In a nanny share, one caregiver looks after children from two families, usually together for part or all of the week. The arrangement can offer social contact and shared costs, but it creates more coordination than a standard nanny role. The families should align with each other before recruiting a caregiver.
Confirm that the families are compatible
Compare children’s ages, routines, parenting approaches, location, schedule, budget, pets, allergies, and expectations about illness. Families do not need identical households, but they must be able to resolve differences without placing the nanny between competing instructions.
Discuss discipline, food, naps, screens, outings, and how much flexibility each family expects. Identify the non-negotiables early.
Design one workable role
Write a single schedule showing when the nanny cares for both families and whether any hours involve only one family. Decide:
- which home hosts and whether hosting rotates;
- who provides equipment, food, diapers, and car seats;
- how pickups, drop-offs, and late parents are handled;
- what happens on school closures and family vacations;
- whether the caregiver drives and whose vehicle is used;
- how additional siblings or changing needs affect the role.
The caregiver’s total workload, not each family’s fraction, should guide duties and compensation.
Work out employment and payroll responsibilities
Do not assume splitting payment makes the nanny self-employed. Determine, with current Canada Revenue Agency and provincial guidance, whether each family is an employer, how payroll accounts and deductions will be handled, and how records will be provided.
Put the gross rate, each family’s share, overtime treatment, reimbursement, paid leave, public holidays, and guaranteed hours in writing. Obtain professional advice if the structure is unclear.
Create agreements for both relationships
Use a nanny work agreement signed by the relevant parties and a separate family-to-family agreement. The latter should cover costs, hosting, decision-making, confidentiality, property damage, cancellations, vacations, dispute resolution, and what happens when one family leaves.
No agreement should reduce the nanny’s minimum legal entitlements.
Plan health and illness rules
Agree on when a sick child stays out of the share, how parents disclose symptoms or exposure, and whether the nanny is paid when a family cancels. Include allergies, medication plans, emergency contacts, and authorization for medical care.
These rules should be practical and specific. “Use common sense” is not enough when two families may judge illness differently.
Give the nanny one communication system
Choose a shared channel for routine updates and define which matters remain private. Identify one contact from each family and decide how urgent decisions are made. The nanny should not have to negotiate schedule or policy disagreements while caring for the children.
Hold a short joint check-in after the first week and regular reviews thereafter. Include the nanny in discussions about workload, routines, and transitions.
Prepare both homes
If care rotates, provide safe sleep arrangements, age-appropriate equipment, first-aid supplies, childproofing, and consistent emergency information in each location. Review pets, alarms, cameras, exits, and authorized visitors at both homes.
Plan the exit before the start
Decide how much notice a family gives, whether the remaining family may offer a revised role, how deposits or shared equipment are handled, and how the children’s transition will be supported. A share can end for ordinary reasons such as school changes or parental leave; a clear exit process protects the working relationship.
Families can use NannyServices.ca nanny profiles to search for caregivers whose availability and experience fit the combined position. Present the share honestly from the first message so candidates can evaluate the real role.