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Frequently Asked Questions

For Families

Registering is effortless. Simply complete our online registration form https://holgatenannies.com/family-registration-form/ or contact us directly on +31 (0)6 837 99 608 (NL) or +44 7365 116712 (UK). We will work closely with you in confidence, taking the time to understand your family’s unique lifestyle and expectations, and discreetly guide you through each stage of securing an exceptional individual for your home.
Holgate Nannies specialises in placing skilled, caring individuals in high-quality household staff jobs across the UK and Europe.
Holgate Nannies specialises in placing skilled, caring individuals in high-quality household staff jobs across the UK and Europe. Whether you need full-time, part-time, live-in, live-out, or travelling household staff, we can help you find the right individuals to meet your household’s unique needs.
Usually between 4 and 12 weeks; some searches are quicker and occasionally take longer than three months.

We recommend registering your search as soon as you know you will need someone. At certain times of the year, the market is quieter. Arranging your interviews, trials, and relevant documents can extend the search length. Definitely call, and we can advise based on your specific search.
Every candidate undergoes a rigorous, bespoke screening process. They are personally interviewed, provide verified identity, certifications, a recent police check, first aid qualifications, and references, and must hold the legal right to work in the role’s country. This ensures your nanny meets the highest standards of professionalism, skill, and integrity.
Some of our candidates meet these requirements. Let's discuss further during the intake.
We place both live-in and live-out nannies, as well as full-time, part-time, and temporary roles. We’ll work with you to find the arrangement that best suits your family’s lifestyle and childcare needs.
For live-in positions, your candidate should be offered a private, comfortable, and thoughtfully appointed space—ideally their own apartment or a well-proportioned bedroom with a sense of privacy and tranquility. Access to a bathroom is essential; a private ensuite is preferred, though a shared bathroom can be acceptable, albeit less desirable. The accommodation should feel like a genuine home, not an afterthought, reflecting the respect and care you extend to your household staff.

You will also need to provide and cover the costs of heating, electricity, Wi-Fi, storage, and access to household facilities such as the kitchen and laundry. Food costs are typically included. Ultimately, the goal is to create a living space where your nanny feels comfortable, valued, and at ease—a space worthy of the important role they play within your home.
A nanny share is an arrangement where two families engage the services of a single nanny, who provides attentive, high-quality care to children from both households simultaneously. It offers a flexible and often more cost-effective solution while ensuring consistency and personalised attention for each child.

Yes - Holgate Nannies does facilitate nanny share placements. We guide families through every aspect of the process, helping you understand how it works, ensuring compatibility between households, and determining whether a nanny share is the ideal solution for your family’s unique lifestyle and needs.
At Holgate Nannies, our commitment doesn’t end once your staff member joins your household. We provide ongoing, personalised support to ensure the placement remains seamless and successful. From troubleshooting initial settling-in challenges to offering guidance on evolving family needs, we are on hand to advise discreetly and promptly, giving you complete confidence and peace of mind.
At Holgate Nannies, we take exceptional care to ensure the perfect match for your family. However, we understand that occasionally, even the most carefully considered placements may not meet expectations. Should this occur, we offer a replacement period or a refund, providing flexibility and peace of mind. Full details are outlined in our Terms & Conditions, and our team will support you personally every step of the way, ensuring any transition is handled discreetly, smoothly, and with the utmost care for your household.
We always aim to make long-term matches where possible, but we can’t guarantee length of stay. What we do focus on is strong communication, a thorough matching process, and making sure expectations are clear from the beginning to give the relationship the best chance of lasting. We find the candidates who have committed long term advised strong communication, a welcoming household, regular meetings, pay rises and contract reviews were fundamental for making the long term commitment.
Our candidates come from a wide range of backgrounds and nationalities. We focus on experience, references, and suitability for the role rather than country of origin, so families get the best possible match for their household needs.
The employment contract is usually arranged by the employer (the family). We recommend contacting a payroll company or employment lawyer to ensure the contract meets the legal requirements for the country of the placement.

We always recommend that both parties agree on everything clearly in writing before the role begins, including duties, hours, salary, holiday, and notice period.

We encourage the household staff member to review the contract thoroughly and make any suggestions or requests for changes.

The only occasional exception is a Newborn Care Specialist who works with a variety of clients on a short-term, temporary basis; they may arrange their own taxes and contracts (the circumstance of whether this is possible will depend on the country and details of the placement). Please check with Holgate Nannies if this is relevant to your placement.
Guaranteed hours are a standard practice in the professional nanny and household staffing industry.

