Many parents are addressing their child care needs by hiring nannies, professionals dedicated exclusively to the care of their children in the family's home. Newspaper ads, word-of-mouth by friends or online resources are all ways a couple or parent can find an available nanny.

More than 40 percent of women who work outside the home are mothers of children younger than 18, according to government statistics. It's safe to say that most mothers work, whether part- or full-time.

Most mothers would welcome some help, which may explain some of the popularity of nanny reality shows. A nanny can be a mom's best friend — her ally in raising happy, loved children — but many mothers have no idea how to find a nanny who fits their lives and budgets.

"Increasingly, families are choosing the individualized attention nannies provide over other child care options like traditional day care," says Kathleen Webb, president and co-founder of www.4nannies.com, an online resource that has helped connect more than 16,000 families with nannies since 1997. "Finding a nanny who is right for your family, and whom you can afford, doesn't have to be a complicated, frustrating process."

Webb offers the following advice when seeking a new "best friend" for mom:

• Know what you want and need. "Parents should make a list of what they want in a nanny," Webb says. Decide on her duties, and what qualities and experience level she must have to meet your needs. "Establish your budget so that salary won't be a stumbling block later."

• Start looking. Common ways to find nannies include newspaper ads, nanny agencies and networking with family and friends. Online resources, such as www.4nannies.com, are a low-cost alternative to agencies. The Web site streamlines the pre-screening process, just as search agencies do, for a fraction of the cost agencies charge. Families can search for nannies based on a number of criteria, including location, age, experience and expected salary.

• Make contact. Once you've identified some candidates, pick up the phone or send an e-mail. Let the nanny know you're interested in talking to her and briefly outline your needs. It's too early for an in-depth discussion, but this preliminary contact should help you and the nanny determine if your interest is mutual.

• Meet your nanny candidate. Invite her (or him) to your home to meet your family. If distance makes a face-to-face interview impossible, you'll need to conduct an in-depth phone interview. However you conduct your interview, be sure to ask open-ended questions, not ones that will elicit a simple "yes" or "no." Suggest specific challenging situations — such as a tantrum in the grocery store — and ask how the nanny might deal with them.

• Check references and criminal background. Studies show that the overwhelming majority of employers never bother to check references.

"As a parent hiring someone who will be caring for your child, you simply can't afford to be that lax," Webb says. After you've chosen your nanny and made a preliminary offer of employment, check her references, including work and character. Next, obtain a professionally done criminal background check. You will need her full name, date of birth, Social Security number and a signed release. Beware of Web sites that promise "instant" background checks. Often, these sites are searching online public records databases that are incomplete or outdated.

"The criminal background checks provided by www.4nannies.com are physical records checks that include a Social Security number trace and in-court criminal records search," Webb says. "Typically, you will get the results of a physical records check in two to three business days."

To search an online database of more than 1,600 nanny candidates across the country, or for additional tips on how to find a nanny, go to www.4nannies.com.