Author: admin

Questions Nannies Should Ask Parents

Interviews can always be daunting! When nannies are preparing for an interview, the first thing they do is practise their answers. By now, they will be used to the crucial questions they will be asked. E.g.  “Why did you choose nannying as a career?” Or “What are your views on childcare.”

What nannies also need to consider is what they’re going to ask when the parent asks that on-the-spot question “Do you have any questions?” Of course a polite answer is to say that they have been very thorough and given all the details you need. Remember that this is a two way process… this is much about the nanny as it is about the family.

A good nanny interview tip would be to show interest in the position & ask well thought-out questions, it will give the opportunity to find out more about the family & their expectations….

Nannies Inc., a premium London nanny agency, recently placed an Ofsted registered, qualified nanny and the mother commented on not only was she polite and gave a good impression, but she was prepared. I asked the nanny to share some tips on how she prepared and she said she took a list of questions with her.
Some of these included:

  • Ask about the family’ routine – what they like doing, their interests, what activities the children enjoy, how they want the day to be structured.

 

  • Ask about expected duties e.g. babysitting, housework etc. This will give the nanny the opportunity to know what is expected of them and whether this is in line with their expectations.

 

  • What method of disciplining do the parents use?

 

  • Are there any house rules the nanny needs to know of – e.g. special diets, religious beliefs, no shoes etc.

 

  • Don’t be afraid to ask about working hours, holiday and the dreaded question about salary. There is no point in being shy about these things, it is best to be upfront.

 

  • Ask to see the home, look at the playroom or especially if the nanny is live-in, ask to see the accommodation & what is provided.

 

The nanny said that she also closed the interview by showing she was interested and asked when the decision would be made and expressed her interest. She also recommended following up with a text or emailing a few hours later to thank the parents for their time.

Now, with these interview tips in mind, it’s time for you to go get that dream job! Good luck!

 

This guest post was written for http://www.nannyjob.co.uk by a Recruitment Consultant at Nannies Incorporated. To find out more about or to view their nanny positions, visit their website here.

 

Creating a portfolio

More and more nannies are taking a portfolio with them to interviews, to present their qualifications and other paperwork and demonstrate their style of childcare to prospective employers. A good portfolio is well-organised, neat and relevant. A battered file stuffed with tatty pieces of paper won’t impress anyone – in fact it will probably do more harm than good – so you need to pay attention to what you choose and where you put it.

 

First impressions really count. Whether it’s a funky scrapbook or a sleek leather wallet the outside of your portfolio sets up expectations for what parents will find inside. You should present a coherent and authentic image, so if you are a creative person show that your personality carries over to your work with children. Everyone can put things in a folder, making yours different, even if it’s choosing blue leather rather than black, will make you memorable.

 

Parents will expect to see your qualifications ordered logically. You can order them chronologically or by area (general childcare, maternity specific, Montessori etc). You don’t need to present all of your First Aid certificates, just the most recent will do. It can really help parents to create a quick overview of what your course involved and what you learnt alongside the certificate. Many certificates don’t give any more information than the date and title of the course so giving additional detail will help prospective employers see how the study you have done makes you a better nanny.

 

Some nannies like to include sample menu plans or weekly activities for different ages. These can help parents see what they can expect if they employ you, especially for first time employers who may not really know what a nanny does on a day to day basis. By including a typical menu you can demonstrate your cooking skills and your understanding of nutrition. If you like to present food in new and interesting way then jazz up your menu with some photos (and if you don’t have any ideas hop over to our pinterest board to see what we like in the kitchen). Showing what you might do in a typical week also shows your understanding of appropriate activities for various ages and stages, and gives parents an idea of whether you’re a nanny who likes to get out and about to classes and on playdates, or one who likes crafting, or one who’s at the beach or in the forest in all weathers. Throughout your portfolio you can include photos of activities you’ve done with past charges to bring your experience to life. Do get permission from your previous employers before including them though!

 

Last, but certainly not least, you should include copies of all your references and testimonials. It’s unlikely that a future employer will want to contact a temp job you did 10 years ago but you probably got a glowing reference and you should be proud of it.

 

What else would you include in a portfolio? Let us know!

 

 

Vitmain supplements

Government health guidance in the UK says that children aged 6 months to 5 years should be given vitamin supplements in the form of drops to boost their levels of vitamins A, C and D. We look at why.

