It is impossible to overestimate the importance of finding child care that is a good fit for you and your children. For many of us, the child care providers spend more time with our children than we do.

The good news is that there is an abundance of highly qualified, professional and loving child care providers and nannies in New York City. The bad news is that a good child care is not cheap and may be difficult to locate. The fact that there is no state or federal oversight to license nannies further complicates matter. We have heard horror stories about irresponsible nannies. We have all seen nannies chatting away on their cell phones, paying little to no attention to the children in their care. Finding the right child care is a long and involved process. Begin your search 3-4 months before you expect your nanny to start working for you. Direct referrals, nanny placement agencies, and job board postings (online and offline) remain the most popular sources for nannies. There are many great agencies who thoroughly screen their nannies. Old Fashioned Family operates a nanny database and background screening service. There is no charge to use our database. Please visit the Old Fashioned Nanny Board for more information.