FAQs
What are your business hours?
Monday - Friday, 9-5. We are lucky to have the support of incredible nannies but as mothers of three and small business owners, JLF is scaled to this chapter of our lives. We hold Just Like Family along side motherhood and make ourselves available as often as possible.
Just Like Family is a nanny-family matchmaking service not a large agency; unless it is a time-sensitive matter with a current or past client, we are not available for calls on the weekends or after 5pm. Please email us instead and we will get back to you as quickly as possible.
When should I reach out to begin the process of finding a nanny?
It really comes down to location, amount of children, hours, job requirements and the time of year you are searching. If you feel your position might be unique, sending an application 8-10 weeks before desired start date is ideal. Otherwise, 4-6 weeks is great. We are also happy to help, based on our availability, if you’re in a bind and need someone to start ASAP.
An average placement takes 2-4 weeks.
Where do you do placements?
Our nanny network is strongest in the city and on the North Shore, but we have been doing more and more Western suburb placements and hope to continue!
Where do you find the nannies you work with?
Most of the nannies we work with are personal referrals; colleagues, friends, and family members of nannies we have worked with and placed over the past 3+ years. A handful of nanny referrals also come from our personal network having lived in both Chicago and the North Shore for over a decade. We are also on a couple scouting platforms always searching for some of the best childcare talent in the city!
Where do you find the families you work with?
Just Like Family is primarily a referral-based service. Chicago is a big city with a small town feel and our community has been so supportive in helping our small business grow! The process of finding a family their nanny is an incredibly personal endeavor, so we are just as thoughtful about the families we work with as we are about the nannies we work with. We aim to work with compatible families who understand the importance of creating an environment where their nanny feels safe, appreciated, and respected. We believe the responsibility of being welcomed into someone’s home to care for a child must be met with an equally professional and stable working environment.
Why do you have two placement packages when most agencies have one?
Chicago is expensive enough, finding experienced childcare should be an investment but does not need to cost every family a small fortune — especially those whose needs are not highly unique or specific. We are very proud of and confident in the career nannies we work with and have found not all families need or want the bells and whistles of a full concierge search. Our approach is thoughtful, high-touch and tailored to the needs of each family while also leaving room for parents to own a bit of the hiring process themselves.
Why the name “Just Like Family”?
The phrase “just like family” kept coming up throughout the scouting process from both the nanny-side and family-side. Every nanny has a different practice but the role of a nanny is arguably one of the most intimate professions. Although there are varying degrees of comfort with nanny-family closeness, we strive to pair families & nannies together accordingly and hope that once the the employer/employee piece of the relationship ends as the children grow up, that an element of familial closeness remains.
What is the best way to get started?
Please fill out an application! We would love to hear more about your family and your childcare needs and look forward to hopefully finding you a wonderful nanny :)