Confinement nanny red flags: what to watch for and what to do

Confinement nanny red flags come in two kinds: things she does once she's in your home, and things an agency does before you pay. Each one here is matched to what MOM, KKH, NUH, HealthHub or CASE says, so you can tell a real problem from a difference in style. If it isn't working, write it down, raise it once, then go to the agency. For red flags in her answers at the interview, see our confinement nanny hiring guide.

What to do if it isn't working, step by step

1. Write down what happened and when, in your phone's notes. Keep the agency's messages, your contract and every receipt in one place.
2. Call your doctor or polyclinic first if your baby or you might be unwell, or go to A&E. NUH says a fever in a baby under 3 months is a medical emergency, so bring the baby to the nearest hospital.
3. Talk to her about one or two specific things. Say what you saw and what you want instead, such as "Baby sleeps on his back in the cot, every time."
4. Call the agency, if you used one, when nothing changes. Ask for its replacement terms in writing, then check them against your contract.
5. Check the paperwork before a replacement starts. If she's Malaysian, MOM needs her written consent to apply for the permit, and must know her start date before she can work for you.
6. Cancel the Work Permit if she leaves for good. MOM gives you 1 week from the day she leaves Singapore, through its FDW eService, and the levy stops 1 day before cancellation. Our work permit guide has every cancel rule.
7. Keep her stay legal while she's still here. MOM says to extend her visit pass if it's running out, or an overstaying fine applies.
8. Take a money dispute to CASE: a deposit, a refund, or a replacement that never came. CASE gives free advice by hotline, email or walk-in.
9. Report an agency you think broke MOM's rules. Our agency licence guide shows where MOM links its feedback form.

Red flags once she has started

Most of these are about sleep, health and your recovery. The table pairs each one with what the official advice says, so it's never just your word against hers.

Our guides to safe sleep, newborn jaundice and C-section recovery go further on each of these.

Red flags before you pay an agency

These show up before she arrives, while you can still walk away.

• No written contract or quote. CASE asks for your signed contract and receipts when you file a complaint, so get both on paper.
• Full payment before you've seen a contract. CASE's prepayment advice is to ask about the refund policy before you agree, and to pay in stages instead of the full amount.
• A payment method with no protection. CASE notes that if you pay by credit card, you may be able to ask your card issuer to recover a prepayment for a service that never came.
• A name or licence number that doesn't match MOM's directory. Our licence guide walks you through the check.
• Being told a Malaysian nanny doesn't need a permit. MOM's Work Permit for confinement nanny exists for Malaysian nannies. A Singaporean or PR nanny doesn't need it.

Our guide on how to choose a confinement nanny agency lists the contract terms to get before you pay.

She's your employee too

A Malaysian nanny on MOM's permit works for you, at your home, for up to 16 weeks from the birth. You pay her levy, which MOM sets at $60 a month if your baby is a Singapore citizen and $300 if not. MOM also requires medical insurance for her: at least $60,000 a year for policies starting on or after 1 July 2023. So agree her rest and meals on day one, the same way you agree her duties. Our guide to what a confinement nanny does sets out what is and isn't her job, and the arrival checklist covers that first talk.

Ending early or replacing her

Your contract with the agency decides whether you can end early and what you get back. MOM's pages don't cover refunds, so read the termination and replacement clauses before you call.

MOM's rules decide the rest. The permit lasts at most 16 weeks from your baby's date of birth, and MOM says one applied for after the birth runs shorter. Those 16 weeks count from the birth, so a replacement's permit can't run past that date. After that, MOM says to apply for a Work Permit for a migrant domestic worker instead. If you'd like longer-term help, our confinement nanny vs domestic helper guide compares the two.

Money disputes: what CASE can do

CASE helps with disputes over goods or services you bought for personal or home use from a company registered in Singapore. That can include a deposit or refund with a nanny agency. Start with its free advice by hotline, email or a visit. If you want CASE to negotiate with the agency for you, it charges a nominal fee to follow up.

Bring your IC, the contract and your receipts. If talks stall, CASE says its officers will propose mediation, and a signed settlement is legally binding in court. CASE also names the Small Claims Tribunals of the State Courts for low-value disputes between consumers and suppliers.

Where to get help

• MOM, for permit and levy questions: its Work Permit for confinement nanny pages.
• MOM's EA Directory, to check an agency's licence: our licence guide shows how.
• CASE, for a deposit, refund or replacement dispute: submit a complaint.
• Your doctor, polyclinic, KKH or NUH, for any worry about your baby or your wound. Go to A&E in an emergency.
• If you feel low or anxious, our postnatal depression guide lists who to call.

Frequently asked questions

What should I do if my confinement nanny is not good?

Write down what's wrong, then raise one or two things with her directly. If nothing changes, call the agency and ask for its replacement terms in writing. If your baby's health is the worry, call your doctor first.

How do I replace a confinement nanny?

Ask the agency for a replacement under your contract, in writing. Cancel the first nanny's Work Permit within 1 week of her leaving Singapore. A Malaysian replacement needs her own permit, and MOM must have her start date before she works.

Can I end a confinement nanny contract early?

You can, but your contract sets what you pay or get back, since MOM's pages don't cover refunds. If she's on a Work Permit, MOM says you must cancel it once she no longer works for you. Keep her visit pass valid until she leaves.

How do I handle a confinement nanny deposit refund dispute?

Put your request to the agency in writing and quote the contract clause. If it won't pay, file a complaint with CASE, which can negotiate for you and propose mediation. Bring the contract and every receipt.

Can I hire a confinement nanny without a work permit?

Only if she's a Singaporean or PR. MOM's Work Permit for confinement nanny is for Malaysian nannies, and MOM lists employing a foreigner without a valid work pass as a criminal offence.

Which confinement nanny problems are real, and which are just style?

A real problem goes against your doctor's advice or MOM's rules: unsafe sleep, an unreported fever or yellow skin, or work for another family. How she folds clothes or which soup she cooks is style. Say what you'd like and let the rest go.