Single Mom Launches Nanny Platform In Fairfax County

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA—As a single, working mother Sara Duke knows how long wait lists can be for quality day care centers. She opted for a nanny instead but went through three child care providers before finding one that could properly care for her daughter.

Those are reasons why she decided to launch cNanny, a hyperlocal web platforms that matches families with nannies. Families can choose from full-time, part-time and live-in nannies.

The service is launching on a hyperlocal basis in McLean, Vienna, Falls Church, Tysons Corner and Reston. Duke hopes that someday it can expand to the DC metropolitan area. Families can communicate with nannies listed on the platform and can receive SMS messages whenever new messages are sent.

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Even after nannies and families make contact, the platform can verify hires by allowing families to send legal job offer documents. Once the nanny is hired, his or her profile is taken down, but families provide regular performance reviews, according to Duke.

The vetting process is a bit different from traditional nanny placement services, because Duke knows from personal experience that parents too often rely on strong interviews with nannies.

"I experienced issues such as finding my daughter wasn't really paid attention to in a high chair in front of the TV," she told Patch of a nanny that impressed her during the interview.

Aside from the regular background checks, other types of vetting can help parents pinpoint red flags in child care providers—if there are any. The cNanny platform verifies that the nannies have CPR and first aid certifications in addition to vetting processes of criminal background checks, sexual offender registries and driving records. Nannies must also complete psychometric and aptitude assessments, which can supplement interviews during family's decision-making process.

The website suggests weekly salaries based on local market prices, the ages of children and more. Nannies have the opportunity to counter offers as well.

After working abroad in the international development sector for seven years, she looks forward to bringing cNanny to other working moms in Fairfax County.

"There's a high demand for personalized and high-quality child care services. [Working moms] want to have the best for our children and the best for our careers," she tells Patch.

For more information, visit cNanny's website.

Image courtesy of Elizabeth Swarm