 

Vitamin D

This is a difficult vitamin to get from food alone and in the winter the UK doesn’t usually get enough sunlight to cover our needs. Using sun cream and covering up in the summer also prevents us from storing vitamin D which means many people are deficient. Vitamin D deficiency affects bone development, causing problems such as rickets.

 

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is important for a strong immune system, healthy skin and vision. It’s found in dairy products, carrots (so they really do help you see in the dark), sweet potato, swede, mango and dark green vegetables like broccoli and spinach. If you have or care for a fussy eater, or notice that your child is often poorly, then a vitamin supplement might help.

 

Vitamin C

A bit of a wonder-vitamin, getting enough vitamin C is important for general good health, boosting your immune system and helping the body absorb iron. It’s mostly found in fresh fruit and veg, which is why sailors used to get a vitamin C deficiency disease called scurvy. Most people know that oranges are a great source of vitamin C but there are also high levels in kiwi, tomatoes and peppers.

 

A vitamin supplement should never replace a healthy, balanced diet which contains lots of fruit and veg, but it can give children the extra boost they need if they aren’t meeting their daily requirements from diet alone. Supplements come in many forms, as syrups and as chewy sweets. Your Health Visitor or pharmacist will be able to advise which supplements are best for your child.

Sickness etiquette

It’s a fact of life that people get ill, and those in contact with small children more often than most. One of the advantages of a nanny is that they will care for poorly children, but an oft cited disadvantage is that you rely on one person for your childcare, as you do with a childminder, and if they are sick you have no childcare. The sooner everyone knows about any sickness, the easier it is to deal with the disruption.

Tips for parents:

Sick children: As we said a nanny will normally care for sick children as part of their job, but it’s always good to give your nanny a heads up before they arrive. If your nanny is female and your children have an illness which could be dangerous in pregnancy you should warn your nanny in case they are in the early stages and haven’t told you.

Sick parents: There’s no reason your nanny shouldn’t come to work but they might need to adjust their plans slightly to give you the peace and quiet you need to recuperate.

Sick nannies: Before employing a nanny it’s a good idea to have a backup plan in place. Local nanny agencies should have temporary nannies available to work in your area or your employer may offer emergency childcare solutions. Most nannies will only take time off when they’re absolutely incapable of coming to work so even if it’s a day when you have a really important meeting try not to make them feel worse than they already do.

Tips for nannies:

Sick children: Your charges may want Mummy or Daddy, and many more cuddles than usual. Make sure your employers understand that your priority is your poorly charge and the usual jobs might not get done.

Sick parents: It can be hard having parents at home, especially when the children don’t understand that they need to rest. Don’t feel too awkward though – chances are they’re too busy feeling rubbish to listen to your out of tune renditions of head, shoulders, knees and toes at nappy change time.

Sick nannies: Call, rather than text, if you know the night before that you won’t be in the next day. Send a text between 10pm and 6am and follow it up with a phone call to make sure your employers know you won’t be in. If you can suggest any nanny friends who might be happy to cover all or part of the day, and it’s a good idea to have a list in the nanny diary at your boss’s house, then your employers will probably be very grateful.

What you aren’t expecting when living and working with children

Even if you’ve got experience with children, if you haven’t lived and worked with them full time, and you’re not a parent yourself, these may take you by surprise!

 

1. Bumps and bruises

 

It’s surprising how strong these little people are! Whether you’re playing a game, taking a trip to the park or changing a nappy, you’re susceptible to bashes, knocks, and bumps which means that you’re covered in bruises yourself (especially if you bruise easily). I’m always finding bruises and trying to remember where I got them – it could be from anything, the baby dropping a toy on your foot, or an accidental kick when pushing a child on the swings!

 

2. Sleep

 

We all know that not all children sleep through the night, especially when they’re young, but what surprised me was the amount of different things that can disturb the night. From bedwetting, to ‘I just can’t sleep’, night time feeds, illness and nightmares… And then they will be up early in the morning too!

 

3. All things slime

 

Who knew how much snot and dribble could come out of those little humans! If they’re a bit older, they’ll deal with a lot of this themselves, but for young children and babies, it’s a constant battle to wipe noses, change nappies, and clear up dribble!

 

4. Laundry

 

You might have heard about how much laundry a baby makes, but did you ever think that some of that would be yours? A jumper you may have once been able to wear a few times before a wash, now might not last a full day!

