How to Hire a Nanny During a Pandemic

It can be hard to figure out who to let in your family’s little physically distant bubble right now, but as businesses reopen and more parents return to their personal work (or actually try to do work at home), someone should be looking at children. … Finding the right nanny at normal times can be challenging; finding the right nanny during a pandemic is a whole different level. But there are some questions you can ask and procedures you can put in to ensure everyone is as safe as possible.

Start with a virtual meeting

Until you know the exact circumstances of the nanny, it is safest to conduct at least the first screening interview by phone or video chat. If after a phone call or two everyone feels comfortable, you can have a face-to-face interview (wearing masks!) To see how they interact with your kids.

To learn more about parenting during the COVID-19 pandemic, watch the video below:

Ask about their potential impact

Go ahead and start with a few fairly simple questions – ask them if they’ve been in contact with anyone with COVID-19 in the past two weeks, or anyone who has had any symptoms who, like us know associated with this disease.

“I would like to know … what is their effect,” says Dr. Keith Cronan, pediatrician and emergency room physician at Nemours Children’s Health in Delaware. “And not everyone knows for sure, but if they were with a sick person, I would like to know the details about it.”

Keep this in mind – and our other suggestions – it is only fair for your potential nanny to know the same details about your lifestyle and your risk of infection, so feel free to suggest this before they even have to ask. This is where you build trust.

Determine how distanced their lifestyle is.

You probably don’t usually ask the nanny who still lives in their house, or if they get together for a barbecue with friends on the weekends. But this is a fair question now. You don’t need to be completely aggressive, but it’s important to know if they are living with a partner, roommate, or parent who does important work, or if they regularly hang out in large groups of people.

You should probably also ask if this will be their only job, or babysitting for multiple families, or working in, say, a restaurant or hairdresser.

Ask if they have traveled in the past two weeks, especially to places known as hotspots, and ask how they will get to your home to work, on foot or by car, or if public transportation will be involved.

“I’m not sure we can really control” what they do in their free time, says Cronan, “but I would be more inclined to hire someone who would say,“ After babysitting, I just go home, walk and I don’t. ” don’t get into the crowd. “

Ask if they are comfortable with following these basic rules.

What the prospective nanny does outside of your home is important, but just as important is what they do upon arrival. Cronan says nannies should wear masks, at least in the beginning.

“I can’t say it has to be all the time if they’re going to work there for months,” she says, “but in the beginning, when we don’t know for sure [about their exposure to risk], I would say that I would like them to wear a mask in the house. “

Another one that may seem obvious, but should I mention it? Hand washing .

“I would be very frank about hand washing – say, to really make sure you wash your hands every time you do xyz,” says Cronan. “It may sound obvious, but I would like to be frank.”

Also, encourage them to go outside as often as possible, provided that the home has an open space or they have access to small outdoor areas such as trails, parks, or playgrounds . Children need to lose energy, which reduces the risk of transmission.

You can also ask them to take their temperature every day before arrival (and you do the same!) And, of course, not to come if they are experiencing any symptoms.

Remember to ask the usual things too.

Obviously, COVID-related issues are important right now and should be prioritized during your interview. But be sure to ask the questions you would normally ask a potential nanny, such as their qualifications and experience, what activities they enjoy with their children, and how they deal with behavioral problems.

Care.com has a good list of regular interview questions that you can glean from.