First Interview Help

[MG&Lsmom]

Since my thread got deleted when I got banned this weekend I'm starting again.

I've worked in centers and as a private nanny, but never interviewed a family to come here. Everyone has a been friend or acquaintance/coworker and they all came before I decided to get licensed. Which has worked out so well until this last time and why I decided to open slots to the "public".

The family looking to interview called me from a CL post. They do not speak English very well (not a bad thing, just made it difficult to talk over the phone) and have never had their son in dc before. They had their ESL teacher help with some questions to ask me over the phone (and they were great questions too which leads me to believe they are looking for good care not just dumping their kids somewhere).

How do you conduct interviews, what do you have available to them, when do you do it? Etc? Etc? Etc?

And FWIW, the stranger thing makes me more nervous than the language barrier. I speak 3 languages and taught foreign language and ESL for a number of years. Unfortunately they don't speak any of my languages. LOL. And it interests me to learn theirs and introduce it in my curriculum.

[Michael]

Sorry about that. It happens sometimes when we have a lot of spam. On the weekends it always increases.

We have some earlier theads on interviews:

https://www.daycare.com/forum/tags.php?tag=interviews

https://www.daycare.com/forum/tags.php?tag=interview

[ninosqueridos]

For interviews, after I do a quick pre-screening on the phone, I will schedule the in-person interview on weekend mornings. This works best for my family as my DH can keep our own kids occupied for awhile while I give the prospective family (and yes, they must bring their child!) my undivided attention.

I print out my handbook as well as contract, and I walk through the handbook with the parents. This is usually a GREAT way for questions to come up as we discuss the various topics in the handbook. Once I walk through the handbook (while sitting in my childcare space), I walk through the other rooms I use for childcare as well as a quick peek at the backyard....and then I invite my own family into the room so I could introduce them to the prospective family.

Do you know if they will be bringing a "translator" for the interview? I schedule an hour for interviews, so I'd think it could take awhile longer if they don't speak English too well. Good luck!!