By Filipino Nanny | Updated 22 August 2026
A strong nanny interview is a two-way assessment. The family is checking whether your experience and judgement fit the children and the role, while you should be checking whether the duties, hours, working arrangement and household expectations are clear enough for you to accept the job confidently.
The best preparation is not memorising model answers. It is organising real examples from your own experience and preparing the questions you need answered before you say yes.
What should a nanny prepare before a family interview?
- A concise summary of your recent childcare experience and the ages you have cared for.
- Examples of routines you have managed, such as school runs, meals, naps, activities or homework.
- References or contact details for previous employers where appropriate.
- Details of relevant certificates or documents you have actually obtained.
- Your availability, preferred weekly hours, live-in or live-out preference and realistic travel area.
- Questions about the children, duties, working pattern and household expectations.
What our candidate form tells us to clarify early
Our current nanny application asks candidates to choose whether they are looking for full-time, part-time, live-in or live-out work. It also asks for weekly hours, available days, years of experience, DBS status, first-aid status, driving-licence status, preferred working locations, the maximum number of children the candidate is comfortable caring for and a preferred start date.
Those are not decorative application fields. They are the practical constraints that can make an otherwise good interview irrelevant. A candidate who wants part-time live-out work in one part of London should not be pushed into a full-time live-in brief somewhere they cannot realistically work.
That is why we recommend clarifying the working pattern before trying to “sell yourself” in the interview.
What questions are families likely to ask?
Questions should relate to the job. Acas recommends structured, job-relevant interviewing and states that interview questions must not discriminate. See Acas guidance on interviewing job applicants.
For nanny roles, expect questions around:
- the ages of children you have cared for;
- how you structure a typical day;
- meals, naps, school routines and activities;
- how you communicate changes or concerns to parents;
- how you handle boundaries and household rules;
- what you would do in age-appropriate scenario questions;
- whether you are comfortable with the specific duties in the job description.
Families may also ask about references, certificates and availability. Answer accurately. If you do not have a particular qualification or have not handled a specific situation, say so rather than inventing experience.
How should you answer scenario questions?
Use a simple structure: explain what you would notice first, what action you would take, how you would keep the child safe, and when you would involve the parent or seek appropriate help. Keep the answer within your actual experience and training.
A scenario answer becomes stronger when it shows judgement rather than just confidence. “I would follow the family’s agreed routine, keep the parent informed, and escalate anything outside my competence” is more credible than pretending you can handle every situation alone.
What should a nanny ask the family?
You are interviewing the role as well. Useful questions include:
- What are the normal working hours and which days are fixed?
- What are the children’s current routines?
- Which duties are childcare duties and which are household duties?
- Is the role nanny, nanny-housekeeper or housekeeper?
- For live-in work, what accommodation is provided and when are you off duty?
- How do the parents prefer day-to-day communication?
- Are there regular evening, weekend, travel or overnight expectations?
- When would the family like the role to start?
If the family cannot answer basic questions about the job, it is reasonable to ask for the brief to be clarified before moving forward.
How should right-to-work questions be handled?
The employer must complete the appropriate right-to-work check before employment begins. Candidates may be asked to provide a share code or permitted documents depending on their status. GOV.UK explains the employer check at checking a job applicant’s right to work and the candidate-side share-code process at proving your right to work.
Right to work is an individual legal status. It should not be assumed from nationality.
What should you avoid saying in an interview?
- Do not claim certificates, driving experience or childcare experience you do not have.
- Do not agree to undefined “any duties needed” if the role has not been scoped.
- Do not promise open-ended availability if you have fixed limits.
- Do not hide restrictions that affect whether you can legally or practically take the role.
- Do not feel pressured to accept a role before the hours, duties and employment terms are clear.
What happens after a good interview?
The next step may be another conversation, reference checks, or a trial where appropriate. If a trial is used, its terms should be clear before it starts. Our nanny trial-day guide explains the family-side process, while our employer interview checklist shows the kinds of role-focused questions families are advised to ask.
Where can you register for suitable roles?
If you want the agency to know your availability, use the nanny registration form. It records the working arrangements and practical constraints we need before matching. You can also check current vacancies and read our candidate guide to finding nanny jobs in London.
Key takeaway
A good interview should leave both sides with more clarity. Your goal is not to perform a stereotype of the “ideal nanny”; it is to show, accurately, what you have done, what you can do and whether the real job fits your availability and experience.