Our children are the most important people in our lives. When we have to work, and cannot care for them ourselves, we need to be able to trust the people we hire to take care of our precious ones. This is when you need to find the best nanny agencies. Many people struggle with the thought of a stranger taking care of their children. Parents put an ad in the paper, or ask friends for advice. But what about nanny agencies?

Parents interview the prospective nanny, and ask all of the right questions, but there is still the nagging feeling that they may not be totally honest. There is no way of knowing for sure. That is when a nanny agencies can be of assistance. Nanny agencies can offer more of a thorough screening process than event the most diligent parent can.

These nanny agencies are temp-to-hire agencies specially developed for nannies. Each applicant is screened; every aspect of his or her life is an open book. Nanny agencies do an extensive criminal background check complete with fingerprints, the employment history and check all references very carefully to rule out any possible threat to a child. Even though the agency screens each applicant, it is in the best interest of your child or children to check out the references for your self. Ask for prior clients and meet face to face with them. Write down all of the questions you want to ask. Often, when you have an actual face-to-face meeting, you are nervous and forget what you wanted to ask. When a parent decides to hire nanny agencies, there are a few things they need to take into consideration.

First of all ask questions. These people will be taking care of your children, ask as many question as it takes until you feel comfortable with the prospective nanny agency.

One of the first questions that should be asked is how long the nanny agency has been in business. It is not necessarily a bad thing to be a new agency, but with an established agency references can be furnished and the nanny agency itself will have some type of reputation. Ask what the placement success rate is. Experts estimate that placing six to eight nannies per month is a good ratio, as long as it is not the same nanny being placed.

The question of the rates and fees of the nanny agencies is important. No one wants to think that they cannot afford the best for their children, but in today's economy, it is impossible not to take this into consideration. It is counter productive to hire a nanny one month, and not be able to pay for it the next.

The advantages to using nanny agencies are many. But there are also disadvantages. One such disadvantage is the monthly payments. These payments can sometimes be thousands of dollars. If a nanny agency claims have low rates, be very wary. An excellent agency that has an excellent reputation can and does charge a very high fee. You are paying for the expertise of the nannies that are within the agency.