Most agencies work hard for families. A few cut corners. These are the signs that deserve a closer look before you sign anything or pay a fee.
One concerning answer doesn't mean an agency is wrong for you. It means you ask the next question and see whether the answer gets clearer. What should worry you is a pattern: several vague answers, or pressure whenever you ask for specifics.
On pay and taxes, in most placements you're the nanny's employer. A household payroll provider or tax professional can tell you what that means where you live.
Tammy Gold, LCSW, spent years matching families with nannies before writing Secrets of the Nanny Whisperer (Penguin). Today she works beside families, and their agencies, as a neutral expert: defining the job, interviewing candidates, checking references and setting up the first 30 days.
Ask for the missing details in writing now, and keep running your own reference calls and trial. If the terms concern you, an attorney can explain your options.
No. She has no affiliation with or financial interest in any agency. Her role is to help you evaluate the one you're using, and the candidates it sends.
Some overlap, but candidate red flags are different. See nanny interview red flags.
Talk it through with a neutral expert before you sign. $189 for an hour.
$189
Screening call, reference questions, clinical interview, and trial-day checklist.
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Tammy is not an agency and has no affiliation with, or financial interest in, any agency you use. She provides independent expert guidance; hiring decisions remain your family’s. Legal, tax, and licensing questions belong with the appropriate professional or state agency.