We start by understanding your family’s routine, your children’s ages and personalities, and what matters most to you educationally and practically. As a qualified teacher as well as an experienced nanny, Raquel personally reviews and interviews every candidate, looking beyond experience to how a nanny supports a child’s development, not just their supervision. We then introduce you to a shortlist of nannies who genuinely match your household, rather than sending a long list of generic profiles.

Yes. We operate as an employment agency (introductions only) under the Employment Agencies Act 1973. This means we introduce suitable nannies to families, and the family becomes the nanny’s employer, responsible for their contract, payroll, tax and National Insurance, and pension. We’re happy to guide you through this process and can recommend trusted partners for payroll and insurance.

We introduce nannies for full-time, part-time, live-in, and nanny share arrangements, tailored to your family’s schedule and needs.

Our fees depend on the type of placement and are set out clearly before you commit to anything. Registering your family and receiving a shortlist of candidate profiles is free. When you’re ready to meet candidates, a Placement Pre-payment of £60 covers up to 3 interviews, and it is deducted in full from your final fee when you hire. Full details are available on our Fees & Pricing page.

Yes, if your nanny is registered with Ofsted on the voluntary Childcare Register. Tax-Free Childcare gives you up to £2,000 per child per year (up to £4,000 for a disabled child) towards childcare for children under 12. Just let us know when you register, and we’ll introduce nannies who are Ofsted-registered or happy to register.

In most cases, yes. As your nanny’s employer, you’re responsible for their tax, National Insurance and pension. Many families use a nanny payroll service to handle this. We partner with Nannytax: ask us for a personal introduction and you’ll get 15% off when you first sign up.

We may receive a fee from Nannytax if you sign up through our introduction.

We’ll talk through what didn’t feel right and can arrange further interviews, in groups of up to 3, each with a further £60 Placement Pre-payment. If you decide not to proceed at all, Placement Pre-payments are non-refundable, as they cover the work carried out on your search. If we’re unable to present suitable candidates for interview, we refund your Placement Pre-payment in full.

Yes. Every nanny we introduce is guided through the Enhanced DBS check process, and we verify each certificate directly before making an introduction. All of our nannies hold a Paediatric First Aid certificate. You can read more on our Certifications page.

We understand that not every match is right, even with careful vetting. Get in touch with us as soon as any concerns arise, and we’ll work with you to find a better fit. Full details of our replacement terms are set out in our Terms & Conditions, shared with you before any placement is confirmed.

Every nanny we introduce remains an introduction of the agency for 12 months. If, during that time, your family or anyone you pass their details to hires them without completing the placement through us, our full placement fee applies, exactly as if you had hired them through us. Full details are set out in our Terms & Conditions.

Simply complete our nanny application form. Raquel will personally review your application and, where it’s a good fit, arrange an interview to learn more about your experience and approach to childcare.

While it isn’t a legal requirement for private nannies, we ask all candidates to hold, or be in the process of obtaining, a valid Enhanced DBS certificate, as it’s something every family we work with expects. If you don’t have one yet, we’re happy to guide you through the application. Full details are on our Certifications page.

No. Registering and being introduced to families is always free for nannies. Our placement fee is paid by the family once a placement is confirmed.

If you’d like us to process your Enhanced DBS application or book you onto a Paediatric First Aid course, those services are optional, and any cost is confirmed with you in advance. You can arrange them yourself, and it never affects whether we put you forward.

We work with families across London looking for full-time, part-time, live-in, and nanny share roles. Because we take the time to understand both sides, we only introduce you to families whose needs genuinely match your experience and availability.

Yes, you can register and start the vetting process now. Before we introduce you to any family, you’ll need a valid Paediatric First Aid certificate and an Enhanced DBS check. You can book a course with any provider, or join one of ours run with our training partner, NMA Training (optional). Contact us for upcoming dates.

An Enhanced DBS check is the highest level of criminal record check available in the UK, and includes both spent and unspent convictions, cautions, and any relevant information held locally by police. Where applicable, it also includes a check against the Children’s Barred List. You can read the full explanation on our Certifications page, or on the official GOV.UK DBS page.

It’s a legal requirement for Ofsted-registered childminders, but not for private nannies. Even so, we treat it as an essential part of safe, responsible childcare: every nanny must hold a valid, in-date certificate before we introduce them to a family.

Yes. As part of our vetting process, we contact previous employers directly to verify each candidate’s experience and conduct before making any introduction.

Our approach is shaped by a genuine pedagogical lens. Raquel is a qualified teacher (PGCE, QTS, SEND specialism) as well as an experienced nanny, so every candidate is assessed on how they support a child’s learning and development, not just their ability to supervise. It’s a small but meaningful difference in how we match families and nannies.

We work with families and nannies across London. As a fully remote agency, we’re able to support you wherever you are in the city, with video calls available for consultations and interviews.

Call us on 07868 634886, message us on WhatsApp, email admin@littlepenguinsnannies.com, or use our Contact Us page. We reply within one working day.