Harborwell Staffing

Finding a nanny on your own means writing job postings, sorting through dozens of applications, conducting interviews, running background checks, calling references, and negotiating offers — all while managing your family and job. A good agency handles all of that for you, and brings candidates you'd never find on a job board. More importantly, we pre-screen thoroughly so you only meet people who are genuinely qualified and vetted. Your time is worth something, and so is your peace of mind.

Three things: our founder spent 10 years as a nanny before becoming a mother herself — so we understand this relationship from both sides in a way most agencies simply don't. We charge a flat fee instead of a percentage of salary (most agencies charge 15–20%, which adds up to $11,000–$15,000+). And we're not a large impersonal agency — you work directly with Allison from first consultation to final placement.

Most placements are completed within 2–6 weeks depending on your timeline, availability, and how specific your needs are. We'll give you a realistic estimate during your free consultation. We'd rather take the time to find the right person than rush a placement that doesn't work out.

Yes. Full-time placements come with a 90-day guarantee — if the placement doesn't work out within the first 90 days for reasons within our control, we'll conduct a new search at no additional placement fee. We stand behind our matches.

Every candidate in our network undergoes a comprehensive background check that includes: Social Security number verification, national criminal database search, sex offender registry check, county criminal court records, and a driving record check. Checks are conducted through an FCRA-compliant provider. We do not place candidates until results are reviewed and cleared.

We personally call every reference — we don't just collect letters. We ask specific questions about the candidate's reliability, relationship with children, communication style, and whether the family would hire them again. References are verified before any candidate is presented to a family.

Yes — every caregiver in our babysitting network goes through the same comprehensive background check and reference verification as our placement candidates. The $199/year subscription gives you access to a pre-vetted bench of sitters at $30/day, so you're never starting from scratch when you need last-minute care.

A 10% non-refundable deposit is due at signing to begin your search. The remaining balance is due only upon successful placement — meaning you don't pay the full fee until you've found someone you're happy with. We believe that's only fair.

Percentage-based fees (the industry standard at 15–20%) mean the agency earns more when your nanny earns more — creating an incentive to push higher salaries. We think that's a conflict of interest. Our flat fee means our incentive is simply to find you the right person, full stop. It's also more transparent — you know exactly what you'll pay from day one.