How do I hire a nanny without an agency?
Reviewed September 2026 against the same data that powers Kindred's free calculators.
You do not need an agency to hire well. Agencies mainly do three things you can do yourself: find candidates, check references, and paper the offer. Post on a free marketplace like Kindred, interview with a consistent question set, call two references yourself, run a paid trial day, and send a written offer. Families routinely save several thousand dollars in placement fees.
The step-by-step
- Write a specific job post: schedule, duties, pay range, start date. Vague posts attract vague applicants.
- Post it where nannies already look. Kindred is free for families and nannies, with no placement fee ever.
- Interview 3 to 5 candidates with the same questions so you can compare fairly.
- Call two references yourself and ask about reliability, communication, and why the last job ended.
- Do a paid trial day with your kids before deciding. It tells you more than any interview.
- Send a written offer covering pay, guaranteed hours, PTO, and taxes, then set up payroll.