What the agency does before candidate introduction
Our published client Terms and Conditions are the starting point. They say the agency will use reasonable endeavours to introduce candidates it considers suitable following appropriate interviews and professional checks, and that the agency obtains references from each candidate. They also state that the agency cannot guarantee that an introduced candidate is suitable for a particular family.
That distinction is important. Screening supports the hiring decision; it does not replace the family’s own assessment or the employer checks required by law.
1. We start with the household brief
Screening only has meaning against a defined job. The family should tell us the role, children’s ages, normal hours, live-in or live-out arrangement, location, start date and duties. For a nanny-housekeeper, the childcare and housekeeping split should be stated clearly.
Our job description templates help families put that brief into writing before recruitment starts.
2. Candidate application and interview
Our candidate application collects information about experience, availability, preferred locations and role-relevant items such as whether the candidate reports having a DBS certificate, first-aid certificate or driving licence. This is intake information. A candidate ticking a box is not the same as the underlying evidence being independently verified.
The agency’s terms refer to appropriate interviews and professional checks before introduction. Families should then use their own structured interview to assess judgement, communication and role fit. See our nanny interview questions and checklist.
3. References
Our current client terms state that the agency obtains references from each candidate. References are useful for confirming employment dates, duties, reliability and the context of previous roles.
The same terms also say the client is responsible for satisfying themselves about suitability and for taking up references provided by the candidate or agency where appropriate. We therefore treat references as evidence to examine, not as a blanket guarantee.
4. Qualifications and role-specific evidence
If a family requires first aid, driving, a childcare qualification or another role-specific credential, the requirement should be stated in the job description. The family should ask to see the relevant evidence before relying on it.
Our terms specifically place responsibility on the client to check requisite qualifications or driving qualifications. We do not infer qualifications from nationality or from the type of role a candidate has held previously.
5. Right to work is an employer check
Every UK employer must check that a prospective employee has the right to do the work offered before employment begins. GOV.UK says employers should check prospective employees consistently and must not make assumptions about immigration status based on nationality, accent, surname or perceived origin.
Use the current official process at GOV.UK: checking a job applicant’s right to work, or follow our right-to-work guide for nanny employers.
6. DBS and criminal-record checks
A DBS check is separate from a right-to-work check and from references. The type of DBS check available depends on the role and the current eligibility rules. GOV.UK provides a tool to find out which DBS check is right for an employee.
Our current client terms state that it is the client’s responsibility to obtain any necessary background, criminal-record or police checks and to ask to see relevant certification. We therefore do not describe every candidate as having an agency-completed DBS check unless that evidence has actually been verified for that individual.
Agency screening and employer verification are not the same thing
| Area | What our current published process supports | What the family still needs to do |
|---|---|---|
| Role brief | Agency receives the family’s requirements | Make duties, hours and arrangement accurate |
| Interview | Agency terms refer to appropriate interviews | Interview shortlisted candidates for household fit |
| References | Agency terms say references are obtained | Satisfy yourself about suitability and follow up where appropriate |
| Qualifications | Candidate information can be collected during intake | Verify qualifications or driving evidence relevant to the role |
| Right to work | Agency may discuss status as part of recruitment | Employer completes the statutory right-to-work check |
| DBS / background checks | Candidate may disclose existing information | Obtain any necessary check and verify the evidence using the correct route |
From our current process
One of the most important changes in this re-optimisation is that we no longer use “pre-vetted” as a vague marketing label. The agency’s own Terms and Conditions draw a clear line: we obtain references and carry out the interviews and professional checks described there, while the client retains responsibility for suitability, background or criminal-record checks, qualification checks and the employer’s right-to-work obligations.
That is more useful to a family than a broad promise. It tells you exactly what evidence should exist before the person starts and who is responsible for each step.
What should you verify before making an offer?
- The candidate’s experience matches the children and duties in your job description.
- References have been obtained and any important points followed up.
- Any required first-aid, driving or other qualification evidence has been seen.
- The correct right-to-work check has been completed.
- Any role-appropriate DBS or background check has been handled using the correct current process.
- Hours, pay, duties and live-in or live-out arrangements are agreed.
- Any trial period is agreed before an offer and is paid in accordance with the applicable terms.
What screening cannot guarantee
No check can guarantee that two people will work well together indefinitely. References, certificates and interviews reduce uncertainty, but families still need a clear role, consistent expectations and a sensible onboarding process.
Our terms expressly say that the agency does not warrant the suitability of a candidate for a particular engagement. That is why the hiring journey combines agency screening with the family’s own interview, evidence checks and final decision.
Next step
Read how to hire a Filipino nanny in London for the full sequence from role brief to employment setup. If you already know the role you need, complete the client enquiry form and tell us the children’s ages, duties, hours, location and preferred working arrangement.