Q: Why is there a $100 application fee? A: The $100 application fee is used for background checks on all of our caregivers.  We check caregiver’s criminal background, the sexual offenders list, search the Child Abuse and Neglect Registry, and obtain caregiver's driving histories from the Department of Motor Vehicles on all our childcare providers.  Q: What are your placement fees? A: Placement fees vary based on the type of care needed by a family. We offer temporary caregivers (unlimited hours for up to eight weeks), part-time permanent caregivers (under thirty hours a week), summer only placements for children on summer vacation, and full-time permanent placements (over thirty hours per week). These fees vary and are outlined on the last page of the Family Application which can be downloaded from our Families page. Q: Can I get the Occasional Caregivers List even though I do not need a nanny? A: Yes, families can purchase the OC List for $100, though we still ask them to fill out a Family Application so we have a record of families who are using our services. Q: How much do nannies cost? A: Nannies do not charge by the number or children or household duties, rather, they are paid based on experience. Hourly wages are generally between $11-17 per hour, though there are some outliers. A career nanny with lots of experience will want to be paid on the higher end of the scale and a caregiver with lots of babysitting experience but limited experience as a nanny will likely work towards the lower end of the scale. A full-time weekly salary for 40-50 hours a week costs an average of $550-750 per week.  We suggest families that are going to tax their nanny look at, Breed Love (a nanny tax calculator)  Q: What if after I hire my caregiver I find he or she is not a good match for our family? A: We recommend that families conduct a phone interview, then an in person interview and then many of our families will often have a candidate over for a few hours to play with the children for a trial period in order to ensure that the caregiver is a good fit for your family. If however, the caregiver is just not working out we attempt to replace the caregiver at no additional cost to the family. While we will try to rematch your family as quickly as possible, our agency is not responsible for providing childcare in the interim. If a replacement cannot be found, My Nanny Rocks will refund sixty percent of the placement fee. Replacement caregivers will only be provided to a family a total of two times within six months.

Q: How long will it take My Nanny Rocks to find a caregiver for my family? A: Placing a caregiver depends on many variables, such as a caregiver who has a schedule that matches your family’s needs, location of the caregiver in relation to the family geographically, and a good fit between the family and caregiver. Some matches take a very short time, under one week, and some take several weeks, so it is best to begin your search with at least three weeks or more before you need childcare.  Q: Do I need a contract with my caregiver? A: While not all caregivers require a contract, we encourage families to write one so both parents and caregivers are in agreement upon salary, hours, duties, and expectations. Regular reviews of the contract in six month periods can be beneficial to both parties as well. We are happy to help families and caregivers by suggesting to important information to include in contracts. We think Babycenter.com is a very useful resource for parents and caregivers.  Here is a link with helpful information and a sample contract. Baby Center Nanny Contract Q: What is the Occasional Caregivers List? A: The Occasional Caregivers list is a group of caregivers available for evening, weekend, and emergency back-up care. My Nanny Rocks has roughly twenty highly qualified caregivers on the list and it is updated regularly. All families who fill out a Family Application and pay their $100 deposit are given a copy of the OC list once we receive their Family Application. These caregivers are students, full-time nannies, mothers, grandmothers, teachers, and other people who love working with children and are looking for an occasional babysitting job. The OC list is not meant for families to use for their regular childcare needs. Q: Do you place caregivers outside of the Ann Arbor area? A: Yes, My Nanny Rocks is based in Ann Arbor, but we have caregivers living in surrounding communities who are looking for positions closer to home. We generally place families within a sixty mile radius of the Ann Arbor area.