I second the recommendation to use abbeville nannies - they're real pros and have made the whole process of finding a nanny not a stomach churning episode to be dreaded but actually quite enjoyable. I'd wholeheartedly disagree personally about trying to find a nanny online as I found it soul-destroying wading through acres of time wasters. Yes you have to pay if you use an agency but it truly is a small price to pay for peace of mind. If your budget can stretch to it, it's definitely worthwhile I reckon. Good luck!

Thank you all so much for your help, I really appreciate the advice x

Try simplychildcare www.simplychildcare.com
I have had two nannies from there and both have been great. Do make sure you interview them and then follow up on their references. I think there are so many people who do not follow up references. Hope this helps and good luc k!

Hi, I used Abbeville Nannies to find my nanny. I was very happy with their service, the nanny I ended up hiring I wasn't even going to interview but they suggested I give her a go as they had recently interviewed her and she was (and is) great. I decided to go with an agency as this was the first time I was hiring a nanny and was quite nervous at sorting the wheat from the chaff with gumtree etc. Basically expensive peace of mind!

Hi,

I would recommend checking out the Best Bear website: http://www.bestbear.co.uk/

Best Bear vets nanny agencies to make sure that they are really running all the checks they say they do. I looked into the site for an organisation I'm part of and was impressed with their methodology and thought they were a good resource. There are many nanny agencies out there that do a great job interviewing and running back ground checks prior to placing a nanny. There are others that don't run any checks. Best Bear has sorted them out.

They also provide some really useful information on your nanny search.

Of course, even after a recommendation, you should always make your own judgement. I've found that if I don't really click with someone at first, they probably aren't going to work well with my family.

Good luck!

Whether going through an agency or hiring a nanny on your own, I suggest you don't rely only on recommendations and use also the NannyTest online personality and risk assessment to screen your nanny. NannyTest will help you learn more about the nanny's personality traits and highlight possible risk factors. The test is available online, is designed specifically for the use of parents and is highly affordable.

If interested, visit [url]http://www.take-care.me[/url] for additional information.

Good luck with your nanny search.

I wouldn't reccommend the agencies!

When I was looking for a job I joined 4 agencies, and they were no help at all. None of them were able to get me an interview. i used Gumtree and found the perfect job for me.

What really annoyed me was that there was a family that was on the agents books, and also had an advert on Gumtree. I was able to get myself an interview with the family within 2 days and the agency said that they had no heard anything back from the family!

It may take you a little longer to check your nannies references, but it's most definitely worth it for a lot more choice.

Good luck!

i recently advertised for a nanny on gumtree and was inundated with replies, probably about 100 within a few days. Worth a shot if you don't mind skimming through all the replies yourself.

Hi there,
I am looking for a part time Nanny position.
I am first aid qualified and can provide u excellent references.
I can work Tuesday-friday flexibily.
If u r interested then plz contact with me.
My mb num is 07842024258.
Thnxxxx
Tanzina

Hello all,

I have decided to look for a nanny for my 19 month old son (he is currently at nursery but it's not working for me) and I don't have any idea where to start!! I know there are lots of agencies who can help, but just thought I'd post on here to see if anyone knows of a nanny looking for part time work, or if you have used a fantastic agency? I always prefer to go on reccommendations.

Thank you for your help!

Demy