Guaranteed hours means a staff member is paid for a set number of agreed hours each week because they have reserved that time exclusively for the family, even if the family does not end up needing care during some of those hours.

For example, if a nanny is guaranteed 40 hours per week, they are still paid for those 40 hours even if the family only uses 30 hours during a particular week. If an employer finishes work early, family comes to visit, you go on holiday or the children attend playdates etc the nanny will still need paying for the contracted amount of hours.

Guaranteed hours are important because household employees usually cannot replace cancelled hours with other work at short notice. Guaranteed hours offer security, consistency for both parties, and help provide a stable long-term arrangement. They provide predictable income, financial stability, and clearer scheduling expectations, while also helping families attract and retain experienced candidates.

Unused guaranteed hours also cannot be “banked” or rolled into future weeks. If a family chooses not to use scheduled hours during one week, those hours cannot later be added onto another day or week without appropriate additional pay.

Under both UK and Dutch employment principles, if a candidate is employed on a contract with fixed or guaranteed hours, those hours are generally payable even if the family temporarily chooses not to use them.

Please note that employment laws and guidance can change over time. Families and candidates should always check the latest government guidance and labour laws applicable in the country where they are working. Holgate Nannies asks that all families and candidates placed together through the agency abide by these laws.
We always work with gross salaries because this is the standard for employment contracts and ensures transparency for both families and employees. An employee's net pay depends on several personal factors, such as tax status, social security contributions, benefits, and other individual circumstances. Since these vary from person to person, gross salary is the only consistent and accurate basis for discussing pay, comparing roles, and preparing employment contracts. Once a gross salary is agreed upon, the corresponding net salary can be calculated based on the employee's specific situation.
APNA stands for the Association of Premier Nanny Agencies. Holgate Nannies is proud to be associated with APNA, which means we adhere to high industry standards, ethical recruitment practices, and professional conduct. It’s one of the ways we ensure quality and peace of mind for both families and nannies.

For Professional Household Staff

Applying is effortless. Simply complete our online application form at https://holgatenannies.com/nanny-application-form/ or contact us directly on +31 (0)6 837 99 608 (NL) or +44 7365 116712 (UK). We work closely with every candidate in complete confidence, taking the time to understand your experience, strengths, and career aspirations, while discreetly guiding you through each stage of securing an exceptional position within a private household.
No — registration with Holgate Nannies is completely free for candidates.
You will, however, be responsible for covering the cost of your DBS check, Paediatric First Aid training, and any additional courses you choose to attend.
Passport / Work Permit - REQUIRED
Appropriate passport or valid work permit for the country in which you are seeking employment. We do not provide visa sponsorship, and our clients are unable to sponsor candidates.
Applications without valid documentation cannot be considered.

Childcare Experience
Minimum of three years full-time professional childcare experience.

First Aid Certification
A valid in-person paediatric first aid certificate.

Police Check
A police check or registration on the DBS Update Service.
A recent police check is required for all positions. Some roles may have additional requirements for a more up-to-date check.

References
Three verbal and three written references from previous employers.
References will be verified only after you provide your consent to proceed.

Documentation
Proof of SSN, BSN, or NI, along with proof of education and proof of address.

Have questions about the requirements? Call our Founder, Lauren - she’s always happy to chat, answer questions, and has years of experience to help guide you.
We do not offer visa sponsorship and the families we work with do not provide this either. All candidates must already possess the legal right to work in the relevant location for the position they are applying for. 
Candidates need an enhanced DBS check (both sides of the certificate need to be provided) and you need to be on the update system. We can guide you on how to apply if required. Please note the check must be enhanced and we require our candidates to be on the update system.
A DBS is relevant for a nanny living in the UK (EU nannies, check the next question). In line with Ofsted rules DBS certificates need to be less than three months old https://earlyyears.blog.gov.uk/2023/11/21/getting-the-right-dbs-when-registering-with-ofsted/. 
VOG: VOG stands for Verklaring Omtrent het Gedrag. In English, this translates to a Certificate of Conduct or Certificate of Good Conduct. We require our nannies working in the Netherlands to have a VOG that’s less than six months old. If your interview is successful we can process the VOG for you. Please note you will need to cover the costs.
If you are based elsewhere you will need to have a police check that’s less than six months old. If you relocate for work or have relocated in the pass year you may need two police checks. Please check with Holgate Nannies during the interview and we will advise accordingly.
The process of finding the perfect match can vary, often taking several weeks or, in some cases, a few months. Our priority is to ensure that both you and the family are seamlessly aligned in values, expectations, and needs. We take the time necessary to guarantee a harmonious and lasting fit, with no compromises on quality or compatibility.
After the agency interview, if you are keen to proceed, we will send a reference form for you to complete. We don't check references until after the agency interview. We discuss the process with you and work collaboratively to ensure successful reference checking.
Communication is key. Let us know when you register, and we can make the families aware. Interviews often happen during the evenings and weekends.
An au pair is part of a cultural exchange programme; they live with the host family and receive pocket money rather than a full salary. Each country has specific requirements and rules regarding au pairs. The role is generally more of an extra pair of hands, focusing on very light childcare alongside providing the au pair the opportunity to learn about a new culture and language.

