Vetting & safeguarding
Nine stages, in the open, for every placement — set in 2002 and applied without exception since. This is what "vetted" actually means here.
Our promise
Au pairs and nannies join our books after interview and continue through vetting as their placement progresses — so before any placement is confirmed, every stage below is complete. And because we interview everyone ourselves, each au pair or nanny you meet has already been interviewed before you meet them.
A proper conversation before anything else. We talk to every applicant about their experience, their reasons for choosing childcare, and the kind of family they would suit — and we decline the applications that don't convince us.
We check the au pair or nanny's passport and record their identity. It sounds basic; it is also the foundation every later check builds on.
We confirm the legal right to work in the UK — settled or pre-settled status, a Youth Mobility or other qualifying visa, or citizenship — before a candidate goes any further.
A full, structured interview with the agency, face to face or on video: childcare history, practical scenarios, language, and the questions families wish they could ask.
You meet the au pair or nanny yourself — at home or on a call, your choice — and interview them with our guidance. Nothing is confirmed until you are satisfied.
We take up references from people the au pair or nanny has actually worked for, and we speak to referees rather than collect letters.
An enhanced DBS (criminal record) check, verified by the agency. We record the check date, level and certificate reference — and we treat that data with the care the law requires.
The match is agreed by everyone — family, au pair or nanny and agency — with expectations on hours, duties and pay written down before anyone commits.
A written agreement drafted for both sides covering pocket money or salary, hours, duties, time off and notice — so the placement starts with everything clear.
Data we hold
DBS information is criminal-offence data, and we treat it that way: we record the check date, level and certificate reference only — never certificate copies — with access restricted and logged. Children's details are minimised by design: ages matter to a match; surnames don't.
Questions
Safeguarding questions deserve straight answers from a person, not a policy page. Call us, or start with the FAQ.
Call before 8pm, Monday to Friday — or request a callback and we'll ring you within ten minutes.
Within ten minutes, during opening hours.
