Family Q&A With Skyline Nanny Co.
Q: What is a nanny?
A: A nanny is a professional childcare provider who offers consistent, ongoing care tailored to a family’s specific needs and routines. Unlike a babysitter, who is typically hired for occasional or short-term coverage like date nights or occasional days, a nanny becomes a regular part of a family’s daily life and provides more individualized, long-term support.
One common misconception is that only full-time caregivers are considered nannies, but that isn’t true. A nanny is still a nanny whether they work 10 hours a week or 50. What defines a nanny is the consistency and professional nature of the role, not the number of hours worked.
Q: What are guaranteed hours/pay and why are they required?
A: Guaranteed hours are an industry-standard practice that ensure a nanny receives consistent pay each week for their agreed-upon schedule, even if the family chooses not to use all scheduled hours due to vacations, grandparents visiting, schedule changes, or other family-related reasons.
Professional nannies rely on stable, predictable income just like any other career professional. Because nannies reserve that time exclusively for one family, Skyline Nanny Co. requires guaranteed hours for all placements as part of maintaining ethical and professional employment standards.
Q: How long does it take to place a nanny?
A: Most placements take about 2–6 weeks, though timelines vary depending on your family’s needs, scheduling, and how specific your ideal fit may be. I’ve placed nannies in as little as 4 days, while some searches have taken closer to 8 weeks to ensure the right long-term match.
My goal is always to make a thoughtful, well-matched placement while working within your desired timeline whenever possible. Please note that searches needing placement guaranteed in less than 4 weeks may incur a rush placement fee, determined on a case-by-case basis.
Q: How quickly do I need to make decisions during the placement process?
A: Great nannies are a hot commodity and are often interviewing with multiple families at once. While I never want families to feel rushed into making a final decision, I do expect them to keep the process moving in a timely manner.
Families should continue reviewing candidates and scheduling interviews throughout the search process rather than pausing the search while interviewing just one candidate. The goal is to keep momentum going until you are fully ready to extend an offer. To help keep things respectful and efficient for everyone involved, I ask families to provide feedback within 48 hours on whether they’d like to move forward with a candidate or not.
Q: Are the nannies I will interview experienced?
A: Yes. All nannies presented through Skyline Nanny Co. go through a thorough screening process that includes reference checks, background screening, and verification of professional childcare experience.
I take a holistic view when evaluating a nanny’s background and believe that strong childcare experience can come from many paths, not just traditional nanny roles. Experience in daycares, schools, camps, newborn care, household management, special needs care, and other childcare settings all help shape a well-rounded caregiver. I look at the full picture of a candidate’s experience, professionalism, childcare philosophy, and overall fit when determining what makes a truly exceptional nanny.
Q: Are there placements you won’t take on?
A: Yes. Skyline Nanny Co. is selective about the placements accepted to ensure positions are realistic, sustainable, and set up for long-term success for both families and nannies.
At this time, I generally do not accept positions under 15 guaranteed hours per week. I also typically do not accept split-shift positions (such as before-school/after-school only schedules) unless the role guarantees at least 30+ hours per week, as those schedules can be very difficult to staff and retain quality candidates for long term.
In addition, I do not currently take on placements involving severe medical or high-level specialized care needs that require advanced medical training or extensive care coordination beyond the scope of traditional nanny placement services.
If you believe your family may fall into one of these categories, please reach out prior to signing up so we can discuss your needs and determine whether Skyline Nanny Co. would be the right fit for your search.
Q: Do you place live-in nannies, night nannies, or newborn care specialists?
A: Short answer yes. Skyline Nanny Co. may take on live-in nanny placements, overnight newborn care roles, and night nanny/newborn care specialist placements on a case-by-case basis depending on the schedule, expectations, accommodations, and overall scope of care needed.
These types of positions often require very clear boundaries, detailed expectations, and strong long-term compatibility to ensure a healthy working relationship for everyone involved. If you are seeking one of these types of placements, please reach out prior to signing up so we can discuss your family’s needs and determine whether the position would be the right fit for the agency. These types of placements may also incur a higher placement fee percentage of up to 10%.
Q: What kind of background checks do you perform on your nannies?
A: I run comprehensive background checks including criminal records, driving records, and child abuse registry checks. If a family wants something more in-depth or wants to add a drug screening, they will be billed for that expense separately.
Q: Can I interview the nannies before making a decision?
A: Absolutely! Every nanny presented through Skyline Nanny Co. is pre-screened and interviewed by the agency before being introduced to a family to ensure they are qualified and aligned with the position and a good fit for your family on a personal level as well.
Families will first have a virtual interview with candidates to assess compatibility and overall fit. From there, many families choose to move forward with a paid trial day, meet-and-greet, or in-home interview before making a final decision. I help coordinate and facilitate each step of the process to keep everything smooth and organized for both families and nannies.
Q: Why are you so hands on and involved in the process, why don't you let us interview on our own?