A nanny, on the other hand, is a professional childcare provider who is employed in a formal role, with set responsibilities, a salary, and often relevant qualifications, knowledge, skills, and experience.

Holgate Nannies is able to assist with a nanny search. We are unable to conduct an au pair search.
The employment contract is usually arranged by the employer (the family). We recommend contacting a payroll company or employment lawyer to ensure the contract meets the legal requirements for the country of the placement.

We always recommend that both parties agree on everything clearly in writing before the role begins, including duties, hours, salary, holiday, and notice period.

We encourage the household staff member to review the contract thoroughly and make any suggestions or requests for changes.

The only occasional exception is a Newborn Care Specialist who works with a variety of clients on a short-term, temporary basis; they may arrange their own taxes and contracts (the circumstance of whether this is possible will depend on the country and details of the placement). Please check with Holgate Nannies if this is relevant to your placement.
Guaranteed hours are a standard practice in the professional nanny and household staffing industry.

Guaranteed hours means a staff member is paid for a set number of agreed hours each week because they have reserved that time exclusively for the family, even if the family does not end up needing care during some of those hours.

For example, if a nanny is guaranteed 40 hours per week, they are still paid for those 40 hours even if the family only uses 30 hours during a particular week. If an employer finishes work early, family comes to visit, you go on holiday or the children attend playdates etc the nanny will still need paying for the contracted amount of hours.

Guaranteed hours are important because household employees usually cannot replace cancelled hours with other work at short notice. Guaranteed hours offer security, consistency for both parties, and help provide a stable long-term arrangement. They provide predictable income, financial stability, and clearer scheduling expectations, while also helping families attract and retain experienced candidates.

Unused guaranteed hours also cannot be “banked” or rolled into future weeks. If a family chooses not to use scheduled hours during one week, those hours cannot later be added onto another day or week without appropriate additional pay.

Under both UK and Dutch employment principles, if a candidate is employed on a contract with fixed or guaranteed hours, those hours are generally payable even if the family temporarily chooses not to use them.

Please note that employment laws and guidance can change over time. Families and candidates should always check the latest government guidance and labour laws applicable in the country where they are working. Holgate Nannies asks that all families and candidates placed together through the agency abide by these laws.
We always work with gross salaries because this is the standard for employment contracts and ensures transparency for both families and employees. An employee's net pay depends on several personal factors, such as tax status, social security contributions, benefits, and other individual circumstances. Since these vary from person to person, gross salary is the only consistent and accurate basis for discussing pay, comparing roles, and preparing employment contracts. Once a gross salary is agreed upon, the corresponding net salary can be calculated based on the employee's specific situation.
In most cases, families are legally required to register as employers and run payroll, but it’s always important to confirm how this will be handled before starting a role.
Yes, it’s strongly recommended. Nanny insurance can cover public liability and sometimes professional indemnity, which protects you in case of accidents or incidents while working. Some families may also require proof of insurance before employment begins. You can obtain insurance via:
* UK - Morton and Michel or reach out to National Nanny Association who can assist
* Europe - Most banks can provide relevant insurance (if they do not have specific nanny insurance, it is worth discussing Public Liability Insurance)
As long as the temporary vacancy is a good fit for your availability and doesn't conflict with your work schedule, you are welcome to apply. Your agency dashboard, including a valid first aid and recent police check (or DBS on update system) will be needed. We may also need to check recent references.
Absolutely. We provide a selection of exclusive training sessions throughout the year, designed to elevate your professional expertise. Additionally, we are pleased to recommend our trusted partners for essential certifications, such as Paediatric First Aid, safeguarding, and advanced childcare qualifications. Investing in your personal development not only enriches your CV but significantly expands the scope of prestigious roles available to you. For a curated list of upcoming events and training, please visit here.
At Holgate Nannies, our support doesn’t stop once you’re placed in a household. We provide ongoing, personalised guidance to ensure every placement runs smoothly and successfully. From resolving initial settling-in challenges to advising on evolving family needs, we are always available to offer discreet, prompt support - giving you confidence and peace of mind throughout your placement.
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