Conducting a background check before you extend an official offer to your prospective nanny ensures that you are bringing a trustworthy caretaker into your home. Here are some things you should check:
1. Request for a certificate of good conduct that is provided by the Kenya Police.
2. Do a critical interview, the way someone answers questions will show you if they are being truthful or evasive. Some of the questions you can ask include.
- Ask about family background – parents, brothers and sisters
- How their own childhood was like, most of our attitudes are influenced by our early years’ experiences
- Why she wants to be a nanny
- Find out her age and ask for proof of the same- ID, Passport etc
- Why she left her previous employment
- Ask her to talk about her previous jobs
- What are her expectations if you offer the job, work hours, salary/wages, food etc
- Why she enjoys looking after children
- How she would play, entertain and occupy the children the whole day
- Find out if she knows how to cook and prepare food and fluids for the children
- Is she trained in First Aid? e.g Burns
- Find out her views on disciplining the children and give different scenarios on this topic just to gauge her reactions
- How she would handle an emergency situation?
- What does she like to do in her free time?
3. Ask for recommendations and actually call for more information of your prospective nanny
Get a nanny from a reputable nanny hiring company