Nanny Contract Checklist: What Singapore Parents Should Agree

“Help with childcare” leaves several questions unanswered. Which children are included? Who takes over when the booked hours end? What happens if a date changes? A useful agreement gives both sides a place to find those answers.

Use this guide to review a proposed nanny arrangement in Singapore. It is a discussion checklist, rather than a contract template or a determination of employment status or legal rights.

Identify the arrangement before reviewing the terms

Ask who you are entering the agreement with and who will provide the care. Are you buying a service from a provider, engaging a self-employed caregiver or employing someone directly? Record the parties’ names, contact details and responsibilities.

MOM distinguishes a contract of service from a contract for service: the first involves an employer–employee relationship; the second involves an independent contractor carrying out work for a fee. MOM also says there is no single conclusive test to distinguish them. The actual working arrangement matters, so seek clarification if the position is unclear.

Do not transfer one set of terms to another care model. Private nanny care, the ECDA Childminding Pilot, confinement support and employing a migrant domestic worker are different arrangements. A pilot fee or deposit should not be assumed to apply to a private nanny booking.

Write down care duties and their boundaries

List the children included, the care location and the duties being agreed. Feeding support, play, rest routines and personal care each need usable instructions. Discuss allergies, additional support needs and the caregiver experience required before confirming suitability.

Separate child-related preparation or tidying from whole-home housework. Ask whether a requested task is included and how it fits around care. For example, putting away the child’s used play materials and cleaning the whole flat are different requests.

• Which children and duties are included?
• Which tasks need a separate arrangement?
• Are outings, collection or transport included, and what handover permissions apply?
• Who can approve a change to the care scope?

EduNanny’s private nanny service page says duties are agreed before care begins and that baby bathing is not included in its private care. Read the actual provider’s scope; a general checklist should not add services to a booking.

Make the hours and handovers precise

Record the start date, booked days, start and finish times, and any agreed recurring pattern. Identify who hands over at the beginning and who takes responsibility at the end. If a parent will be working at home, agree when the nanny should ask for help and how that contact will happen.

Ask how extra time is requested, whether it can be accommodated and what charges apply. Make a takeover plan for times when an extension is unavailable. Write down the arrangement for a caregiver absence rather than assuming replacement care is guaranteed.

Review fees, payment and changes together

Ask for the full cost of your proposed arrangement, including applicable taxes, minimum booking requirements, travel or additional charges. Record the payment dates, payment method and any deposit or advance-payment terms.

For a trial or introductory booking, confirm the dates, fees, duties and how either side can decide whether to continue. There is no trial length prescribed by this checklist. Review the terms actually offered.

• What happens if you cancel or reschedule?
• What happens if the provider cannot deliver the booking?
• How are unused hours, deposits or refunds handled?
• How can the arrangement end, and what notice or charges apply?

Use the proposed agreement and relevant official guidance to resolve these points. Avoid relying on a general statement that a particular notice period, trial or payment practice is standard for every nanny arrangement.

Keep the care brief and communication plan close

The agreement sets the arrangement; a care brief makes the day easier to understand. Prepare the family’s current care instructions, relevant contacts, supplies and authorised handover details. Confirm how updates will be shared and who should be contacted when something changes.

Discuss photographs, sharing information and access to the home as part of the practical handover. Agree the intended channels and permissions. Keep the care brief current, and make sure the person providing care receives agreed changes.

Use a final seven-point review

1. Parties and arrangement: who signs, who provides care and what responsibilities each side has.
2. Care scope: children, location, duties, boundaries and any outings.
3. Schedule: start date, days, hours and takeover at the end.
4. Costs: full charges, payment dates and any deposit or trial terms.
5. Changes: extra hours, absence, rescheduling, cancellation and ending the arrangement.
6. Communication: care instructions, updates, permissions and relevant contacts.
7. Confirmed record: a copy of the agreed terms and written clarifications for both sides.

Read the proposal against this list, mark the unanswered points and discuss them before committing. If a legal or employment question remains unresolved, obtain advice suited to the actual arrangement.

For EduNanny private care, share your child’s age, location, dates, hours and requested duties through the private nanny enquiry page. The team confirms suitability, availability, fees and booking terms; an enquiry alone does not confirm care. For more practical nanny reading, browse our nanny articles.

EduNanny® is part of BUTLER. “Care for every little chapter.”