A nanny or nursery nurse is an individual who is qualified and/or experienced to offer child care services. A nanny is usually typically employed to provide care to infants from the moment they are born until they are around 7 years of age. A nanny should also facilitate the educational development of the child they are caring for. As a parent, you can either hire a nanny on a live-out or live-in basis based on your personal preferences, current circumstances and budget. A good way of tracking expenses, taxes and wages is by using Payroll for Nannies. Note that live-out nanny typically charge more compared to live-in nannies.
What Is The Role Of A Nanny?
A nanny can handle a wide range of responsibilities including:
- Cleaning the laundry used by the children
- Cleaning the children’s room as well as the play equipment
- Preparing meals for the kids
- Dropping and picking kids up from their nursery or school
- Planning extra-curricular activities such as visits to the library and/or swimming pool
Simply put, a nanny should work together with the family where they are employed to ensure the children that they are taking care of develop wholesome both academically and socially.
A Simplified Guide On How To Find A Great Nanny For Your Children
For a long time, most parents have relied on a nanny agency to find a nanny. A nanny agency usually identifies suitable candidates and then provides employment guidelines for parents. If you are hiring a nanny through an agency, ensure that you ascertain the references provided by your prospective nanny. It is also advisable that you speak to previous employers to gauge the work ethic of your potential nanny.
Today, there are many websites that offer nanny placement services such as www.nannyjob.co.uk. If you are relying on a website or the recommendation of a friend to find a nanny, you should ensure that you check the references provided by each candidate and as well as the reviews left by past employers.
Other key considerations to keep in mind when searching for a nanny include:
Their Employment History
Your prospective nanny should provide you with their employment portfolio. If there are any gaps in the employment record, the nanny should be able to offer detailed and realistic explanations for the gap in the work history.
Skills/Qualifications
Before hiring a nanny, ensure that you carefully scrutinise their qualifications. To understand the qualifications that you should look for in a nanny, you can check out the recommended qualifications for nannies as provided by the Council for Awards in Children’s Care and Education (CACHE) which can be found at www.nannyjob.co.uk.
How Will The Nanny Handle Discipline Issues?
Before hiring a nanny, ensure that you query them on how they will handle discipline issues that may arise when you are not around. This is important since your prospective nanny may have a different approach to discipline than the one you advocate for your kids.
Skills
Ensure that your potential nanny explains how they will guarantee that your children meet their educational and social development goals.
What Are The Views Of The Nanny In Regards To The Safety Of Your Kids?
Before hiring a nanny, ask questions on how they will ensure that your kids remain safe both inside and outside the house.
The ideal nanny should understand what is expected of them and have strategies in place to ensure that your expectations are met.
Note that the job description of a nanny does not include that they undertake normal household duties unless it is a role in their job description.
Lastly when searching for a nanny, it is important that you gauge how they interact with your children. Based on how a nanny interacts with your kids, you will be able to gauge if they are a good fit for the job at hand.