Choosing the right Filipino nanny is less about finding a list of generic “good qualities” and more about matching one individual candidate to the actual job in your home. Start with the duties, hours and children’s needs, then assess experience, references, communication, availability and role fit against that brief.
This guide focuses on the decision points that matter once you have a shortlist. If you are still deciding whether you need a nanny, nanny-housekeeper or housekeeper, start by defining the role before comparing candidates.
Start with the job, not the candidate
A strong selection process begins with a clear household brief. Write down the children’s ages, normal weekly schedule, school or nursery runs, meal responsibilities, expected childcare activities, any travel or evening work, and whether household duties are part of the role.
If housekeeping is included, be precise about the split. A nanny role should not quietly expand into a full housekeeping role after the person starts. Clear duties help both the family and the candidate decide whether the position is realistic.
Compare experience with the age and routine of your children
Look beyond the total number of years on a CV. Experience is most useful when it matches the work you actually need. A family with a newborn may value recent infant-care experience, while a family with school-age children may need someone confident with school runs, homework routines and after-school activities.
Ask candidates to describe specific previous responsibilities rather than relying on labels such as “experienced nanny”. Useful follow-up questions include:
- What ages were the children in your most recent role?
- Which parts of the daily routine were you responsible for?
- How did the role change as the children got older?
- Which duties were childcare duties and which were household duties?
Assess communication in the way your household will actually use it
Communication ability should be assessed individually. Do not assume that nationality tells you how well a person will communicate with your family.
During an interview, notice whether the candidate can understand the way you describe routines, ask sensible follow-up questions, explain what they would do in an unfamiliar situation, and discuss boundaries or concerns clearly. If your household needs a particular language, make that a job-relevant requirement and assess it directly.
Acas advises employers to keep recruitment criteria connected to the job rather than using nationality as a substitute for the actual skill required. See Acas guidance on recruitment advertising.
Use references to test the claims that matter
A reference is most valuable when you ask about the same responsibilities the candidate would have in your home. Confirm the dates of employment, the ages of the children, the duties performed, reliability, communication, and the reason the employment ended.
Useful reference questions include:
- What was the candidate responsible for on a normal day?
- How independently did they work?
- How did they communicate changes or problems?
- Were there any duties they were not responsible for?
- Would you employ them again in a similar role?
Our client terms state that the agency obtains references, while families remain responsible for satisfying themselves that a candidate is suitable and for carrying out any checks that are their responsibility. That division is important: an agency introduction should support your decision, not replace it.
Check right to work before employment starts
A family employing a nanny is responsible for making the required right-to-work check before employment begins. The method depends on the worker’s status and documents. Use the current GOV.UK right-to-work checking service rather than relying on assumptions about nationality or immigration status.
If you are unsure whether a candidate can legally take the role, resolve that question before making employment arrangements.
Separate evidence from impressions
Personality fit matters, but it should sit alongside evidence rather than replace it. A warm interview can be encouraging, but it does not prove that the person has the experience, references or availability the role needs.
A simple decision framework is to score each candidate against the same criteria:
| Criterion | What to verify |
|---|---|
| Relevant experience | Children’s ages, duties, length and recency of comparable roles |
| References | Employment dates, responsibilities, reliability and rehire question |
| Communication | Ability to understand routines, explain decisions and raise concerns |
| Availability | Days, hours, start date, live-in or live-out arrangement |
| Role fit | Agreement on childcare duties, household duties and boundaries |
| Legal eligibility | Right-to-work check completed before employment |
Use the interview to test judgement, not rehearsed answers
Scenario questions are more useful than asking whether someone is “patient” or “reliable”. Give the candidate a realistic situation from your household and ask what they would do.
For example: “The school calls to say collection is one hour early, but the younger child is asleep. How would you handle it?” or “The child refuses dinner and is becoming upset. What would you do next?” The purpose is not to find one perfect answer. It is to understand how the candidate thinks, communicates and prioritises.
Use a trial only after the basics are clear
A trial can help both sides see how the working relationship feels in practice, but it should not be used to avoid clarifying the job first. Agree the trial length, duties, hours and pay in advance. See how nanny trial days work.
Under our current client terms, a trial may be arranged before an offer of employment or contract for services is made. The applicable trial fee and the candidate’s wages are payable before the trial begins. Families should check the current terms before arranging one.
Our approach: Filipino specialism, individual assessment
Filipino Nanny Agency specialises in introducing Filipino nannies, nanny-housekeepers and housekeepers. We do not treat nationality as evidence that an individual is more caring, more reliable, better at English or more suitable for a family.
Our selection approach is to start with the household’s actual requirements and compare individual candidates using job-relevant evidence such as experience, references, communication, availability, right to work and the duties being agreed. See our candidate screening process for what the agency checks and what the family must still verify. We use this approach because it gives families a clearer basis for comparison and gives candidates a clearer understanding of the job they are being considered for.
Put the final agreement in writing
Once you have chosen a candidate, confirm the agreed hours, pay, duties, place of work, holiday arrangements and other employment particulars in writing. GOV.UK explains the requirements for a written statement of employment particulars.
If responsibilities are likely to change over time, agree how those changes will be discussed rather than leaving them open-ended.
Red flags that deserve a second look
- Employment dates or duties that change materially between the CV, interview and references.
- Reluctance to provide verifiable references without a clear explanation.
- A mismatch between the duties the candidate expects and the duties the family expects.
- Unresolved right-to-work questions.
- Pressure to skip normal checks because the family needs someone urgently.
- Important working conditions that have not been discussed, such as live-in accommodation, overtime, travel or regular evening work.
What should you do next?
If you already know the type of nanny role you need, use our client enquiry form to tell us about the children, schedule and working arrangement. We can then use that brief when considering suitable candidates.
If you are still comparing roles, see our Filipino nanny services and nanny-housekeeper service before finalising the job description.