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Choosing and Having an In-Home Care Provider: a 6 step process

Step 5: The contract and business side of things

When eliciting the services of an in-home care provider it is always advisable to have a contract regardless of your relation to them, how many or few hours they may be providing you service, or how smoothly your previous interactions have been.  Some families I have worked with in the past have voiced the opinion that a contract takes a comfortable friendly relationship to a cold and professional level and have felt uncomfortable with the idea of having a contract.  Others have felt that it suggests an atmosphere of distrust.  To these concerns I state the following: paying someone to take care of your children IS a professional relationship, even if it is a family member, close friend, or a long known neighbor, they are providing a service and you are compensating them for it.  As to the notion of creating an atmosphere of distrust, it has been my experience that by taking the time to discuss the what-ifs and voice expectations and concerns and together composing a contract that trust is in fact built, rather than destroyed.    

A very basic in-home care provider contract will include the following:

• Job description: use this space to discuss specifically what you expect your care provider to do and what limitations you prefer.  Your care provider may communicate that they prefer not to be responsible for laundry or housecleaning which is not directly related to the care of your child or perhaps you prefer that the care provider refrain from household chores so as not to distract from the care of your child.  Make time to openly discuss with your care provider what your expectations are and what responsibilities they are accustomed to handling.
• Compensation agreement:  clearly communicate your agreed upon rate, your payment plan (daily, every two weeks, on a specific date each month, etc.), and how payment will be made (cash, direct deposit, check, etc.).  Also take this time to communicate your plan in the event of missed care days by either party.  Will you provide compensation for time when you are taking a family holiday?  Are you providing compensated sick or holiday time? Take this time also to discuss how taxes will be handled; some in-home care providers are registered as self employed and handle their  own taxes and will be able to provide you with a service receipt, for others you will take on the same responsibilities as any other employer.
• Duration of service: if, in the case of a long term nanny, babysitter, or mother’s helper, you do not know when you will be discontinuing services, have a contract renegotiation date set for 3, 6, or 12 months following the start date.  It may be that your needs will change or your service provider may wish to make a change or two to your arrangement, this predetermined time will create a time and space for these topics to be discussed. If you wish to continue services it is simply a matter of reprinting your previous contract with a new date range. Be sure to include a clause and plan of action if either party should need or desire to discontinue care.

When composing a contract be prepared to go through a few drafts before all topics have been clearly stated and agreed upon. Many basic nanny contracts can be found on the internet.  I would suggest looking over several examples and composing your own based on the examples rather than downloading a standard which may not be tailored well to your particular needs.  If you are hiring a nanny from an agency or a postpartum doula they will typically have a basic service contract which specifics can then be added to.  Once a contract has been composed and agreed upon by all parties, print enough copies so that each party can retain a signed hard copy for their personal records.

A clear and well composed contract can be the starting point for a long and healthy family/care provider relationship so do some research, perhaps seek the advice of other parents who have composed contracts, and take your time.

The following are links to a few examples which can be found on the internet:

http://www.childcarebackground.com/documents/NannySampleWorkAgreement-CBRC_000.pdf

http://www.sittersservice.com/providers/_docs/sample_nanny_contract.pdf

http://newmomnetwork.com/index_files/Resources.htm

Next week’s article will be the sixth and final in this six part series on choosing and having an in-home care provider.

Return next week for Step 6: The Relationship and Saying Goodbye.

About the author

Celina Wigle is a Postpartum Doula and Infant Multiples Relief Nanny.  Since 2000 she has provided care for over 60 families as a nanny, babysitter, mother’s helper, teacher, and doula.  She received a  degree in writing from PSU in 2006.  More about her background and services can be viewed at www.celinawigle.com

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Choosing and Having an In-Home Care Provider: a 6 step process

Step 4: The Trial Period

Prior to hiring an in-home care provider, if you have been able to secure a few serious candidates prior to your required start date, hold a trial period.  When hiring a nanny or mother’s helper this may mean a full work week clearly stating that it is a trial week and no final decisions have been made. With a babysitter this may mean stepping out for only an hour or two or requesting care while you do chores around the house, giving them time and space to get to know each other while still staying in ear shot should you be needed.  With a postpartum doula this may be a part of your prenatal visit or an hour for tea and baby chat scheduled into your initial interview. In most instances you should consider this paid time as they are still present and providing a service whether or not you choose to be present.  While they may not be under contract respect their standard rate or the fee agreement.

If you have arranged a trial period during which you are able to stick around and observe the care provider, request your co-parent or a friend accompany you so you have someone to bounce your observations around with.  If you are conducting a parent absent trial period consider methods of recording the interactions between your child and your prospective care giver.  In my experience mothers have appreciated receiving image texts to literally see how their baby is doing.  Some families have installed home security cams which can be accessed from a laptop with which they can virtually “peek in” and see how everyone is.  Other families have left me with their home camera or have set up their video camera at an activity station so they are able to observe the child and I playing together uninterrupted.  Be clear about your intensions when asking to record a care provider and perhaps suggest which method they would be most comfortable with.  Many people can be very camera shy but happy to take pictures or video.

If your child is of speaking age certainly ask their opinion but keep in mind that what your child may be communicating as negative may in fact mean that the care giver was strict regarding something you yourself may be strict about as well.  Children’s emotional reactions can be very much in the moment so gage a series of reactions from your child rather than just one. The Doctors Sears, in their book The Baby Book, suggest several different gages to consider when conducting the trial period, namely:

use the baby as a barometer

use the caregiver as a barometer

look for good-care signs

make spot checks

ask neighbors’ and friends’ observations. *

Keep all of these various gages in mind rather than just one factor as each singular factor could potentially be affected by something unrelated to the new caregiver.  All that being said, it can be all too easy to call guilty and move on and suddenly find yourself down five candidates with only two days before you need care.  Mary Poppins is fictional and you are not looking for a cookie cutter copy of yourself, you are looking for someone who will care for and nurture your child.  All care givers are going to do something differently than you, give it time and see if it works, it may not work for you but if it works for them and, more importantly, works for your child, maybe different is ok.

Next week’s article will be the fifth in this six part series on choosing and having an in-home care provider.

Return next week for Step 5: The Contract.

 
*For further information consult:

Sears, William M.D. & Martha R.N.. The Baby Book.  New York: Little Brown & Company, 1993.

 
About the author

Celina Wigle is a Postpartum Doula and Infant Multiples Relief Nanny.  Since 2000 she has provided care for over 60 families as a nanny, babysitter, mother’s helper, teacher, and doula.  She received a  degree in writing from PSU in 2006.  More about her background and services can be viewed at www.celinawigle.com.

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