Frequently Asked Questions from Parents

Want to start the day fresh and rested in the morning? A night nanny takes over all nighttime care for your child, so you can refuel during a well-deserved night's sleep. She does everything your baby needs: rocking, comforting, feeding and changing.

Our night service typically starts at 10 pm and ends the next morning around 7 am. Within this time frame we can take over the last feed of the evening and the first feed the next day. You will already have had an initial intake with Nannies at Night. On the first night the nanny will arrive half an hour early so there is time for her to settle in and for you to explain things. Then you either go to bed or leave the house, and the nanny takes over the care of your child. This includes feeding, changing nappies, comforting, cradling, rocking, putting your child to bed and settling her if she wakes up again. If you prefer, the nanny can always start earlier or end later. Regardless of your preferred start and end time, the shift will always be a minimum of nine hours. The next morning the nanny will transfer the care of your baby or child back to you and update you on how the night went.

Our nannies work in the Amsterdam area (including Haarlem, Amstelveen, 't Gooi, Bloemendaal, Overveen, etc); The Hague, Rotterdam and Utrecht and surroundings. Please contact us if you're in another area - we'd love to help!

We totally understand your concern! We screen our nannies thoroughly. They take their job extremely seriously, act with the utmost care and are dedicated to your child’s specific needs. We stay in close contact with the parents and our nannies. A personal meet-and-greet with the family is not only a pleasant experience, it also takes away any doubts. Some parents found the first night a bit challenging to get through, but after that, they feel 100% comfortable with Nannies at Night.

During the intake, we explore the best place for your baby/child and nanny for the night. If the baby needs multiple feeds per night, it 's practical to have everything ready in advance and close to the baby’s room. The nanny needs a place to sleep as close to the baby/child as possible, so she can respond quickly without waking the parents. This may be in the baby’s room, a spare bedroom or the living room.

We often get this question. From experience, we can say that once parents have decided to put their trust in us and the nanny, they may briefly wake up from the sound of crying… only to roll over and go back to sleep. It feels safe to know that someone is giving their child the care and attention she needs. The first night may not be as easy as subsequent ones and we understand this all too well – which is why we and the nanny invest the extra time to help parents feel at ease.

As you may feel a little tense on the first night, the nanny will take the time to help you feel at ease. She'll arrive half an hour early to learn how the household runs and to discuss the care your child needs. In the morning, she'll take the time to tell you how the night went. It’s very special to be entrusted by a family in their own home with their most precious person in the world – their baby!

Our nannies sleep when the baby sleeps. This is why she needs a place to sleep: a simple bed, couch or air mattress - as close to the baby/child as possible. If she is not in the same room a the baby, she'll need a baby phone.

We personally screen our nannies through an extensive interview process. We get to know the candidates, thoroughly assess their experience and motivation and ensure that they meet our minimum requirements. Our nannies:

• Are at least 21 years old
• Have a practical, can-do attitude
• Are affectionate, trustworthy and caring
• Have liability insurance
• Are personally screened by Nannies at Night and hold a government-certified certificate of conduct (VOG)
• Comply with the standards and values of Nannies at Night
• Have proven experience with babies, demonstrated by at least two references
• Are able to commit to a family for a minimum of three months
• Hold a Baby First Aid certificate from Het EHBO Bureau
• Are usually students of a childcare- or healthcare-related degree programme

We're an employment agency and our nannies work for us under the Dutch home services law (Wet dienstverlening aan huis). Pursuant to this regulation, a person may work for a private party for a maximum of three days a week as long as the work involves tasks in or around the house, such as childcare. Because this type of employment doesn't require tax payment or social premiums, it is an affordable option for the employer, who doesn't need to register as employer; the nanny is responsible for filing the tax returns. More information on the website of Belastingdienst (in Dutch).

Nannies at Night mediates between the nanny (employee) and the family (employer). We guarantee and monitor the quality by personally vetting and screening the nannies to ensure they meet our strict minimum requirements.

Of course! The most important thing is that you feel comfortable and confident about trusting your nanny. We can arrange an initial meeting to help you see whether there's a good rapport between you.

We completely understand worries about handing your baby over to someone else for the night. During the first night, most parents need to get used to the idea. The second night is generally easier: they are able to let go and trust that the nanny will take excellent care of their baby.
As one of our clients wrote: “I was very happy when I eventually called Nannies at Night. I felt trusting of their service immediately. When our nanny first entered the room, I felt as though she was a niece or cousin of mine. I was able to let go from the very first night and get a good night’s sleep.”

You can hire Nannies at Night to help you rest at home or elsewhere - at a hotel, with family or friends, or while you're out, for instance when you're attending a wedding. Our nanny can arrive earlier during that day, or even accompany you to the event. She'll care for your baby throughout the evening and night, allowing you to relax and enjoy the celebration. We also offer full-weekend packages.

Do you babysit in and around the house for a private entity (i.e. a family)? Do you do this kind of work less than four days a week? Then you are not a permanent paid employee. You must declare your earnings to the Dutch tax authorities.

You can work under the home services law if:

• You babysit in and around the house.
• You are a private entity (not a business) and you are employed by a private entity (i.e. a family).
• You work up to three days a week per family.

Please note the number of hours you work per day is irrelevant. Even if you work for one hour only, this counts as one working day. You can babysit for multiple families in the same week, as long as you meet the above conditions for each family. More information on the Belastingdienst website.

Nanny 21+
First-aid-to-baby certified
2 references
€26,-p/h*

Senior Nanny
New Born experince

First-aid-to-baby certified
4 references
4+ months work experience with us
€29 p/h

Pro Nanny
New Born Experience
First-aid-to-babycertified
6 references
Final year/diploma in obstetrics,medicines or nursing
€32 p/h*

One-time registration fee €75

Few organisations in the Netherlands offer professional night nannies, especially for families whose child requires extra care. As one of our parents said, “I think that many parents, like me, would initially be too scared to surrender the care of their baby into the hands of another person for the night. Our child was so tiny and vulnerable. You really want to be assured that your nanny has a track record of the right kind of experience.”

We carefully screen and select every nanny. All our night nannies must have relevant experience, demonstrated by two references; possess an official certificate of good conduct (V.O.G.); hold a first aid certificate for babies and children; and must be studying or have studied in a relevant field (obstetrics, midwifery, medicine or similar).

Nannies at Night works with regular, senior and pro nannies, differentiated by years of experience, working with diverse families and training level (in final year of study or holding a diploma in a care-related field).

Sure! There are no age limits. Anything is possible. We are happy to discuss your options with you!