Nanny Contract Template: Clauses Families and Nannies Should Discuss

Use a written nanny agreement to discuss schedules, pay, duties, time off, termination, household rules, confidentiality, and regular reviews.

Nanny arrangements can become unclear when schedules shift, duties expand, paid time off is interpreted differently, or compensation changes are left for a future conversation. A written agreement gives the family and nanny one place to record the employment or service arrangement they have approved.

Employment classification, payroll, leave, overtime, termination, privacy, and child-care requirements vary. The contract should be adapted to the location and reviewed by qualified advisers where needed.

What a nanny contract needs

1. Hours and schedule

Record regular working hours, guaranteed hours if applicable, breaks, overnight or travel expectations, schedule-change notice, and how additional time is approved.

2. Pay rate and payment schedule

State the approved rate or salary, payment schedule, overtime handling, reimbursable expenses, payroll arrangements, and any paid holidays or guaranteed-pay terms.

3. Clearly bounded duties

List child-care responsibilities and separately identify any approved household, transportation, meal, laundry, pet, or administrative tasks. Include a process for agreeing to material changes.

4. Sick days, vacation, and family cancellations

Explain paid and unpaid leave, notice expectations, backup-care responsibilities, illness protocols, and what happens when the family does not need scheduled care.

5. Ending the arrangement

Record the expected notice, final payment and property-return process, while recognizing that statutory rights and immediate-termination rules may apply.

6. Household rules and safety protocols

Include allergies, medication boundaries, screen time, food, transportation, authorized pickup, visitors, emergency contacts, communication, and incident reporting.

7. Confidentiality and family privacy

Describe reasonable expectations for household information, photographs, social media, devices, documents, and conversations without restricting rights that cannot lawfully be waived.

8. Review date

Schedule a review after an initial period and at regular intervals to discuss duties, hours, compensation, child needs, and any written updates.

Use supporting records

A contract works best alongside a family intake, daily care plan, health and allergy disclosure, pickup authorization, attendance log, emergency authorization, and incident report.

Template Pro-Suite’s Nanny Starter Kit brings these records together with a Nanny Service Agreement and profession-specific intake, consent, care, readiness, attendance, emergency, and incident documents. Explore the Nanny Starter Kit.

Editorial note: This article provides general operational information, not legal, employment, payroll, tax, child-care, insurance, privacy, or regulatory advice. Requirements vary by jurisdiction and working arrangement.