Nanny Interview Questions

The following are some questions you may wish to consider asking the nanny. This is by no means a definitive list and is not set out in any particular order of priority.

Try to use open-ended questions that will prompt for informative answers, such as questions starting with What? When? Why? How? Where? Or tell me about... This will avoid just getting Yes & No answers.

Being a nanny

• Why did you choose a nannying career?
   
  
• What do you think are the qualities needed to be a good nanny?
  
  
• What do you enjoy most about being a nanny?
  
  
• What do you enjoy least about being a nanny?

Education & development activities

• In view of our children's ages what areas of development would you be concentrating on and what sort of activities would be suitable?
  
  
• How would you plan a typical day?
  
  
• What are your favourite activities with children?
  
  
• How would you occupy our children during the day?
  
  
• What kind of equipment or materials would you need?
  
  
• Have you had experience of potty training and how do you go about potty training children (if applicable)?

Meal times

• What kind of food would you cook for our children?
  
  
• How would you think to approach planning menus and buying the food?
  
  
• If appropriate: Have you prepared a baby's bottle before? Used a steriliser? Weaned a baby onto solid food

Disciplining Children

• What would you do with a child that threw a tantrum in the middle of a shop?
  
  
• How do you introduce good manners to children?
  
  
• (Discipline is an area that needs to be discussed up front to avoid any differences of opinion on how the children should be disciplined - as the parent you should be telling the nanny what you find acceptable or unacceptable in terms of disciplining your children)

Reading & television

• What sort of books do you think would be appropriate for our children?
  
  
• How often would you use the library?
  
  
• How do you feel about children watching television?

Coping with an emergency

• For example what would you do if a young child locked themselves inside the car?
  
  
• What would you do if a child was choking?
  
  
• When did you last update your first aid training?

Reliability

• How is your time keeping?
  
  
• How many days sick leave have you had in the last year?

Personal family questions

• Are you from a big family?
  
  
• Where does your family come from?
  
  
• Have you got a partner? What does he do for a living?
  
  
• If it is a live in position, how is the nanny planning on meeting up with her partner - did she intend for him to stay or will she be going away at weekends?