A: My role as agency owner is to guide and facilitate the process from start to finish to ensure things move smoothly, professionally, and respectfully for both families and nannies. I stay actively involved with scheduling, communication, interview coordination, feedback, and overall expectations so the process stays organized and efficient for everyone involved.
I’m also very passionate about industry standards and ethical employment practices within the nanny industry. Unfortunately, after years in both the nanny and agency world, I’ve seen situations where employment laws were not being followed or where caregivers were taken advantage of, often unintentionally due to lack of education around household employment. Staying involved helps ensure everyone is protected, expectations are clear, and placements are being handled professionally and legally.
It also comes down to value: families hire an agency so they don’t have to manage and navigate the entire process alone. My goal is to take as much of the heavy lifting off your plate as possible while still helping you make the final decision with confidence.
Q: How do you decide a candidate is a good fit before sending their profile?
A: I take a very personalized approach when matching families and nannies. Before sending a candidate profile, I consider the family’s specific needs, schedule, parenting style, household dynamics, family values, personality preferences, and long-term goals, along with the nanny’s experience, childcare philosophy, skills, availability, values, and overall personality fit.
Candidates are presented based on who expresses genuine interest in the position, their relevant childcare background and experience, and how well I feel they align with what the family is looking for based on both the application and family consultation. My goal is never to just send resumes - It’s to thoughtfully curate strong, compatible matches that have the potential to become long-term placements.
Q: What are the costs involved in hiring a nanny through Motor City Sitters?
A: Compared to many agencies in the industry, it actually is not. Many nanny agencies charge 10–15% of a nanny’s first-year gross salary, so Skyline Nanny Co.’s 7% placement fee is intentionally set at a fair and competitive rate.
The placement fee reflects the significant amount of time, work, and resources that go into each search behind the scenes. On average, I spend 10–20+ hours per week per active placement sourcing candidates, reviewing applications, conducting screenings and interviews, coordinating schedules, checking references, facilitating communication, and guiding families through the hiring process from start to finish.
The fee also covers the operational costs of running the agency, candidate sourcing platforms, background screening resources, administrative work, and the personalized, hands-on support provided throughout the search. My goal is not to simply send resumes, but to thoughtfully facilitate a professional, well-matched, long-term placement while taking the majority of the work off the family’s plate.
Q: How is the nanny’s salary determined?
A: Nanny compensation is based on several factors including experience, qualifications, number and ages of children, scheduling needs, and overall job responsibilities. Part of the consultation process includes helping families create a fair and competitive compensation package aligned with current market standards in Chicago and the North Shore.
Rates may increase based on factors such as infant or multiple-child experience, advanced credentials, non-traditional schedules, household management responsibilities, travel, flexibility, or other specialized needs.
Skyline Nanny Co,. strongly advocates for fair, industry-standard pay and I reserve the right to decline placement services for positions that do not offer competitive compensation. I also assist with compensation negotiations to help families attract and retain strong long-term candidates.
Q: What benefits are families expected to offer?
A: It is an agency requirement that families provide industry-standard benefits for all nanny positions. This includes guaranteed hours/pay, paid vacation/PTO, paid sick time, paid holidays, legal payroll, and mileage reimbursement when applicable.
Additional benefits such as healthcare stipends, annual raises, retention bonuses, and professional development support are also increasingly common in competitive nanny positions throughout Chicago and the North Shore. I help guide families through what a fair and competitive package looks like based on their specific position and market expectations.
Q: Are there any additional fees I should be aware of?
A: In addition to the placement fee and nanny’s wages, families should also plan for household employment taxes, payroll service fees, workers compensation insurance, and any benefits offered to the nanny.
Skyline Nanny Co. requires families to follow legal household employment practices and industry standards. Families are required to provide paid sick leave in accordance with applicable laws, as well as PTO for their nanny. During the consultation process, I help families understand what a fair and competitive compensation and benefits package typically looks like for professional nanny positions in Chicago and the North Shore.
Q: What if we have questions or need help after placement is complete?
A: Support does not end once a nanny is placed. Skyline Nanny Co. provides ongoing support after placement, including follow-up check-ins, assistance with contract edits, renewals and revisions, guidance through workplace concerns or conflict resolution, and replacement support if needed.
My goal is to help create long-term, successful working relationships, so I remain available as a resource for both families and nannies even after the placement is complete.
Q: What happens if we are not satisfied with our nanny?
A: Skyline Nanny Co. stands behind the care, time, and attention put into every placement. If a placement ends within 60 days for circumstances determined appropriate by the agency, one replacement search will be conducted at no additional placement fee.
To qualify for a replacement search, families must remain in compliance with their signed employment agreement, agency policies, and all agreed-upon household employment standards throughout the placement.
Q: Can a nanny bring their own child to work?
A: Potentially! This is something handled on a very case-by-case basis depending on the family’s comfort level, the ages and needs of the children involved, the nanny’s experience, and the overall structure of the position.
As both a mom and a former nanny, I understand the value these arrangements can sometimes offer for both families and caregivers when the fit is right. That said, not every position is compatible with a nanny bringing their child, and clear expectations and boundaries are extremely important. Any arrangement like this must be openly discussed, agreed upon by both parties, and finalized prior to placement.
