Interview Questions (Childcare)
I try to collect a good amount of information about any family I may interview with, prior to an in-person interview. I ALWAYS have questions! I encourage parents to ask me pertinent questions as well. Ideally, we're going to be seeing quite a lot of each other, and I've never been one for surprises! As the years have passed, I’ve learned to limit the initial phone call to about 30 minutes (it is possible to schedule a longer call, but I do charge for the time— I’ve definitely had calls that took up 2 or more hours of my day, so I keep the same boundaries for all families)! That’s enough time to gauge whether or not we would be enough of a fit in a working relationship that we ought to move forward with a home visit to meet your family.
Please take some time to look through these questions and give a bit of consideration to them. Each question may not apply to each family, and we may not cover them all. However, it is very valuable to me to know how you are approaching parenting, and what your expectations are before we even hang up the phone. When I know what you believe your own role to be in raising, and mine to be in caring for your child, I can provide care of a much better quality than I do when there’s a great deal of uncertainty and lack of consensus among parents/guardians who employ me.
Interview Questions
Is this your first child? How are you feeling about being new parents so far? If this is not your first child, how are your other children (and pets) adapting to the change in family structure?
Do any of your children have any medical conditions that should be considered or tended to during our time together? Allergies? Disabilities? Delays? Behavioural conditions?
If so, are you currently working with any specialists and are there any exercises or routines it would be important for me to uphold during my time caring for your child, or any improvements or declines I would need to observe and document?
Do you keep a detailed daily log of your child's feedings, diaper changes, wake/rest period, activity and mood?
What were your own childhoods like, and what experiences do you wish to replicate, and avoid with your child(ren)? Do you feel that you are carrying any residual trauma from your early life that may influence your parenting and wishes for your children?
Please describe your relationship with your parents. If they are still living, where are they located and what relationship would you like them to/do they have with your children?
As a care provider, what are the values, habits, and skills you wish to have me support the development of in your child?
What were your earliest learning and schooling experiences like?
If your child is an infant, how long do you anticipate needing private childcare before enrolling your child in a daycare or preschool program?
Do you have family or close friends located nearby, in case of emergencies? Do you have a back-up care provider who can be called if you are late and I have a second family to provide date night care for? Do you have a plan in place in the event of my illness, injury or vacation time? Is your backup care provider physically able and competent to care for your child?
I see numerous families each week, and I am also very prone to lingering respiratory infections and asthma attacks that keep me up all night (the albuterol acts as a stimulant to my body) when I am taken ill. I firmly request that families alert me prior to 5:45 am if there is illness in ANY member of the family who will be present in the home, so that I can make the best decision for my OWN health. I always extend the same courtesy to every single family I have scheduled, regardless of how frequently or sporadically we see one another. It is absolutely imperative that families also have a back-up plan (or two or three) in the event that THEY are ill, and I am scheduled to work. Do you have a plan, or an extended community of sitters you can call in such an event?
Does your family have an emergency plan in place, and is it written down and kept in an easily accessible location for me to review periodically? Where is your first aid kit? Fire extinguisher? Flashlights? Do you have an emergency bag packed in the event of necessary evacuation? Do you have a safe place in your home to go in the event of an earthquake? Or the need to shelter in place?
Have you had your car seat checked out to ensure it is installed properly in your vehicle?
Do you have friends, family members or former childcare providers to whom I could speak, as character references for each of you?
Who else besides ourselves will have access to your home and what is their relationship to you? Who are the other members of your household and what relationship will I be expected to cultivate with them while in your employ?
What is your profession, and how does it impact your stress levels and divide your attention once you have arrived home at the end of the day? Will you be working from your home or from an outside office during the hours you need care? Do you predict that your employment situation will change at any point during our time together, necessitating a change in the hours, frequency or duration your family requires child care?
What are your views on germs and vaccines? Babyproofing? Sleep monitors? Nanny-cams? Walking harnesses? "Tummy time?" Public transportation? Sleep training? Elimination communication? Paced feeding (bottles)? Child-led feeding (solids, "baby-led weaning)? Paced bottle feeding for infants? “Sleep training?” Using ASL to communicate with pre-verbal infants?
I currently commute by Caltrain from the far South Bay and as a result, my availability is often tied closely to the train schedules. How far a walk are you from the closest Caltrain station? Do you know which Zone you are in? if it is more than a 12 minute walk, do you know if there is a nearby bus stop for a convenient transfer from the Caltrain station?
Do you believe in choosing and consistently adhering to a defined "parenting style" and if so what is it? For your older children, is there a single pedagogical approach you prefer to others, or are you more interested in maintaining the flexibility to apply common sense to your childrearing practices and doing what works best for your child?
How independently do you expect your care provider to work during scheduled hours with your child? How much autonomy and discretion do you need your provider to exercise over the courses of activities, learning goals and skills development, and reaching typical developmental milestones in a time frame suitable for your child? How much monitioring, supervision or training will you find it comfortable or believe it necessary to provide for your childcare provider?
What are your expectations for a nanny? For a nanny share? If you're seeing a nanny share, please talk about what you would like to see from the other family, from me, and what you would expect to be responsible for.
Why are you choosing a nanny or nanny share for your child as opposed to a family childcare provider, family member or a daycare?
What additional duties, beyond childcare, do you want or believe it is the duty of your nanny to perform?
Are there guns in your home? If so, are they kept in a secured location? Is there violent, explicit or offensive art present in the areas of your home I would have to access with the children? Are there any areas that are off-limits or not secure for children to be in?
Do you have or can/are you willing to provide adequate toys, equipment, art supplies, etc to be used during my time will your child?
How would you rate your neighborhood in terms of child-friendly activities?
How walkable/accessible by transit is your neighborhood? How safe is your area, generally and are there any parts of town you would prefer we not go to on walks?
What is currently your preferred method of putting your child to sleep?
What activities does your child seem to enjoy so far?
Are you able and willing to abide by the " Nanny Tax" laws, and provide professional pay for my services? Have you looked into the additional costs of utilizing a payroll service Poppins Payroll, direct deposit)? What other expenses do you believe might come with hiring a nanny for your child?
If you have pets in your family, please share a little about them, and what your expectations would be for a nanny’s relationship with your furry (finned or feathered) family members.
What are some local museums, or other cultural or child-focused establishments you are interested in having me take your child to? Are there places you have a membership to, or would consider coordinating with a nanny share family to schedule classes or structured group activities?
What activities do you currently do or plan for your family to do together?
Are there aspects of your culture, race or religion that you would like me to take into consideration as I provide care for your child throughout our time together (music, literature, foods, hygiene habits, prayers, traditions, etc)?
What are some things you are looking forward to experiencing as a parent? What are some potential causes of anxiety?
Have you checked my rates, and made certain they compatible with what you are paying hourly? For families seeking only occasional, back-up or date night care: are you comfortable with paying a non-refundable, non-transferavble deposit of 40% of a) my 4 hour minimum or b) the total number of hours you plan to be gone (up to 8 hours per day)? All deposits are counted towards the balance at the end of each booking, and are returned to you only in the event that I am the one to cancel. As this is my source of income, I rarely cancel unless I believe myself to be a health risk to your child.
If your family requires only occasional, back-up or date night care, do you use an Apple device that would allow you to view my notes document of available days and hours?
What else do I need to know about you as individuals, employers and the primary members of your child’s care team? What else would you like to or do you need to know about me before we conclude our call, or, if moving onto a home visit, what would you like to cover in more detail at that time?