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San Diego’s Top Nanny Placement Agency
We are a full service San Diego nanny agency working closely with families and nannies to make the right match since 1998. Safe and Sound Nannies chooses only qualified San Diego nannies with excellent references. All nannies are screened by a licensed psychologist. We are happy to conduct a home visit. Safe and Sound Nannies also provides flexible payment options.
Welcome! My name is Dr. Ann Wycoff. I am a licensed psychologist and a mom. I founded Safe and Sound Nannies in 1998 and developed an extensive nanny screening process because 1) we value the safety and well being of your child and 2) we value your time. We interview all nanny candidates in person. Because of our extensive nanny screening and matching process, many families hire the first nanny we send them.
Nanny Hiring Consultation — You Find the Candidate, We Do the Rest!
Testimonials
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I am particularly pleased with the outstanding service and follow-up provided by Safe and Sound Nannies (Ann), which exceed my expectations and certainly gave me a completely new experience in working with a nanny placement agency.
Clarice Barrelet, Rancho Santa Fe -
Jen is fabulous. I love her professionalism, communication, memory, exactness, punctuality… She’s organized. She took tons of notes on the first day. I have this expectation that people will get it right the first time and I’m really amazed because she can do that. She’s going to be a part of our family. We’re very happy with her.
P.C., Carmel Valley -
You made it so easy. I’m a lot less stressed out now that Anita’s with the kids. They love her. She has tons of energy. She’s reading to them in Spanish and English and she really helps out around the house. We love her. They’re learning a ton of stuff and it’s only been one week…
Vickie Davidson, Sorrento Valley -
We were really happy with the personalized attention we received from Safe and Sound Nannies.
Emily Trask, Carmel Valley -
I’m so glad we connected with you. There are so many referral services out there. We couldn’t be happier with Glenda. She’s got tons of experience and I feel safe leaving him with her. He was having a cranky day and the way she handled him was wonderful. We feel very lucky to have her. You’ve given us great people to interview. We appreciate your screening process and all the time and commitment you’ve given us. I’ll highly recommend you to anyone who’s looking for a nanny.
Amy Tuttle, Ph.D., La Mesa -
I have been a nanny for more than 20 years here in San Diego. Safe and Sound Nannies has been the MOST professional agency EVER!… I have nothing but respect for the personnel at the agency. I have always been treated with courtesy and respect every time I have dealt with them and I highly recommend them. Ann Wycoff has always been very approachable and available when I needed her services.
Lily G., San Diego
For Families: How We’re Different
Professional Personality Screening ...read more...
Each nanny candidate completes a standardized, statistically validated personality screen as part of her online application process. The screen assesses personality characteristics that predict performance as a nanny. It is scored automatically and compared to the scores of thousands of previous applicants. Dr. Wycoff uses her professional expertise to interpret each applicant’s screen results, determine if she is qualified to work for our agency, and match the nanny’s personality traits to those of the family who have trusted us to find them the right nanny.
In-Person Interview with a Licensed Psychologist
Each qualified nanny candidate is interviewed in person for 90 minutes by Dr. Ann Wycoff, a licensed psychologist, a mom, and the owner of Safe and Sound Nannies. This is a standardized interview that includes a list of open-ended questions to assess the nanny’s competency with children and babies, her knowledge of developmental stages, her judgment, her passion for children, etc. We are looking for nannies who are highly qualified and clearly love what they do!
Thorough Reference Checking By Phone, not By Email
Dr. Wycoff personally calls each former employer herself and writes up the reference word-for-word, because you deserve more than a checklist. This is an opportunity to learn important details about each candidate and she takes the time to do it thoroughly. Each written reference is sent to the client family with phone numbers. We encourage the family to call the references also.
