for their protection, as it will ensure a better match with a family. They know we are all working together to keep them and families as safe as possible, without the judgment that comes along with differing approaches to the pandemic.
At Seattle Nanny, we use the following tools to gather exposure information from families and candidates alike:
- In depth discussion of
- social distancing and mask wearing practices
- daily activities
- willingness to match with families/nannies on prevention practices
- Comfort with certain exposure risk elements (children in school, multiple people living in the home, at-risk loved ones, etc.)
- Any dealbreakers that would eliminate a potential match from consideration
- Context on the socio-economic implications of Covid for both workers and families
- The use of the MyCovidExposure Survey for candidates and families
- Created through a collaboration with Hand in Hand (domestic employer resource organization)
- The use of virtual meet and greets for first meetings, to avoid excessive in-person visits to minimize exposure
All of this valuable information is used to ensure that families and nannies feel comfortable working together and that they know how their working relationship will impact both their family’s health and safety while we weather this crisis. Bringing someone into your home on a regular basis carries some level of risk, and we are here to help you navigate these difficult conversations so you can work together to keep each other safe and healthy.
