Your Experience Deserves
a Credential That Matches It
A CERTIFICATION PROGRAM BUILT FOR NANNIES IN PRIVATE HOUSEHOLDS
Private childcare doesn’t fail because people don’t care. It fails because systems don’t exist. The Formator Institute™ was built to give experienced nannies the structure, language, and credential that families and agencies in this world recognize — and Adventure Nannies brought us here because they believe you deserve that too.
NOW ENROLLING
Certified Formator™
The credential for experienced caregivers working in private households with complex, high-expectation needs.
- Self-paced • 2-month access window
- Module quizzes + final exam
- Professional tools & templates
- Video content + case studies
- 1-on-1 coaching session included upon completion
$299
Get 10% off - Use Code FIAN1026 at checkout
IS THIS PROGRAM FOR YOU?
Private household childcare is its own world.
Most certifications don't know that.
No handbook. No backup. High expectations, complex dynamics, and professional judgment calls that standard training never prepared you for. Whether you're already working in private households or ready to make the move, the Certified Formator™ program gives your experience the structure, language, and credential that families and agencies in this world recognize.
THIS IS FOR YOU IF
THIS IS FOR YOU IF
You have real childcare experience and you're ready to specialize
You want to work with families who have complex, high-expectation needs
Career advancement pathway with a recognized credential
You want your expertise visible to families and agencies — not just felt
THIS IS NOT FOR YOU IF
THIS IS NOT FOR YOU IF
You're new to childcare and need foundational training
You want a quick certificate rather than a substantive credential
THE CURRICULUM
Five Parts. Twenty Hours. Built for Private Household Practice
Each part moves sequentially — professional identity first, then the systems, science, standards, and strategy that make Certified Formators™ distinctly qualified.
PART I – Professional Identity
3 hrs • Chapters 1-2
Reframe your positioning using professional language that opens doors. Learn to identify the outcomes affluent families invest in and bridge the gap between your expertise and how it's recognized.
PART II – Affluent Family Dynamics
3.5 hrs • Chapters 3-4
Multi-residence coordination, estate team collaboration, divorced parent structures, extended family navigation, family office interfaces, and high-profile privacy protocols.
PART III – Development Science
3.5 hrs • Chapters 5-6
Based child development methods applied across diverse family values, expectations, and parenting philosophies — without losing clinical grounding.
PART IV – Professional Standards
3.5 hrs • Chapters 7-8
Household employment law, worker classification protections, confidentiality protocols, professional rights, and advanced safety practices built for private household staff.
PART V – Career Mastery
3.5 hrs • Chapter 9
Integrate all parts into a strategic career advancement plan. Position for premium roles, negotiate compensation, and build a professional presence that commands recognition.
THE CURRICULUM
Five Parts. Twenty Hours. Built for Private Household Practice
Each part moves sequentially — professional identity first, then the systems, science, standards, and strategy that make Certified Formators™ distinctly qualified.
PART I – Professional Identity
3 hrs • Chapters 1-2
Reframe your positioning using professional language that opens doors. Learn to identify the outcomes affluent families invest in and bridge the gap between your expertise and how it's recognized.
PART II – Affluent Family Dynamics
3.5 hrs • Chapters 3-4
Multi-residence coordination, estate team collaboration, divorced parent structures, extended family navigation, family office interfaces, and high-profile privacy protocols.
PART III – Development Science
3.5 hrs • Chapters 5-6
Based child development methods applied across diverse family values, expectations, and parenting philosophies — without losing clinical grounding.
PART IV – Professional Standards
3.5 hrs • Chapters 7-8
Household employment law, worker classification protections, confidentiality protocols, professional rights, and advanced safety practices built for private household staff.
PART V – Career Mastery
3.5 hrs • Chapter 9
Integrate all parts into a strategic career advancement plan. Position for premium roles, negotiate compensation, and build a professional presence that commands recognition.
Enroll Now
Certified Formator™
Self-paced - 2-month access window
Your tuition includes everything below.
Only $299
Get 10% off - Use Code FIAN1026 at checkout
- Full 20-hour course access
- 9 chapters + module quizzes
- Final certification exam
- All professional tools & templates
- Video content + case studies
- 1-on-1 coaching session upon completion
- Certified Formator™ designation
Four Frameworks. Taught in Sequence. Applied for Life.
The Formator Method™ is built around four professional frameworks developed for private household settings. You’ll learn each one in sequence — building on the last — and leave with a complete system you can put to work immediately. Modern families rely on multiple caregivers, household staff, educators, and specialists. Childcare professionals carry responsibility without shared frameworks. These tools exist to change that — for you, and for the families you serve.