It is also important to understand that a nanny bringing their child does not automatically mean they should be paid less. Professional compensation should still reflect the nanny’s experience, qualifications, responsibilities, and the market rate for the role.
Q: What happens if our nanny is out sick or calls off? Do you provide backup care?
A: Yes. Skyline Nanny Co. can assist families with backup care when available. For the first 6 months following a placement, the agency placement fee for up to 7 backup care days will be waived. After that, backup care placement fees are $50/day.
Please note that these fees cover placement only. Families are still responsible for paying the backup caregiver directly at an hourly rate comparable to what they pay their regular nanny.
Q: Do you help with contracts and legal paperwork?
A: Yes. Part of the placement fee includes a detailed employment agreement template that families are required to use for all placements. The contract is designed to clearly outline compensation, schedule, duties, benefits, PTO, sick time, policies, and overall expectations so everyone starts the working relationship on the same page.
I also provide guidance throughout the process regarding household employment best practices, payroll, taxes, legal employment requirements, and industry standards. While I am not an attorney or accountant, my goal is to help families navigate the hiring process professionally, legally, and with clear communication from the start.
Q: Can we contact candidates you connect us with directly outside of the agency?
A: No. All communication, interview coordination, scheduling, offers, and negotiations must go through Skyline Nanny Co. while actively engaged in the placement process. This helps keep the process organized, professional, and respectful for both families and candidates while also preventing miscommunication or confusion during the search.
A significant amount of time, work, and resources go into sourcing, screening, interviewing, and facilitating introductions between families and nannies. Attempting to bypass the agency to independently hire or communicate with candidates presented through Skyline is a violation of the placement agreement.
Part of the value of working with an agency is having someone actively managing the process, facilitating communication, helping navigate negotiations and expectations, and ensuring things are handled professionally from start to finish.
Q: Do nannies have to sign an NDA?
A: Skyline Nanny Co. takes privacy and confidentiality very seriously. Any personal information shared throughout the placement process is kept confidential and used solely for the purpose of facilitating a successful nanny placement.
I understand that families are trusting me with sensitive information about their homes, children, schedules, and lives, and I handle that responsibility with a high level of professionalism and discretion. In addition, all caregivers placed through the agency are required to sign a confidentiality agreement/NDA for each family they work with to help ensure privacy and professional boundaries are maintained on both sides.
Q: We want to pay our nanny “off the books”, can we?
A: No. Skyline Nanny Co. requires all families to follow federal, Illinois, and local household employment laws. Professional nannies are household employees — not independent contractors, and must be paid legally “on the books” with proper payroll and tax reporting.
In almost all nanny positions, families are legally required to provide a W-2 and pay applicable household employment taxes once federal wage thresholds are met. Illinois household employers usually also have state withholding and unemployment obligations.
Paying a nanny off the books can create serious legal and financial consequences for both families and caregivers, including:
IRS penalties, back taxes, and fines
State tax penalties and unemployment issues
Workers compensation and liability risks
Difficulty obtaining loans or proving income for the nanny
Potential suspension or disciplinary action for certain licensed professionals or government employees if tax fraud or household employment violations are discovered
Beyond legality, I strongly believe professional nannies deserve the protections and legitimacy that come with legal employment, including documented income, unemployment eligibility, Social Security contributions, and workplace protections. If families need help understanding payroll or setting up legal household employment, I’m happy to guide them through the process and connect them with payroll resources.
Q: What if we end our search with the agency before hiring someone?
A: Families are welcome to end their search at any time if circumstances change or they decide not to move forward with hiring. This is also why Skyline Nanny Co. requires a $1,000 non-refundable deposit at the start of the search process.
A significant amount of time, work, and resources go into every placement search behind the scenes, including sourcing candidates, reviewing applications, conducting screenings, coordinating interviews, and ongoing communication throughout the process. The deposit helps cover a portion of those costs and the time invested into running the search, regardless of whether a final hire is made.
Q: Why should we choose Skyline Nanny Co. instead of another established agency or searching on our own?
A: Running Skyline Nanny Co. is deeply personal to me. After spending over 10 years as a nanny myself, later working within the agency world, and also being a mom, I understand this process from every angle. I know how important it is for families to feel safe and supported when inviting someone into their home, and equally how important it is for nannies to feel respected, valued, and professionally supported in their work. That is the foundation Skyline was built on.
I take a very hands-on and personalized approach throughout the entire process. Rather than simply sending resumes, I spend time getting to know both families and candidates so I can make intentional matches based not only on experience, but also personality, communication style, childcare philosophy, lifestyle, and long-term compatibility.
Searching on your own can also be incredibly overwhelming and time-consuming. I handle the sourcing, screening, reference checking, interview coordination, communication, and guidance throughout the process while also ensuring industry standards and legal household employment practices are being followed.
My goal is never just to “fill a job.” It’s to help families and nannies find each other for lasting, positive working relationships that genuinely feel like the right fit for everyone involved.