Most tension between families and nannies doesn’t come from one big problem — it builds from small things left unsaid. Regular, straightforward feedback is one of the simplest ways to keep a placement working well long-term.

Little and often beats saving it up

A short weekly check-in — five minutes, even by text — normalises feedback as routine rather than a sign something’s wrong. It’s much easier to raise a small preference in week two than a list of frustrations in month six.

Be specific, and be kind

«Could we do reading before screen time, rather than after?» is useful and easy to act on. «You’re not doing enough with him» is neither. Specific, behaviour-focused feedback gets better results than general impressions.

Make it two-way

Ask your nanny what’s working and what isn’t from their side too — access to supplies, unclear instructions, timing that doesn’t quite work. A nanny who feels able to raise things early will do exactly that, instead of quietly working around problems.

Feedback works best as a habit, not an event reserved for when something’s gone wrong.

When to put it in writing

For anything involving a change to hours, duties, or pay, follow up a conversation with a short written note or message — not as a formality, but so both sides remember the same agreement later.

Placements end for all kinds of ordinary reasons: a child starting school, a family relocating, a nanny moving on to a new opportunity. How the ending is handled matters just as much as how the placement began.

Follow the notice period you agreed

Whatever notice period is set out in the contract, honour it on both sides wherever possible. It gives the family time to arrange the next step, and gives the nanny time to secure their next role — rushing this rarely goes well for anyone.

Common, unremarkable reasons placements end

• A child starting school full-time, changing the family’s childcare needs entirely
• A family relocating, or a parent’s working pattern changing
• The nanny moving to a role that better fits their own circumstances
• Simply, the fit not being quite right — which is a valid reason on its own, without anyone being at fault

Giving a reference

If the placement went well, a clear, honest written reference is one of the most valuable things you can offer a nanny moving on — it directly affects their next opportunity. Be specific about what they did well.

How an ending is handled says as much about a family as how the placement began.

Ending with warmth

A short, genuine conversation acknowledging the relationship — especially where children are involved — helps everyone, including the child, understand the change rather than experience it as something sudden or unexplained.

What comes next

Whether you’re a family looking for your next nanny, or a nanny ready for your next placement, we’re here for exactly that conversation.