IMPACT
How you communicate your value to families, agencies, and future employers — in writing and in conversation — changes everything about how you're perceived and compensated.
LISTEN
Private households involve multiple adults with competing perspectives. This framework gives you the structure to navigate that complexity without losing sight of what matters most
SBAR
A clinical-grade communication structure adapted for private household environments — so your updates, escalations, and handoffs are precise and professional.
TRACK
The system Certified Formators™ use to create the kind of documentation families rely on, specialists reference, and that sets you apart in every household you serve.
Four Frameworks. Taught in Sequence. Applied for Life.
The Formator Method™ is built around four professional frameworks developed for private household settings. You’ll learn each one in sequence — building on the last — and leave with a complete system you can put to work immediately. Modern families rely on multiple caregivers, household staff, educators, and specialists. Childcare professionals carry responsibility without shared frameworks. These tools exist to change that — for you, and for the families you serve.
Coaching
What's Included:
12 weekly 1-hour virtual sessions
ICF-credentialed, evidence-based coaching methodology
Direct coach access via email throughout
Three structured assessments to measure progress
Tailored resources and tools personalized to your goals
An ICF-Level Formator Coach
$2,250
Dr. Virginia Schwager
$3,000
Limited Availability
This program is frequently covered as an employer-paid professional development benefit. Ask your family — or ask us how to make the conversation easier.
Your coach has been inside the world you're navigating.
Our coaching program meets you wherever you are in your career.
1:1 Nanny Coaching
Whether you're navigating a challenging position, preparing for a career transition, or ready to elevate your professional skills, our evidence-based coaching program gives you personalized guidance from experts who understand the private childcare industry inside and out
12 weeks. One hour per week. Entirely focused on you.
Work one-on-one with a Formator Institute coach in weekly virtual sessions tailored to your specific goals, challenges, and career stage. Your progress is measured at intake, midpoint, and completion — so growth is tracked, not assumed. Between sessions, your coach is available via email so support is there when you need it, not just on session day.
What's Included:
12 weekly 1-hour virtual sessions
ICF-credentialed, evidence-based coaching methodology
Direct coach access via email throughout
Three structured assessments to measure progress
Tailored resources and tools personalized to your goals
An ICF-Level Formator Coach
$2,250
Dr. Virginia Schwager
$3,000
Limited Availability
This program is frequently covered as an employer-paid professional development benefit. Ask your family — or ask us how to make the conversation easier.
Your coach has been inside the world you're navigating.
Our coaching program meets you wherever you are in your career.
1:1 Nanny Coaching
Whether you're navigating a challenging position, preparing for a career transition, or ready to elevate your professional skills, our evidence-based coaching program gives you personalized guidance from experts who understand the private childcare industry inside and out
12 weeks. One hour per week. Entirely focused on you.
Work one-on-one with a Formator Institute coach in weekly virtual sessions tailored to your specific goals, challenges, and career stage. Your progress is measured at intake, midpoint, and completion — so growth is tracked, not assumed. Between sessions, your coach is available via email so support is there when you need it, not just on session day.
The Formator Podcast
The private childcare industry, unfiltered. Candid conversations with the professionals, families, and industry voices shaping private childcare today. Hosted by Dr. Virginia Schwager.
EP 1: What It Actually Takes to Build a Nanny Agency Worth Trusting
Shenandoah Davis - CEO & Owner, Adventure Nannies.
Standards, vetting, and why the private childcare industry is overdue for a higher bar & more
EP 2: The Payroll Conversation Nobody's Having (But Everyone Needs)
Christa D. Nader - Agency Partner Manager, GTM Payroll Services
Payroll compliance, household employment law, and the tax mistakes that cost families and caregivers more than they expect & more.
EP3: The Gap Is Yours to Fill
Rachael Lubin - 2026 INA Nanny of the Year & Founding Board Member, Nanny Relief Fund
Rachael is a Certified Professional Governess, a full-charge nanny with nearly a decade of continuous placement experience
Unvarnished Room
EP 1: What It Actually Takes to Build a Nanny Agency Worth Trusting
Shenandoah Davis – CEO & Owner, Adventure Nannies.
Standards, vetting, and why the private childcare industry is overdue for a higher bar & more
Hear What Professional Nannies are Saying
Meet Dr. Virginia Schwager
The mind behind the Formator Method.
Dr. Ginny Schwager brings over 15 years of hands-on experience working inside complex private family environments. Her work spans child development, professional training, and the design of operational systems for households with multiple caregivers and residences.
Ready to Elevate Your Professional Identity
Take the next step toward becoming the caregiver families trust.