Assess the individual person's relevant experience, communication and evidenced training, then agree the duties and supervision your family needs. A domestic-worker title, general childcare experience or a nationality does not establish specialist newborn competence.
For feeding, sleep, illness and other medical decisions, follow the child's healthcare professional's advice. Use the hiring questions below to assess experience, communication and the agreed non-clinical role.
Start with the child's actual needs
Write the child's age, the tasks the parent wants help with, who will supervise and the times when help is needed. Identify any needs that require a healthcare professional rather than assuming they can be added to a nanny's ordinary work.
The recruitment agreement should describe the worker characteristics and work required. The employment contract must also record the agreed work. Put a childcare requirement into these documents instead of relying on a general “maid and nanny” description. Federal Decree-Law 9/2022, Article 6 Federal Decree-Law 9/2022, Article 7
Ask for specific experience
| Area | Useful question |
|---|---|
| Age group | What ages have you cared for, and what were your responsibilities? |
| Supervision | Were you working with a parent, another caregiver or independently? |
| Routine | How did you follow the family's written instructions and report changes? |
| Communication | How would you tell the parent that you did not understand an instruction? |
| Training | What relevant training can be evidenced, by whom and on what date? |
| Boundaries | Which tasks would you refer to the parent or a qualified professional? |
Ask permission to check appropriate references where available. A claim of years of experience does not establish the content or quality of that experience.
Distinguish training from a clinical licence
For any claimed childcare or first-aid training, check the document's issuer, date and scope. Do not describe a person as professionally certified merely because a profile mentions a course. The regulation addresses relevant agency credential checks, with limited direct named recruitment exceptions in Article 4(5). Required occupation-specific licensing remains a separate legal requirement. Cabinet Resolution 106/2022, Article 4 Federal Decree-Law 9/2022, Article 4
A nanny is not automatically a licensed nurse. If the child needs clinical care, ask a licensed healthcare provider to define the required professional role and verify the individual's licence through the appropriate health authority. MOHAP has a separate licensing service for nursing and medical professionals. MOHAP: licensing nursing and medical professionals, PDF p. 1
Agree how childcare fits with other duties
Avoid assigning uninterrupted childcare, cooking and extensive cleaning simultaneously without priorities and coverage. Write down who takes responsibility when tasks overlap and during the worker's rest or leave.
The worker has a paid weekly rest day and at least twelve hours of daily rest, including at least eight consecutive hours. Living with the family does not remove these rights. The employer must provide safe work arrangements and may not give instructions that violate the contract or expose the worker to danger. Federal Decree-Law 9/2022, Article 9 Federal Decree-Law 9/2022, Article 11 Federal Decree-Law 9/2022, Article 12
Prepare a practical handover
- Explain the family's agreed routine using instructions the worker understands.
- Identify the supervising parent and how to contact them.
- Provide the family's emergency-contact and escalation plan.
- Explain household access, visitor and privacy expectations.
- Record the tasks within scope and those requiring referral.
- Arrange a way to discuss misunderstandings without blame.
Hypothetical example: A family interviewing for newborn support asks about actual infant-care experience and checks a training certificate supplied for the candidate. It separately arranges clinical support for a medical need. The two roles are planned according to the child's actual needs.
Contact INAYA to confirm the specific candidate's evidenced experience and the proposed working arrangement, duties, schedule and terms. Base the decision on the person and the written scope, not a broad marketing label.
Useful INAYA pages
- Newborn-care service information
- Choosing between household help and childcare roles
- Service guidelines