Here are questions to ask a Nanny Referral Agency:

-- What types of caregivers do you place? (Full-time, part-time, live-in or live-out, temporary?)

-- How do you gather information about families? Do you make home visits? Is a written application part of the process? Do you ask the families for references?

-- How long does it usually take to make a placement? Do you believe you will be able to find a childcare provider within the time I specify?

-- Will you assign one person to be my contact at your agency throughout my search?
-- How long has your agency been in business?

-- How long have your staff members been in the placement business?

-- How many placements have you made during your years in business? In the last year? In my geographic area? What percentage have kept their positions for at least one year?

-- Do you have the names of some families who have used your agency whom I can call for references?

-- What is the minimum age requirement to be listed as a childcare provider with your agency?

-- What kind of education or training must the applicants have? High school? First aid? CPR? Other? What kind of training does your agency provide?

-- How much and what kind of childcare experience do you require of applicants?

-- Do you work only with people who can legally work in the United States?

-- Do you interview all the candidates in person? How many people at the agency interview them? How long do these interviews usually last?

-- How many references do you require from the applicants? Are these written or phone references? Do you verify all written references with a phone call? What questions do you usually ask the references?

-- Will you give me a copy of the written references, along with the names and phone numbers of the phone references so that I can check them?

-- What background checks do you conduct? Driving record? Criminal record? Credit history? Others? In your state, what do these records include

--Do they reveal convictions only? Do they include in-formation from out of state? How far back do they go? Does this agency do these background checks before or after I interview candidates?

-- Do you conduct any other types of screening? Do you ask for a physical examination? A tuberculosis test? A psychological or personality profile?

-- How do you recruit your candidates? Do you recruit just in the local area, or from other areas as well? Do you use recruiters in other parts of the nation? If so, have those people been trained by the agency?

-- Will I be able to interview all the candidates in person? If the candidates have to travel to these inter-views, who pays the travel expenses?

-- Will I have to pay a registration fee to begin the process? If so, will this fee be applied toward the placement fee if I hire one of your candidates? Is the placement fee billed as a lump sum, or can the payments be spread out over time? What is your refund or replacement policy? Do you have any exceptions to this policy?

-- What support services do you provide for the nanny and/or the family after placement is made? Do you have a nanny network or support group organized in my geographic area? Do you have regular social or educational events for the nannies or families? Do you have a newsletter? Do you provide telephone support?

-- What does my fee pay for? How much of it does your agency devote to assuring the quality of the candidates? How much to your support services? How much to your thoroughness of screening?

-- Where do you make most of your placements?

Reprinted with permission from the National Association of Nannies