Find out about Nanny jobs and what to look for when choosing a nanny.

1. Quick Guide: Nannies
July 2013

2. What is a Nanny?
A nanny is a person, male or female (male nannies
are affectionately known as mannies) who is
trained in childcare, either formally or informally
(practical experience) who is competent enough
to take sole charge of children at any age.
A nanny often has a close working relationship
nurturing her charges in the absence of the
parents or support parents in raising children
together.

3. Types of Nanny
Nannies can work part time or full time, live in or live
out either as a shared care role or sole charge of the
children.
If you have a shared-care nanny, the parent should
take the lead and give the nanny a certain amount
of responsibility. For example, the nanny can take the
children out for walks or play at the park, dropping
and picking up at school.
Nannies are employees and can work on a part time
or full time basis. Nanny shares (where 2 families share
1 nanny) is also a popular choice to save on
childcare costs.
Nannies can live in pr live out. The latter is more
common as not many employers have the right
accommodation.

4. Duties of a Nanny
A nanny’s duties are predominantly childcare
related. For very young children, a nanny can be
responsible for all aspects of care of an infant, from
changing nappies to making baby food, bathing
and keeping the infant clean.
For toddlers a nanny may be asked to assist with
potty training, taking the child to playgroups, mother
and toddler groups or being dropped off at nursery.
For older children a nanny may be asked to do the
school runs, make packed lunches, ironing for the
children, keeping their rooms clean.

5. Working Hours of a Nanny
Most nannies work a 5 day week with babysitting
and weekend work as extra. Most nannies will be
expected to work set hours with a small degree of
flexibility built in in case parents are late home.
Part time nannies will work fewer hours and often in
a shared-care role as the main carer may be at
home.

6. How much does a Nanny
cost?
This depends on your location and the experience
of the nanny. Salaries vary from £400 a week
upwards and the employer is responsible for
paying the nanny’s tax and NI contributions. A
nanny is regarded as an employee and is subject
to the usual holiday entitlement of 4 weeks plus all
the public holidays.

7. Nanny Qualifications
Technically nannies do not need any qualifications
to practice and many parents would use their
childcare experience with very young children as a
more important and relevant guide rather than
paper qualifications.
A nanny should have a First Aid Certificate and
enhanced CRB check.
The number of qualifications available make it very
difficult to judge how competent a nanny is.
Cont….

8. Nanny Qualifications
Typical qualifications a nanny may have are as follows:
 NVQ – National Vocational Qualifications are
recognized competence-based qualifications.
 CACHE
 City & Guilds
 Edexcel offer BTEC Qualifications
 Degree Courses
 Montessori

9. www.findahelper.co.uk
The safest, easiest and most affordable way to find every type of
helper in the home.
Findahelper provides a great Free resource for finding out about helper
jobs and How to guides on a wide range of subjects about childcare,
carers, and help in the home.