 

5. Creatures

 

If your charges are at school or nursery, it is likely that they will come into contact with all kinds of germs and parasites. Think headlice, worms and chicken pox. Sadly these things aren’t contained just to the child and will most likely be spread to you, which means nitcombing and medicine for you too! Yuk!

 

6. Getting attached

 

Even after all of that, you will grow to love the little monsters. They’ll make you smile, give you cuddles and do some very cute and funny things so if you take a holiday away, expect to miss them!

 

Thanos for sharing, Cate! If you have something you’d like to share just drop us a line on frances@nannyjob.co.uk

The importance of being professional

What makes a professional nanny? It’s a question that comes up time and time and time again and I’m yet to find a satisfactory answer. It’s one I’ve attempted to answer hundreds of times in the course of my job. When someone asks me what a nanny is, I can tell them. When someone asks me what a nanny does, easy peasy. Then they spring the million dollar question on me – what makes a professional nanny?

Nannies don’t have to be registered. If they were it would be easy. We could say that a professional nanny is one that’s registered. Job done. But the current OFSTED register has nothing to do with professionalism, and you don’t even have to be on it which means there are hundreds, if not thousands, of professional nannies out there who don’t need to go through the hassle because their employers can’t get childcare vouchers. Then, dare I say it, there are people on the register who don’t deserve to be called professional nannies at all. Anyone can spend a weekend taking a course, pay up for insurance, get a DBS check. Hey presto! You’re OFSTED registered, but you’re not professional. You may not even have a job.

But just having a nanny job, or even having been a nanny for a couple of years, isn’t enough to make a nanny professional either. Professional nannies take pride in their work. Professional nannies are the ones who are constantly observing and reacting to their charges’ needs. Professional nannies understand the importance of ongoing training and personal development. And there’s a whole unspoken code of behaviour that professional nannies adhere to as well. For example, no professional nanny works without a contract and no professional nanny leaves a job without giving the notice in the contract. No matter how much you hate the family, a professional nanny doesn’t up and leave. You can, professionally, negotiate a reduced notice period or offer to take any holiday due, but you don’t just not turn up for work. Of course you can rant and rave and threaten to walk out but when it comes down to it you wouldn’t. 

Walking out is just one sign of a lack of professionalism. A professional nanny wouldn’t go through their bosses’ wardrobe and wear their clothes. A professional nanny doesn’t socialise on work time without permission. A professional nanny doesn’t eat their employers out of house and home. It’s all about boundaries. A professional nanny knows where they are, and if s/he doesn’t then s/he is professional enough to ask the question.

So already a professional nanny is one who makes a career out of it, who keeps up with the latest guidance and research, who seeks to develop his or her skills, who has a legal employment relationship with the parents of his or her charges, who communicates in a clear, sensitive and timely way with their employers, who respects boundaries…. I could go on, but it would take me all day and it’s not really supposed to be the point of the blog post. No matter what you think being a professional is, being professional is important.

No nanny exists in isolation. Even when there are no other nannies in the area the actions of a nanny towards his or her change and his or employers represent all nannies everywhere. You may be the only nanny a person sees, and if nannies as a profession want to be taken seriously then all nannies need to act it. Next time you go to a nanny interview and the parents sit there and want to pay you a net salary without declaring tax and national insurance it’s your professional duty to explain why it’s wrong. When you need to discuss something that isn’t going well having a track record of acting professionally means that your employers or an agency will take you more seriously. And when you see unprofessional behaviour from another nanny you need to call them on it.

I know what you’re thinking. “Hang on a minute. I need to be professional but we don’t know what professional is….even someone from the association of professional nannies doesn’t know what it is”. Yes, to a point. But I’m thinking you know what professional means to you, and I’m thinking you have an idea of what is and isn’t acceptable behaviour for nannies. So even if my idea of professionalism and you idea of professionalism aren’t identical, I think we can agree on the broad picture, and I think it’s time to act.

Frances Norris is the Policy & Review Officer for the British Association for Professional Nannies. She is involved in representing nannies to the Government, most recently concerning the tax free childcare scheme and giving evidence to the Childcare Payments Bill committee. She is still working on an answer to get her million dollars.

Nasty payroll surprises and how to avoid them

It’s the time of year when parents are doing their first payroll run with a new nanny and if your initial sums were out it can be an unpleasant experience discovering that you’ve got a higher bill than you thought you had.

