Local nanny placement agency

Families who want a nanny, au pair or regular childcare worker. Workers should not be charged fees for finding work.

A one-off placement fee, often a percentage of the nanny's first-year pay or a fixed fee. Some agencies add a registration fee for families or an optional payroll or contract service.

• Interviewing and judging people well
• Careful checking of references and paperwork
• Clear, friendly communication with families
• Building a local network and reputation

• Employment agency rules: check the government's guidance on the Employment Agencies Act 1973 and the Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2003, which cover how agencies must operate and what they can charge
• You can't charge workers for finding them work, so check your fee structure carefully
• DBS checks: check whether and how you can request them (for example through an umbrella body), and check with Ofsted whether nannies should be on the Childcare Register
• Right-to-work checks and thorough reference checks
• Professional indemnity and public liability insurance
• Check whether you need to pay the data protection fee to the ICO and follow UK GDPR rules, as you will hold sensitive personal data
• Your reputation depends on the quality of every placement, so don't rush vetting

Startup costs are typically around £600 to £3,000, depending on your set-up, insurance and how you find nannies and families. Treat these as estimates and check real quotes before you commit.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around £800 to £4,000, depending on the placement fees you charge and how many placements you complete. Your reputation depends on every placement, so don't rush vetting.

Check government guidance on the Employment Agencies Act 1973 and the 2003 Conduct Regulations, including what you can charge. You can't charge workers for finding work. Also check DBS checks, whether nannies should be on the Childcare Register with Ofsted, and right-to-work checks.