Parents, please read--this was a deeply upsetting and disturbing experience.
We were matched with a nanny through this agency who was presented to us as a top-tier candidate. Without warning, she quit on the very day we brought home our newborn--leaving us suddenly without childcare during one of the most vulnerable moments for our family. Any parent can understand how stressful and destabilizing that is.
In addition to our newborn, we also have a toddler at home who was already navigating a major life transition. Bringing home a new baby is a delicate adjustment for any young child, and consistency and stability are incredibly important during that time. Losing our nanny so abruptly only added to that disruption, making an already sensitive situation even more difficult for our family as a whole.
What followed made the situation even worse. Rather than a professional transition, she proceeded to criticize and insult both our parenting and our personalities. This came completely out of nowhere, as she had never once communicated any concerns to us beforehand.
After the fact, she began raising concerns about certain aspects of the role, including specific duties and the possibility of occasionally picking up additional days. What was especially frustrating is that these expectations were clearly outlined and agreed upon in our contract from the very beginning. Nothing she referenced was new or unexpected. At any point, she had the ability to communicate concerns or decline additional responsibilities if she felt uncomfortable, but that never happened.
When we spoke with Allison the following day, she acknowledged that the nanny's behavior did not meet the agency's standards and expressed sympathy, even stating that no mother should be treated this way--especially during the postpartum period. However, when it came to a resolution, her stance shifted.
She referenced the contract and claimed she could not control how "expectations may have changed," using this as justification for not making any exceptions. This reasoning is simply not valid. The expectations had not changed--they were clearly defined from the beginning, and the nanny always had the option to communicate or decline if she felt uncomfortable.
Despite the abrupt departure, the unprofessional behavior, and the timing of this situation, we were told we would need to pay an entirely new placement fee to be matched again--even though the nanny had not completed a full year.
As a business owner myself, I understand what strong business practices look like. Unfortunately, in this case, it felt that the focus was more on financial policy than supporting a family in an unusual and difficult situation. There was no meaningful accountability taken and no willingness to support a family placed in an extremely difficult and emotional situation.
Perhaps most concerning is that this nanny remains in their database, meaning another family could very well go through the same experience--while previous clients are left to bear both the emotional and financial consequences.
I will absolutely be sharing this experience through word-of-mouth so other families can avoid going through something this traumatic. I am not the type of person to leave a negative review, and it's something I truly wish I didn't have to do. However, no mother should have to endure the level of emotional distress and cruelty that my wife experienced just one day after bringing home our newborn--regardless of personality differences or opinions on parenting styles--and see no accountability.
I can provide our nanny contract, which shows the concerns she raised were outlined and agreed upon. The only breakdown in this relationship was your candidate's lack of communication; we have text evidence confirming she expressed no issues until she abruptly broke down. Regardless, the issue remains that your focus appears to be on protecting your financial interests rather than addressing an unjust situation for your clients.
I strongly encourage other families to work with a different agency read more
