In-Home Care

In-home care is care that is provided in your home by a caregiver whom you hire -- usually a nanny or au pair, or in some cases a "mother's helper."  In Kelowna Nanny agencies can be found in the yellow pages. You can also advertise for a nanny in newspapers, bulletin and job boards. Currently, the Kelowna Child Care Resource and Referral program does not have listings of available nannies.

In-home care is not for everyone. It may be expensive, hard to find, and does not provide an emergency back-up situation. Caregivers may or may not have training in child development. In addition, you may not feel comfortable becoming an employer, providing supervision, and being responsible for taxes associated with the employment of a caregiver.

In-home care does offer a great deal of flexibility.You do not have to worry about transporting your child to and from child care and the In-home provider may be able to help with other household chores. Nanny care can be especially helpful if the childcare you require is outside of a regular work schedule. It can be easier to have your child cared for in their home if you work early in the morning or late into the evening as it won't disrupt their regular routine.

Finding the right in-home caregiver takes time and patience. You need to evaluate the caregiver's qualifications, check references, and meet with a candidate several times. Most of all, you need to feel comfortable with the person and trust that he or she is committed to providing the best care for your child. You may want to consult with agencies that place in-home caregivers to help you with the search process. Once you've chosen your in-home caregiver, it's a good idea to draw up a contract that outlines the legal responsibilities of your child care arrangement.

Additional considerations with in-home care:

• Live-in caregivers require room and board to be provided by the host family.
• You and your caregiver may have different expectations regarding care responsibilities -- make your expectations clear up front.
• The length of the relationship with in-home caregivers is variable.
• You may be able to "share" a nanny with another family if you do not require full time care.
• You should ask the nanny to provide a copy of a criminal record check
• You may also ask that they have a current childsafe first aid certificate

If you would like to advertise for a nanny/in-home provider on our website please E-Mail the Kelowna Child Care Resource & Referral Program with the Job Posting information. 

Looking for a Nanny? Try searching the internet or placing an ad on your local web sites.  

1.  Kelowna Based Nanny Placement Agency - www.nannysitters.ca

2.  Free Classified Ads Castanet - www.castanet.net

3.  Free Classified Ads  Kijiji