We listen! In-Depth Phone Session with Dr. Wycoff
After our initial phone conversation and your completion of the fee agreement, a phone call is scheduled with Dr. Wycoff. During that call she listens carefully to learn about your personalities as parents, your children’s personalities, your children’s unique interests/challenges/temperament, any concerns about hiring a nanny, your schedule, your pets, your expectations, any past experiences with previous caregivers, etc. By patiently taking time to learn ABOUT YOU, we are able to match you with the right nanny candidates and not waste your precious time.
Trial Time
We encourage you to schedule up to a week of trial time with a candidate you liked in the interview before you pay our fee. Many families only use a day or two; it’s up to you. We want to make sure it’s a good fit for both the family and the nanny so that this will be a successful, long term relationship.
We Send Quality, Not Quantity
We feel we are being paid to find the very best nannies. We won’t waste your time sending you everyone under the sun. You can find that yourself on a nanny database. We match nannies and families so carefully that 90% of the time families hire the first or second candidate that we send them. If we are missing the mark, we will take the time to learn what we are missing so that we can better understand your needs and do a better job finding the right match.
We Know Thousands of Nannies
We have thousands of nannies in our database, many of whom we have placed many times in the past over 19 years. We love to place nannies we already know, but our jobs tend to have low turnover so we are also always screening and interviewing new nannies.
Dr. Wycoff is a Mother Too
As a working mother herself, Dr. Wycoff understands what it is like to leave your baby or child in the hands of someone else. Many families come to us with newborns and preemies who are especially fragile. We understand the enormous responsibility we have to find the best, safest, and most loving nannies. Dr. Wycoff will only send out nannies that she would bring into her own home to care for her own children.
One Year Replacement Policy
For full time placements (30+ hours/week) we provide a one year replacement policy. For part-time placements were provide a 6 month replacement policy. If you are not happy with your nanny we will replace her. (The nanny must receive consistent hours and pay.) We are not a “revolving door” and we rarely need to replace a nanny. We work hard to find the right match the first time.
For Nannies: How We’re Different
We are Selective and Match the Nanny to the Family ...read more...
If you meet our qualifications and are the right fit for a family, we’ll send you to interview with that family. We typically send only 2-3 candidates to each family. We put enormous effort into finding the right fit for our families, and we apologize if we’re unable to help every nanny who comes our way. We appreciate that nannies take the time to complete our application process and we apologize if we’re unable to help each nanny find the perfect job.
Minimum Qualification Requirements
We require three years’ minimum nanny or childcare experience outside your own family; excellent references we can reach by phone; over 21 years old; non-smoking; legal to work in the U.S.; good driving record and reliable car, English speaking, CPR certified; clean background checks; a great attitude.
90 Minute In-Person Interview With Us
If you meet our qualifications, have excellent references, and we have a job that we agree is a good fit for you, then we’ll interview you for 90 minutes in-person. We want to understand your passion for children, your personality, your special skills and strengths, your history, and why you love this work. Nannies frequently tell us they appreciate our thorough interview process and enjoy the opportunity to share their skills and dedication. We’re honored to have the opportunity to meet the very best nannies in San Diego.
Trial Time With Family
If you and the family like each other during your interview, we recommend up to one week of paid trial time before the family pays our fee and before you accept the position. This trial is important for both you and the family. We do not want you to accept a position unless you feel it’s a good fit and you are excited to make a solid, minimum one year commitment. Our goal is that our nannies stay much longer.
2 Weeks' Paid Vacation, Paid Holidays, Reimbursement for Gas Used on the Job
For full time positions, the nannies are entitled to two weeks of paid vacation after 6 months. (One week for part time jobs.) We ask that you take this vacation when the family takes theirs. The nanny also receives regular paid holidays and reimbursement for gas used transporting children or running errands on the job. The nanny is provided with a contract upon hire so there is no confusion as to her responsibilities, hourly rate and schedule.
Our Support
We require our families to guarantee a minimum number of weekly hours to the nanny. We understand that you depend on a consistent income. We’re here for you if you need us. We’re happy to answer questions if you need us, although we know you have the skills to communicate with the family about day to day issues or concerns. We specialize in long term placements.