Advises to the parents that want to get help when hiring a babysitter:

1. Never hire random people that you have not checked before that. It is better to get in touch with an agency that offers babysitters that have been already check and have experience in their work.

2. You have to know that the babysitters are consisted of three groups depending on the kids they will look after.
– 1st group: Babysitters for kids from 0 to 12 months old. These babysitters are good to have first aid skills adding to all other skills they have. The babies need a special carrying and the fact that they cannot tell what is wrong with them is important.
– 2nd group: Babysitters for kids from 1 to 5 years old. For these kids the babysitter should have teaching skills, to have experience with small kids and most of all to be patient. The kids in this age need personal opinion and a lot of patience to answer their questions and explain the world they have just discovered
– 3rd groups: Babysitters for kids from 5 to 12 years. In this group to have teaching skills is a MUST for the babysitter, so she can help the kid with the homework in school and teach him/her how to interact with others, accept the world around him/her and the responsibilities in it.

3. Every babysitter recommended by us have these documents when she applies for the work in our agency and when the agency sends her to interview with you she have file with these documents :
Copy of the Passport;
Copy of the Bank Statement as proof of address, and the addresses for the last 3 years;
Copy of the Tax Registration (Unique Tax Reference);
Copy of National Insurance Number;
Copy of the yellow permit from the Home Office. As we work only with self-employed people, with less carries for you, as these are people, who work for themselves in the country with legal status and you make contract with them. They keep all the responsibility for paying the taxes to the Tax Office;
Proof for English language, e.g. Diploma for graduated course and past exam. If you require the babysitter to speak other than English language you have to request is in advance, and see a document for it;
Copy of the relevant qualifications. If the candidate has graduated outside UK (s)he has to show you translated and legalized copy of the diploma of his/hers country;
Copy of CV, where the candidate must describe everything important for himself/herself and his/hers interests;
Copy of 2 references which are likely to be from United Kingdom citizens;
Copy of the course “Health and safety”;
Copy of the Police Check to make sure you are hiring a serious person;

4. Before you make decision which babysitter you will hire you have to meet at least 3 candidates. You are choosing the most appropriate person for the job, after an interview with all applicants that we will offer you.

5. When you choose your assistant, and when you confirm all the work that have to be taken care of, you must prepare the following information in written form so your assistant could contact you at any time (s)he need to:
* Your mobile phone number, office number and the name of the company you are working for;
* Alternate person to contact for emergency if you cannot be reach, i.e. neighbor who will help – name, address, relationship to the child and telephone number;
* The child doctor’s name, address and telephone number;
* Special instructions from you (if you have)
* The time that you regularly will be missing from the home (i.e. working hours)
* Locations and instructions on use of safety equipment, such as fire aid supplies.

Legal advices for parents:
If you employ a nanny in the UK and you pay her more than £100 per week (tax year 2007/2008) you have the same responsibilities as a commercial employer and the law requires you to:
· Register as an employer with HMRC
· Keep a payroll record and provide payslip’s on her behalf
· Pay Employee’s income tax and National Insurance Contributions
· Pay Employer’s National Insurance Contributions
· Provide an annual summary of all these deductions and payments

We are strongly advising you to have a person, who is self-employed. (S)he is a subcontractor to the Agency and as such, is responsible to declare all incomes and take care of paying all relevant taxes, fees and contributions. In this way you will not be held responsible as an employer.