Finding a Nanny for your Family

Recently I have been thinking a lot about Instagram versus reality: one of my worries about working through social media was presenting a perfected image of parenthood. The food on the feed is eaten by my family and I, but it is styled to be shot for the feed. I certainly don’t style the food we eat on a daily basis and that is something I hope I am transparent about on the feed. In my mind it is difficult to encourage anyone to cook a recipe, if looks like a dog’s dinner! The food I photograph has a specific aesthetic and one that hopes to inspire followers to try new recipes. It can be a time consuming process: I plan the recipes I want to cook, recipe test them for several weeks, finalise the recipe, plan props and then shoot the food. I wouldn’t be able to post, write or photograph what we eat, without the help of a dedicated and totally supportive nanny.

After reading @pandorasykes brilliant ode to her nanny Mimi I started thinking about this post and how important it is for any working parent to be transparent about the support they receive, to keep all plates spinning. Whether you have loved grandparents, wider family, a brilliant nursery, or nanny, let’s not social media spin a pretence that everything is possible whilst flying solo. The first question I always get asked is... when do I get the time to write, shoot and post for Mimi’s Bowl? The truth is I have support and without it, it just wouldn’t happen. For me to follow my dream I have a structure in place, that allows me to make it happen. It is a luxury and one I am really grateful for. Saying I don’t have help to make it happen wouldn’t be real.

This feature is co-written with guest contributor Simone Wilson who runs a specialist and bespoke nanny agency. I have paid for and used their services myself, when looking for our nanny. Having been through the process myself I know how overwhelming it can be to find someone you feel you can trust with your children. I was lucky to have Simone, to help guide me through the process and I know she will have some incredibly insightful knowledge to share. She is particularly passionate about helping career focused parents get back to work after having a baby. This is so inspiring to me personally, as I think all parents need support to get a work/ life balance in their lives.

Top 10 tips for finding the right nanny

1. Getting started

It takes time to find a nanny, so you should start your search around three months before you want the nanny to begin. Many nannies need to give a one month notice period to their current employer and it can be disappointing if you find the right nanny but can’t wait for them to start.

If you want to use an agency, start by asking parents (who are like minded) for the name of a reputable nanny agency that they have used. Word of mouth is powerful and good agencies are built upon their reputation.

2. Job spec

Be clear about what you need from a nanny and create a detailed job spec to share with potential candidates. It is important there are no surprises and nannies know exactly what you are looking for from the start.

some examples of things to consider ~

ages and needs of your children, is there any corresponding experience that might be required?
number of days you require, hours (start and finish times)
salary offered, or a salary range you are prepared to offer based on experience
nanny duties: do you need someone who drives? do you have a car to provide? is there parking for a nanny who drives? do you have pets? is travel required? do you need additional babysitting?

3. Salary

Know your budget. Nannies come within all price brackets. The going rates can vary in London, or outside London. As a guide, this can be between £14-17 gross per hour which the nanny will take home around £11-14 net. You are expected to pay her taxes and National Insurance so the gross salary is what it will cost you and not what the nanny takes home. Be clear if you are offering a gross or net salary as there can be some confusion about this and it is always better to offer a gross salary so you know all the costs involved.

4. pointers for How to read a nanny’s CV

When looking through CV’s look for nannies who have stayed for a length of time with previous families, at least one to two years or even longer if possible. You should also check gaps in a CV and understand what the nanny was doing in this time If a nanny has moved around a lot it is important to ask why. Sometimes there can be really good reasons such as the family relocated, or decided to send the child to nursery; it is not always a reflection on the nanny not being good at her job.

5. how to interview + good questions to ask

Some parents prefer to first interview the nanny without their children so they are not distracted. Sometimes you are tight on time and it’s easier to meet the nanny in a coffee shop in your lunch break or in the evening at home once the children are asleep. By all means, plan an interview time that works best for you, however I always advise on having a face-to-face interview. The interviewing process is two way, so we always suggest you try to make the interviewee relaxed and ask open ended questions, starting with How? When? What? Why? Encourage the applicant to ask you questions, during the interview process, too.

A good way to start an interview is to tell them that you have read their CV and references and would they mind taking a few minutes to tell you a bit about themselves.

good questions to ask…

Why did they choose nannying as a career?
Go through their CV in detail and ask about each job and reasons for leaving each one
What qualities do they think make them a good nanny?
What do they enjoy the most/ least about being a nanny?
What qualifications do they have? For example, first-aid training etc
Discuss their approach to discipline: how they would deal with certain situations
Ask what their favourite developmental , educational and social play activities are
Are they happy to help with food preparation, cooking, feeding, nursery duties?
Talk in detail about their duties, hours of work, future holiday dates and days offered, start date etc

6. having a trial, with you and your children

After the interview stage, once you have shortlisted one or two nannies, it’s time to consider offering trials to the potential candidates. I always recommend you spend some time seeing the nanny in action with your child, or children by doing a paid trial. A nanny can sometimes be nervous and more reserved with parent’s but come to life with children. Start off with a few hours, or half a day, and if this goes well extend it for a few days to one week. It is really important you make sure the nanny is the right fit for your family and you feel comfortable with them. And vis-versa! Normally your gut will tell you she is the one and it will feel like the perfect match. Then you can make an offer and agree the terms of the role.

When offering a job agree to a settling in period, or handover, it is really useful for you to spend time with your nanny and children, to offer support and answer questions.

7. Payroll + your responsibilities

Speak to a payroll company so you are clear about your responsibilities as an employer: from insurances, to tax. Nannies should be employed, even if they are only part time and the payroll agency can guide you through the process. We work with and recommend nannytax.co.uk They can guide you as an employer and are able to offer a bespoke service, in return for an annual fee.

8. organising an employment contract

The contract of employment is between you and your nanny and should include all paid holiday, sick pay and contractual working hours and duties. Other things to include are the notice period (recommended at least one month), travelling with your nanny or overnight stays, use of mobile phone, eating meals when at work, use of car and petrol allowance. Homebodies has sample contracts we can provide families but we recommend you use a contract provided from your payroll agency as they offer up-to-date HR advice and support.

Have a look at the following links which will explain your responsibilities as an employer. Employers have to provide a workplace pension for eligible staff called ‘automatic enrolment’ as well as take out employer’s liability insurance.

https://www.gov.uk/au-pairs-employment-law/nannies and https://www.gov.uk/employing-staff.

9. Communication

Communication is the key to a successful relationship: make time for weekly/monthly catch up sessions, for feedback. Day to day communication is key also; some families have a family WhatsApp group with their nanny to share comments and photos, others have a diary and ask the nanny to write comments and important information. Find a system that works for you and your nanny.

Simone’s final words of wisdom…..

Having a nanny can be a most wonderful experience so make the most of it. A nanny can become part of your family and offer you a great deal of support. Many parents love coming home to see their little ones all bathed and ready for bed; seeing their children happy, well fed and content, just in time for a bed time story with you!

Homebodies London ~

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Homebodies is a specialist and bespoke nanny agency. Our objective is to find the very best and most suitable nanny for each family. We are different to our competitors by being a specialist nanny agency that only focusses on recruiting nannies. This dedication to nannies means that we know exactly what is required of both parties and we build relationships for the long term with families and nannies alike.