CINCINNATI — With kids going back to school this month, many families are working to secure childcare and nannies for their children, but many are finding it almost impossible. 

What You Need To Know

  • Families are scrambling to find nannies for their children with school going back in session

  • Lauren Fohlen has been searching for a nanny for months for her daughter

  • Local nanny agencies said it's a combination of COVID-related problems that have caused more families to need nannies and fewer nannies available

  • Fohlen said she realized she wasn't alone when she saw several other families dealing with the same issue online

​​​Take Lauren Fohlen, for example. She's been spending hours online — Facebook, Care.com and the like to find a new nanny.

“I was setting notifications on every page and the second that anybody was actually a nanny looking for a job, the second anyone posted, within a few minutes there were probably 20 comments, 'I PMd you, I PMd you!'” Fohlen said.

Fohlen works from home full time, but her 16-month-old daughter Nora demands full-time attention.

The family’s current nanny is a college student going back to in-person classes this fall.

“It was very exhausting and very stressful," Fohlen said. "We’ve been looking for several months now.”

So Fohlen has been on the hunt, messaging more than 50 candidates to find the right one.

Kristina Blum, a placement provider at Your Happy Nest, a local nanny agency, said a combination of COVID-related problems has created a larger demand and fewer nannies to fill the positions.

“Families are starting to panic at the moment," Blum said. "Candidates, we’re usually seeing five to 15 applications a week right now for nannies and that’s probably about 20% right now.”

Blum, a mom of two, said she relates to parents like Fohlen and shares this advice to families.

“If I had a nanny right now with all the conversations about what’s going to happen this fall with the delta variant, I would not feel comfortable letting my candidate go right now," Blum said.

For Fohlen, she’s noticed she’s not alone.

“We need a support group for all the moms looking for nannies right now!” Fohlen said.

But thankfully, all the hours on Facebook paid off. Fohlen just found a nanny.

“It’s just such a huge weight off my shoulders," she said.

She said she’s relieved to have someone keep an eye on Nora while she works, and she has her own words of advice for parents in the same situation.

“Be patient," she said. "But also be aggressive!”