How to Set Up a Nanny Share in San Francisco
A nanny share can be a beneficial arrangement that allows San Francisco families to get the personalized, in-home care of a private nanny at a lower cost. But a successful nanny share doesn’t happen all on its own. It takes thoughtful planning and clear communication between families from the very beginning. Here's a step-by-step guide from SF Nannies to help you set one up the right way.
Find a Compatible Family Near You
This is the foundation of the entire arrangement and it’s worth taking your time. Start by looking through your personal network, local parent groups, neighborhood apps and nanny share matching boards. Working with a placement agency like SF Nannies can also streamline this process significantly, particularly when it comes to finding families whose needs and values genuinely align with yours.
Scheduling compatibility is the obvious starting point, but values alignment matters just as much. Before committing to another family, we recommend having an intentional conversation about parenting philosophy, discipline approach, screen time expectations, dietary preferences, vaccination status and communication style. These are the areas where day-to-day issues tend to emerge, and it’s much better to surface any differences now than to discover them well into your nanny share arrangement.
Decide on the Logistics of a Nanny Share
Once you’ve found a compatible family, it’s time to iron out the practical details. The first question is location. Will the share take place in one home or rotate between both? A single consistent location is the most common setup and tends to be simpler for the nanny and children alike, though some families prefer alternating.
Next, come to an agreement on the weekly schedule, including specific days, hours and start and end times. Talk through how you’ll handle schedule changes when they come up. If children’s ages are significantly different, that can greatly impact the daily routine. We also recommend discussing your backup plan for less-than-ideal situations that will inevitably arise. What happens when one child is sick? What if the nanny calls out? Having answers to these questions before day one prevents a lot of stress later.
Find and Hire the Right Nanny
If you’re working with a placement agency like SF Nannies, this step becomes considerably easier. Our team handles candidate sourcing, background checks and reference verification so you’re choosing from a pool of thoroughly vetted professionals rather than starting from scratch. That said, it’s still important that both families conduct interviews together so everyone can assess the candidates’ fit in real time.
Agree on Compensation and Benefits
Nanny share compensation follows the two-thirds rule. Each family pays approximately two-thirds of what they would pay for a private nanny. This means the childcare professional earns more overall than a solo position, which is fair compensation for the added responsibility of caring for more children and coordinating with two households.
Beyond the hourly rate, both families should align on other compensation needs, including any overtime policies, guaranteed hours, paid time off, sick leave, holiday pay and more. Making sure you’re on the same page with the other parents upfront helps to avoid uncomfortable conversations later.
Draft a Nanny Share Agreement
A written agreement protects both families and the in-home nanny. You’ll actually want two documents: a separate employment contract between each family and the nanny, plus a shared agreement between the two families that covers logistics, shared expenses and exit terms.
Key terms to include are compensation, schedule, guaranteed hours, overtime, paid time off, sick day policy, holiday pay, household responsibilities, host home expectations and termination notice periods. A trial period of two to four weeks is also standard and gives everyone a chance to confirm the arrangement is working before fully committing.
Set Up a Nanny Share with SF Nannies
Putting together a nanny share has a lot of moving parts, but the result is a childcare arrangement that genuinely works for everyone involved. Quality care for the children, fair compensation for the nanny and meaningful savings for both families. SF Nannies is here to support San Francisco families through every step of the process, from finding compatible share partners and vetting experienced nannies, to supporting contracts and onboarding. Contact our local team to get started today.
