Nanny of the Year FAQS
Greta Schraer, NOTY Committee Chair
The International Nanny Association (INA) has presented the INA Nanny of the Year (NOTY) award at our annual conference, beginning in 1990, to recognize the personal achievements of a working nanny. Whether you are new to the INA or have been around from the start, we hope you notice the efforts to promote the professional nanny and to raise the standards of professional child care in the home. The NOTY award is just one piece of this.
WHY HAVE THIS AWARD?
The INA seeks to highlight the positive contributions nannies and professional caregivers make and the INA Nanny of the Year award serves as an educational portal, providing a unique opportunity for the public to learn about those who truly are professional nannies. The INA Nanny of the Year serves as an example of the best kind of nanny and as a positive role model for our association and the in-home child care industry.
WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR NOMINATION?
The NOTY award recipient not only represents the nanny/professional child care industry but also the INA and it’s membership, the requirements of nominees are high. To be considered a nominee, candidates must:
- Be a current Member of INA.
- Have a minimum of 5 years of experience as a nanny or specialized nanny (newborn care specialist, traveling nanny, governess, temporary nanny, etc.) in the in-home child care industry.
- Be currently employed full-time as a nanny or specialty nanny. In the US, full-time employment, based on the Fair Labor Standards Act is defined as working 40 hours in a seven-day period, or a minimum of 2080 hours per year. Outside the US, the equivalent to your country of current employment.
- Be legally able to accept employment in the country of current employment.
- Be legally paid as defined by country of current employment.
- Be nominated by someone other than themselves.
Candidate applications will be checked to ensure that all the candidates meet these requirements and confirm their nominations by mid-November.
HOW IS THE AWARD RECIPIENT DECIDED?
Once confirmed, candidates will have just over 11 weeks to complete their digital portfolio where they submit a comprehensive package of information including: detailed work history and background, letter to the selection committee, education/credentials, reference contact information and letters of reference, essay questions, images that capture them in their role, and, if any, resources they have been a part of developing (training, articles, etc.).
Mid-January, the 2020 NOTY Selection Committee will review the submitted information. All candidates will be informed if they have made it through to become official NOTY Nominees. At this point, the NOTY Selection Committee will begin the selection process. The current NOTY, as part of the Selection Committee, will be setting up phone interviews with each Nominee. Nominee interviews and all reference calls will be completed and recorded for each of the Selection Committee to review and complete the evaluation form, individually. An average of the scores will be calculated and confirm the award recipient.
Nominees will be judged on the following criteria with each section being worth the percentage marked:
Performance – 40%
- Quantity of experience (beyond 5 years) – 10 points
- Breadth of experience (ages, specialization, etc) – 10 points
- Volunteer Involvement in Nanny Industry – 10 points
- Childcare-related Education, Training/Certifications +/or Credentials – 10 points
References – 30%
- Professionalism as cited by the Nominator – 5 points
- Reference #1 – 5 points
- Reference #2- 5 points
- Reference #3 – 5 points
- Reference Letters within the Application Portfolio – 10 points
Presence – 30%
- Application Portfolio – Content (quality, appropriate & completeness of answers) – 5 points
- Application Portfolio – Confidence (presence, personality, comfortability) – 5 points
- Interview – Content (quality, appropriate & completeness of answers) – 5 points
- Interview – Overall presence (confidence, personality, comfort) – 5 points
- Overall professionalism as cited by the Selection Committee Volunteer – 10 points
Nominees must also submit to and pass a full comprehensive background check with no felony record. This background check may include a driving record. They must also agree to attend the 2020 INA Conference and be registered by January 15, 2020.
CAN A NOMINEE BY NOMINATED AGAIN?
Absolutely! Just because a nominee was not chosen as the award recipient, they are not disqualified from the award, in fact, it is encouraged that nominees consider accepting a future nomination. Past recipients in some cases have been nominated 2 or 3 times and this in no way discredits their potential; each year is a fresh start as the Selection Committee is newly selected each year and only serves that year.
WHEN IS THE RECIPIENT ANNOUNCED?
In years past, the recipient was a big surprise that was announced during conference but in the most recent years, it has been hard to communicate with the nominees and award recipient without the surprise leaking out. We have found that it is just as big of a surprise if announced before conference. This year we will announce the nominees with photo and bio to the public in March. We will announce the award recipient a few weeks prior to the conference via social media and blog.
WHAT ARE THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE NOTY AWARD RECIPIENT?
The NOTY award recipient becomes an example to the nanny industry at-large beyond! The NOTY is encouraged to promote the profession and organization as they are able. They are required to:
- Agree to accept the NOTY at the 2020 INA Annual Conference April 30 – May 3, 2020 in Montreal, Canada and give a 5-minute speech.
- Become familiar with the INA website and recommended practices of nannies, agencies and business owners, exams, and benefits of membership.
- Be available and visible to attendees and press during the INA annual conference. Attend conference workshops and assemblies socializing with attendees during scheduled networking breaks and social functions.
- Be available to the media in the coming year. Submit content to the Weekly Brief ( INA’s blog) editor and potentially a webinar.
- Be available to serve on the NOTY Selection Committee the following year (2021).
- Agree to attend the 2021 INA Annual Conference to present the NOTY to his/her successor.
- It is encouraged that the NOTY take the Nanny and or NCS Credential Exam if he or she has not already done so.
- Be aware that although he or she is not the official spokesperson for INA, when speaking to the public, the INA Nanny of the Year represents all nannies and the INA—rather than his or her personal views.
To read about the requirements in complete detail, please reference the 2020 INA NOTY Info Packet
HOW CAN I PARTICIPATE?
It’s our sincere hope that if you know an outstanding nanny or professional childcare provider, you’ll consider nominating him/her for the INA NOTY award. This is your chance to recognize an employee, a nanny you have matched, a peer, a mentor or a friend that exemplifies what it means to be a professional childcare provider. This year’s deadline to nominate is Oct. 30, 2019. In addition, you can participate by positively promoting the award, the nominees and the recipients (past and present) with the goal to attract more awareness to our industry.