A good nanny interview should test evidence, judgement and role fit. Ask every shortlisted candidate the same core questions about relevant experience, routines, safety, communication, availability and the duties in your job description. Then use scenario questions to see how they think. Do not use nationality, accent or other protected characteristics as a shortcut for suitability.
This checklist is written for families hiring a nanny or nanny-housekeeper in London. It is designed to work alongside our step-by-step hiring guide and candidate selection guide.
Before the interview: agree what the job actually is
Interview questions only work when the role is clear. Write down the children’s ages, normal days and hours, live-in or live-out arrangement, school or nursery routine, meals, activities, driving requirements and any household duties. If substantial housekeeping is part of the job, describe the position as a nanny-housekeeper rather than quietly adding tasks after the person starts.
Acas recommends preparing a consistent set of interview questions and making sure the process does not discriminate. See Acas guidance on interviewing job applicants.
Core nanny interview questions
1. Tell us about your most relevant childcare role
Ask which ages they cared for, how long the role lasted, the normal weekly schedule and which duties they personally handled. Follow up with: “Which part of that role is most similar to ours?”
What to listen for: specific examples that match your children and routine, rather than broad statements such as “I have lots of experience”.
2. What did a typical day look like in your previous role?
This reveals whether the candidate has actually managed the routines you need. Ask about meals, naps, school runs, activities, homework, bathing, bedtime and handover to parents where relevant.
3. How do you communicate with parents during the day?
Ask how they report changes, accidents, medication, meals, behaviour or schedule problems. Agree whether you prefer messages, a written handover or a short discussion at the end of the day.
4. How do you handle a child who refuses to follow the routine?
There is no single correct script. You are looking for calm reasoning, age-appropriate boundaries and an ability to explain what they would do before escalating a problem to the parent.
5. Tell us about a difficult childcare situation you handled
Ask what happened, what the candidate did, why they chose that response and what they learned. A real example is usually more informative than asking whether someone is “patient” or “good with children”.
6. What would you do if a child became ill or was injured?
Ask how they would assess the situation, contact the parent and use emergency services when needed. If first-aid training matters to your role, ask to see the current certificate rather than assuming a candidate holds one.
7. Which age groups are you most experienced with?
Newborn care, toddlers and school-age childcare involve different routines. Ask for recent examples and the length of each comparable role.
8. What activities would you plan for children of these ages?
Look for practical, age-appropriate ideas that fit your family’s routine, location and budget. You can also ask how they balance planned activities with free play and downtime.
9. What are your preferred working days and hours?
Confirm availability precisely. Discuss start and finish times, evenings, weekends, overtime, travel and how much notice is expected for changes. A live-in arrangement does not mean unlimited availability.
10. What are you looking for in your next family?
This is an important two-way question. A successful placement needs the candidate to be comfortable with the household as well as the family being comfortable with the candidate.
Questions for a nanny-housekeeper role
When the job combines childcare and housekeeping, ask questions that test whether the split is realistic:
- Which childcare duties have you handled alongside housekeeping in the same job?
- How do you prioritise tasks when a child needs attention and household work is unfinished?
- Which cleaning, laundry, cooking or household-management tasks have you done regularly?
- Are there duties you would not expect to be part of a nanny-housekeeper role?
- How should the schedule change on school holidays or when a child is home sick?
The answer should help you refine the written job description before an offer is made.
Scenario questions that reveal judgement
Scenario questions are useful because they show how a person reasons rather than inviting a simple yes/no answer. Examples include:
- “You are due to leave for school and one child refuses to get dressed. What would you do?”
- “A parent is delayed and you are approaching your agreed finish time. How would you handle it?”
- “Two children are arguing and one says the other hit them. What would you do first?”
- “You notice a household instruction is unclear or conflicts with what you were told earlier. What do you do?”
- “A child tells you something that concerns you. How would you respond and who would you tell?”
References, certificates and right-to-work questions
Keep evidence questions separate from assumptions about nationality. Ask the candidate to confirm previous employers who can provide references and to show any qualification, first-aid, driving or other certificate that your role genuinely requires.
The employer must also complete the correct right-to-work check before employment begins. GOV.UK says employers should check all prospective employees consistently and must not make assumptions based on nationality, accent, surname or perceived origin. See GOV.UK right-to-work checks and our right-to-work guide for household employers.
Questions to avoid
Do not ask questions that make protected characteristics part of the hiring decision unless a specific lawful exception applies. For example, avoid using nationality, race, religion, sex, pregnancy, disability or age as a proxy for whether someone will be reliable, caring or capable. Acas explains the recruitment discrimination rules at Following discrimination law in recruitment.
You can still ask job-relevant questions about the duties: availability for the agreed hours, ability to drive where driving is essential, ability to perform the tasks in the job description and whether reasonable adjustments are needed for the interview process.
From our matching process
Our client enquiry form asks families to define the role they need, whether it is full-time or part-time, the number of hours, working days and preferred start date. Our candidate application asks about experience, availability, preferred working locations and role-relevant items such as DBS, first-aid and driving information.
We use those details as a starting point because an interview is more useful when both sides are discussing the same job. A candidate who is excellent for one household may be unsuitable for another because the hours, children’s ages, duties or working arrangement are different.
Nanny interview scorecard
Use the same scorecard for every shortlisted candidate. A simple 1-to-5 rating is enough; the notes matter more than the number.
| Decision factor | What to record |
|---|---|
| Relevant experience | Ages, duties, length and recency of comparable roles |
| References | Who can confirm the work and what you still need to verify |
| Communication | Clarity, listening, questions asked and how concerns are raised |
| Safety judgement | Reasoning in emergency and safeguarding scenarios |
| Role fit | Hours, live-in/live-out, duties, travel and household expectations |
| Qualifications | Only those relevant to your role, with evidence checked |
| Candidate questions | What they need to know before deciding whether the family suits them |
What happens after the interview?
Compare your notes against the written role rather than choosing on instinct alone. Take up references and verify the evidence relevant to the job. If both sides want to continue, a paid trial arrangement can help assess the practical fit before an offer, where appropriate.
If you want us to understand your family’s requirements and discuss suitable candidate options, complete the client enquiry form.
Frequently asked questions
How many nanny interview questions should I ask?
There is no ideal number. Use enough questions to cover relevant experience, routines, safety, communication, availability and role fit without turning the interview into an interrogation. A consistent core set plus a few role-specific scenarios is usually more useful than a very long generic list.
Should my children meet the nanny during the interview?
A first interview can focus on the adult discussion. If you progress with a candidate, a later meeting or agreed trial can show how the interaction works in practice. The child’s reaction is one input, not the only hiring criterion.
Can I ask whether a nanny has a DBS certificate?
Yes, where a DBS check is relevant to the role you can ask about it and verify the appropriate evidence. Do not treat a DBS certificate as a substitute for references, interviews, right-to-work checks or your own assessment of suitability.
Should I ask about salary in the interview?
Pay should be discussed clearly before an offer, preferably in gross terms for an employed nanny. Keep salary separate from the agency fee and from employer costs such as payroll obligations. See our agency fees page.