English-speaking nannies in Utrecht
Utrecht sits in the middle of the country and is the point most Dutch trains pass through, which makes it a practical base for a family where two parents work in different cities. The university and the Utrecht Science Park bring in researchers and clinicians, and a steady stream of families who arrive for a few years and stay longer.
It is a compact, cycling city, and a busy one for young families. Daycare places are commonly spoken for well ahead, and the early end to the Dutch school day catches out most parents who have moved from elsewhere in their first term.
A nanny lets you build the week around your actual schedule rather than the other way round, and you agree it with them directly.
Three steps to a nanny in Utrecht
No agency in between, and no contract that ties you in.
Browse reviewed profiles
Create a free account and filter by city, language and availability. Browsing costs nothing and always will.
Request an introduction
Tell the nanny about your family and the care you need. They read your request and accept it if it is a good match.
Meet and agree directly
Once a nanny accepts, you both receive each other’s contact details. You meet in person and agree hours and rates together.
What we check — and what we don't
Every profile is reviewed by our team before it appears in the directory. Here is exactly what that means.
- Identity confirmed — before publishing, each nanny either sends ID photos or has a short video call with us, whichever they prefer. Document copies are deleted after the check; only the outcome is kept.
- Profile review — we read every profile before it goes live: the experience described, the way it is written, and whether it gives you enough to decide who to contact.
- Certificates — a VOG (Dutch certificate of conduct) or paediatric first-aid certificate appears on a profile when the nanny holds one. Neither is required to join, and plenty of experienced nannies do not have them. Ask to see the original document when you meet.
- References — nannies describe their own past families. We do not contact referees, so ask for their details and call them yourself.
The Verified by Expat Nannies badge means our team completed these checks for that profile before publishing it. If a nanny changes key profile details, the badge comes off until we have reviewed the profile again.
We confirm identity and review each profile; we do not employ nannies and cannot guarantee fit. Always meet in person, check references yourself, and do a trial day before you commit.
What you pay, and what nannies pay
Nannies never pay to join, be found or receive an introduction, and we never take a cut of what a family pays them. Creating an account is free, and browsing the directory is free — it needs an account because every profile here is a real person.
Families pay only to send introduction requests: a single introduction is €14.95, a Search Pass covering thirty days is €29, and the urgent search for care needed today or tomorrow is €35. Nothing renews by itself. Nannies set their own hourly rate, which you see on the profile and agree with them directly.
Good to know about Utrecht
- International schooling is available in and around the city, and many international families use Dutch or bilingual schools instead.
- Utrecht Science Park is a world of its own on the eastern edge — the commute in and out of it shapes a lot of family timetables.
- Almost everything here happens by bike, so ask a nanny how they would do the school run before you agree anything.
Childcare in Utrecht
Every daycare in Utrecht has a waiting list. Can a nanny bridge the gap?
This is the most common reason families start looking. Waiting lists for daycare are a normal fact of life in Dutch cities, and a place almost never becomes free on the date you need it. Utrecht is a young city with a lot of small children in it, and the daycare lists reflect that. A nanny can cover the months in between, or become the long-term arrangement if it suits you better. You agree the scope directly with them.
Can I find part-time or after-school care in Utrecht?
Yes. Nannies set their own availability, and plenty offer a few days a week or afternoons only rather than full weeks. Two or three set weekdays, after-school afternoons, and cover for the days a commute makes a school pick-up impossible are the usual shapes here. Dutch primary schools finish earlier in the afternoon than many international families expect, which is why after-school hours are such a common arrangement.
Which languages do nannies in Utrecht speak?
English is the working language for most international households in Utrecht, often alongside Dutch and whichever language the family speaks at home. You can filter profiles by language once you have a free account, so you can see who actually speaks what before you send anything.
How quickly can we be introduced to a nanny in Utrecht?
That depends on the nanny. You send a short introduction request describing your family and the care you need; the nanny reads it and accepts it if it is a good match. As soon as they accept, you both receive each other’s contact details and you arrange to meet. Nobody is obliged to reply, and if a nanny never does, you cancel the request and your introduction credit comes back.
Nearby
Dutch cities sit close together and many nannies cover more than one, so it is worth looking at the places next door as well.
Start your search in Utrecht
Creating an account is free, for parents and for nannies alike.