At a glance
The placement process.
- What we place
- Nannies, nanny–family assistants, governesses and educational nannies, family assistants, household managers, and maternity nurses or newborn care specialists.
- Where we work
- Canada and the United States, with the ability to assist international searches.
- How a search runs
- A private consultation, then a household brief, then a shortlist of personally assessed professionals — reviewed with you in one private place.
- How fees are structured
- An initiation fee to open the search, then a placement fee calculated as a percentage of the professional's annual salary or placement period. Both are confirmed in writing before anything begins.
- Typical timeline
- Most searches move from brief to introductions within a few weeks; the pace follows the household, never a quota.
- If an appointment does not hold
- If an appointment does not work out within the first ninety days, we conduct a replacement search at no further placement fee.
- A consultation
- Carries no fee and no obligation, and is held with Janneke directly.
Defining success
Success measured in human terms.
We want to understand not only what the appointment will do, but the difference that person’s presence should make. So we ask the family to imagine the placement has gone well, and then we ask:
- What feels easier inside the home?
- What is the family no longer worrying about?
- What does each parent have more time or capacity to do?
- How are the children’s days improved?
- Which routines become calmer and more dependable?
- How should the household feel at the end of an ordinary week?
These conversations let us define success by how a household feels, rather than by tasks completed or hours worked.
The consultation
Relaxed in tone, purposeful in structure.
Every search begins with a private consultation led by Janneke and Courtney. It is designed to feel warm and unhurried while still following a considered framework.
Families are not expected to arrive with a written job description, or even to know the correct title for the person they need. Often they only know that something in the household is no longer working as well as it should.
We guide the conversation carefully, seeking to understand:
Where the enquiry is led by a personal assistant, household manager or representative, we also clarify who will take part in the process, who holds final hiring authority and how communication should be managed throughout.
The brief
We do the work behind the scenes.
Families should not have to navigate a lengthy application, repeat the same information or try to translate the complexity of a household into a standardised form.
We capture the relevant detail on their behalf during the consultation, hold it securely, and prepare a confidential Household Hiring Brief that guides the search. The brief brings together:
The family reviews and refines the brief before the search formally begins, so that everyone involved is aligned on what is being sought and what a successful placement should accomplish.
The search
The search and placement journey.
Every enquiry is acknowledged personally and promptly. Where a family comes to us through a trusted relationship, the referral is handled with particular care.
We clarify who should be involved in the first conversation and adapt to the family’s preferred channel — email, telephone, WhatsApp or video call.
“I was looking for a temporary nanny for a UHNW family at short notice. Janneke was communicative throughout and quickly found someone who was a perfect fit for the role.”
The appointments
The appointments we support.
Nannies
Career, live-in, travel and rota nannies, placed around the needs and rhythm of the household.
Governesses & Educational Nannies
Professionals supporting a child’s learning, confidence, routine and broader educational development.
Nanny–Family Assistants
Childcare-centred hybrid appointments that also include defined family logistics and household support.
Family Assistants
Professionals managing calendars, appointments, travel preparation, errands, household administration and the invisible logistics surrounding family life.
Household Managers
Experienced professionals overseeing staff, properties, suppliers, standards and the day-to-day operation of a private household or estate.
Maternity Nurses & Newborn Care Specialists
Dedicated early-stage support shaped around the baby, the parents and the needs of the household. The precise scope, qualifications and nature of the appointment will depend on the family’s location, requirements and relevant local standards.
What is included
What the search includes.
A search is far more than access to candidate profiles. Every engagement includes:
Reach
International searches, shaped around each household.
Ayla & Storm is based in Canada and available for select international searches.
Each engagement is considered individually and structured around the family’s location, requirements and relevant local considerations.
Invitation
How will the right person make life meaningfully better for every person in this household?