The Associated Press

Most parents looking for in-home child care hope to find an employee who will be kind, gentle, interactive and fun - basically someone who will love a child almost as much as the parents do. But there certainly are some practical considerations, too.

Do potential nannies know CPR? Do they know what constitutes a nutritious meal? Do they know the stages of child development so they can properly stimulate and help educate youngsters?

Nannies can show their knowledge and expertise thanks to a new test created by the International Nanny Association, a nonprofit educational organization that has nannies and nanny employers among its members.

The INA Nanny Credential Exam assesses personal qualities and professionalism. Child development, communication, child guidance, multicultural-diversity awareness, learning environment, safety, management, health and nutrition are addressed in the 90-minute multiple-choice exam.

Before sitting for the exam, INA recommends that nannies have a minimum 2,000 hours of professional child care experience and requires a current certification in infant-child CPR and first aid.

A nanny that passes the INA test receives a certificate which can be added to her resume or portfolio.

Details: www.nanny.org