FAQ

Grapevine Placement Agency has been referring qualified childcare and household professionals throughout the Bay Area since 2001. We will provide professional guidance through the entire search process including:

• Free consultation
• Access to a pool of pre-screened Candidates
• Background checks at no additional charge

Grapevine Placement Agency places Nannies and Domestic Staff in the Northern Bay Area and parts of the East Bay. Our clients and qualified household staff professionals span the following areas: Napa, Sonoma, and Solano Counties.

TrustLine is a state-run criminal background check on child-care providers. All Candidates are either TrustLined (and have been verified), screened through Social Services (also verified), or have had a criminal background check through an independent investigative background check company. You can learn more about TrustLine here or by calling (800) 822-8490.

We find most of our nannies by word of mouth by nannies as well as parents. We also advertise rather extensively in the yellow pages, parent magazines and local newspapers to ensure we have an adequate reserve of qualified screened nannies at all times.

The safety of our team members, families and our community are of utmost importance, and we are taking all precautions necessary to ensure the best and safest care. Follow this link for more information: How are we handling the Covid-19 Pandemic?

Over the years our database of candidates has grown to several hundred. Our active applicant pool contains over 200 qualified candidates. We will save you time by pre-selecting applicants suitable to meet your family’s individual needs. You can expect to interview from three to ten candidates. However, there is no limit to the number of candidates you may interview, it only takes one perfect match!

Since 2001 we have been successfully placing experienced candidates in caring homes throughout the Northern Bay Area. Our reputation as the leading domestic staffing agency helps us attract top-quality professionals. We are proud to work with candidates who have completed long-term assignments through us and have returned to us for further placement. Our marketing, advertising and referral programs combined with our established network allow us to work quickly to fill client staffing needs with quality candidates. Then our thorough screening process begins.

The candidates represented by our Agency are required to have verifiable previous work experience in a home or similar industry. As the employer, your job description will determine the type of experience and background a candidate needs to meet your requirements. Our candidate pool consists of a wonderful variety of ages, ethnic and educational backgrounds and experience levels. This diversity allows us to offer you a wide range of profiles to match your unique needs.

The candidates you meet through us will have completed a detailed application as well as an interview with our Placement Specialist. Grapevine Placement Agency requires all candidates to complete a rigorous pre-screening, personal interview, reference verification and independent background check process. Initially, candidates are pre-screened for work eligibility in the United States, work history, skill assessment, communication skills and attitude and job preference.

Upon completion of the interview, the candidate’s references are checked by phone. At your request, you will be provided with detailed reference summaries for review. In addition to verifying recent work experience, we request legal documentation. Background checks are an important part of our process of pre-qualifying candidates.

At the agency’s expense we perform background checks that consist of:

• Criminal Files convictions nationwide that include convictions and charges
• Civil Files Nationwide
• Sex Offender History
• Child Abuse Reports
• Credit Check
• DMV Clearance
• Proof of Vehicle Insurance
• Proof of Vehicle Registration
• Social Security Trace
• Fingerprinted
• CPR & First Aide Certification

If the candidate is placed in a position we arrange to have their fingerprints registered with TrustLine, California’s background check for in-home childcare providers. Our final requirement is that the candidate is willing to commit to a family for at least one year or what the employer has required.

The entire process can take from 3-7 weeks from registration to hire. When we receive your registration forms, applicants will be presented to you shortly after our consultation and interviews will be arranged at your convenience.

You will be searching for an experienced Placement Specialist who will help you create a job description that will address your needs. Your Placement Specialist will let you know about all of the appropriate candidates that match your job profile. We schedule candidate interviews at your convenience and tailor your search based on your ongoing feedback. When you meet a candidate you are interested in hiring we will coach you through the Working Interview and help you write a detailed contract. After many years of placement, we have found that the execution of the working trial has been the best indicator of success for both employer and employee.

As part of the pre-employment conditions, candidates who are considered “ideal” for the job are offered the job based on successful completion of a working trial. The following is the guidelines for the Trial Working Interview.

Working Trial Interview:

The employer/client/ clients representative must agree to pay a previously agreed upon salary to any candidate who accepts an offer of employment and agrees to work for the employer the suggested 2-5 day working trial. The employer/client/client’s representative is required to pay a previously agreed upon salary for the time a candidate works during their trial working interview.

There is a non-refundable $500 Registration Fee that will allow you access to our qualified candidate pool. The Placement Fee for our service is due if a candidate is hired, directly or indirectly by an employer who has listed their job opening with our Agency. Our fee is due when an offer of employment is accepted and an agreed upon start date has been confirmed by the employer and future employee.

Please call for Placement Fees.

When applicable, there is a fee of $135 for the TrustLine Registration / FBI check.

Indirect fee: Employers who introduce candidates who have been introduced to the employer by our firm to another employer will be responsible for payment of the placement fee.

The entire placement fee becomes non-refundable once a Candidate begins her employment with your family. In the event that you and your employee separate during the first 90 days, there will not be an additional charge to begin the interviewing process over. After the 90 days, we will offer you a partial credit of your original fee to be applied towards your search. This credit is pro-rated depending on the duration of your Candidate’s employment in the first year.

Our On-Call Membership allows you to access our services for one year. Appropriate placement fees are also charged when a Nanny is to be placed.

We personally interview all candidates to ensure they have the right attitude and aptitude for this kind of work. They first must complete an application and go through an interview. If they have the background and qualifications we are looking for, they are background checked. They must complete infant/child CPR and first aid training. Although driving is not always required, they must submit a driving record issued by the DMV that is current within three months. They also must have previous child care or adult care references. Only those who pass all these requirements qualify for placement.

After signing on to the On-Call Service you can hire a nanny with-in 24-hours, sometimes sooner.

A nanny is responsible for the care and welfare of the children. The Family is requested to submit an application to customize what is expected of them.

No. When you are on the on-call service, we send you who we think would best fit your families needs and expectations according to your completed Family Application.

Since we are a referral agency we provide you with qualified candidates. You pay the nanny directly. The hourly rate paid directly to the nanny is as follows:

• $25-30 per hour for 1 child
• $30-35 per hour for 2 children
• $35-40 per hour for 3 children
• $40-50 per hour for 4 children

*There is a four-hour minimum that must be paid to the nanny per sitting. Gratuity is optional. The fees and hourly rates may vary per county, the age and number of children and special circumstances.

Nannies are considered independent contractors. Typically, any person who is within the Families household is covered under the homeowner/renter’s insurance policy. This could be verified with the pertinent insurance agency. Since the Agency only refers the candidates they are not obligated to ensure licensing or bonding but exercise due diligence in screening the candidates.

1. Safety – The stringent background screening, reference and qualification checking of our nannies ensures that you’ll have the best care available for your child.
2. Save Hassle – Screening potential Nannies is time-consuming and can be expensive.
3. Be Prepared – For last minute, emergency or even date night needs.
4. Annual Subscription Fee Structure – For most families, the annual fee structure is more cost effective than paying per-time agency fees, as well as ensuring a higher quality of Nannies.

Treat your nannies as the highly qualified professionals they are. Nannies will come expecting to play with and teach your children, so their primary duties should be child care, not housework. Nannies will not cancel on you (extenuating circumstances aside), so please give them the same courtesy. Also, please be sure to read the nanny rate information.