Problem #1 Nanny has another job

Even if it’s a Saturday job, if she had that job first she’ll be on a BR tax code with you, which means no tax free allowance and all earnings taxed at 20%. It used to be possible to split tax codes but HMRC are very reluctant to do that since real time information (RTI) was introduced. If you agreed a net salary then you are liable for all the tax and National Insurance contributions, which can be a lot more than you bargained for.

Problem #2 Nanny has a student loan

Student loan repayments kick in above £325/week (£1,409/month or £16,910/year) gross.  9% of the amount above this salary needs to be paid to the Student Loans Company on the nanny’s behalf, and you’re also liable for this if you agreed a net salary, which if a nanny is earning £2,250 a month is an extra £75. Nannies with degrees are becoming increasingly common, and most of those who have studied in the UK will have taken out a student loan. An even nastier surprise is where you think you’ve employed a nanny and are paying under the repayment threshold but overtime has pushed them over.

Problem #3 Nanny has a special code      

HMRC allocate codes based on an individual’s situation. Most people with one job will have a standard tax code (for 2014 this is 1000L), however if a nanny has to pay back tax which was underpaid in previous years or receives benefits in kind they may have a special tax code which reduces their personal allowance (for example 700L which means they have a personal tax allowance of only £7,000 for the year), increasing your tax liability if you have agreed upon a net salary.

The simplest way to avoid any nasty surprises your end is to agree a gross salary in the contract. That way you know what your costs are, and you deduct the amount of tax (and anything else) your nanny is required to pay rather than adding to your bill.

Don’t judge a nanny by her weight

There’s a bit of a debate going on in a Facebook group at the moment about agencies asking for personal details like weight and height on application forms, and on our own Facebook page earlier in the week we posted a link to an article about a teaching assistant who was told to cover up her tattoos at school which got quite a reaction, so we’re wondering, why does appearance matter so much, and is it okay to ask these things?

Most parents will say they try to teach children not to judge people on their looks, and they’ll mean it. We all know that your height, which you don’t have any control over, is no indicator of anything other than the height of your parents! So we don’t go round judging people according to whether they’re tall or short. We also know that hair colour doesn’t affect how good someone is at their job, so we don’t tend to use that to make judgements. But people are often judged or stereotpyed for thir weight and expressions of their personality like hair dye, tattoos and piercings.

Apparently being over a certain number on the scales means you’re automatically unfit and unhealthy. You must have bad eating habits or be unable to run around after children. It’s understandable with all the concern around childhood obesity that parents want their nanny to be a good role model. The reality is that numbers don’t mean a lot, so that kind of information on an application form tells you nothing about someone’s lifestyle or their fitness levels. The only way to really find out is to interview them and ask alongside all the other questions, which is only fair since it gives them an equal chance.

Tattoos, hair dye and piercings are even more emotive. On the one hand we’re encouraging children to express themselves and ignore the boundaries society wants to impose, particularly regarding gender. On the other we’re telling nannies (and teachers, nursery workers and anyone else working with children) that they have to conform and hide their tattoos away and keep their hair a naturally occurring colour. There are some legitimate safety concerns about small hands and piercings, but just as sensible nannies avoid wearing large hoops or dangly earrings to work with children who are likely to grab them and pull, those with facial piercings will want to minimise any potential damage to themselves and wear small studs or bars to work.

So just like you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, don’t judge a nanny by his or her appearance!

Au pair vs nanny

What is an au pair?

An au pair is a young person, usually aged 17-25, who comes to the UK with the aim of improving their English and/or experiencing life in another country. They can come from any country in the European union or certain other countries which are eligible for a Tier 5 Youth Mobility Scheme Visa, including Australia, Canada, Japan and New Zealand. They live with a family (there is no such thing as a live out au pair) and are provided with a bedroom, all meals and some pocket money in return for some light childcare and helping with household chores. They should be included in family activities such as days or meals out too.

What do they do?

Au pairs usually look after children aged 3+ outside school or nursery times, although they may work alongside a parent caring for younger children or do short periods of wraparound care. They can prepare simple meals, play with children, supervise homework (although they may not be able to help), take children to and from activities and do chores such as sweeping the floor, washing up or tidying up toys.

What can’t they do?

Au pairs are not suitable for full time care, especially of young children. A reliable au pair may be able to provide a few weeks of full time care in school holidays for additional pay or time off. They also don’t do heavy cleaning such as cleaning windows or bathrooms (except their own) or family laundry.

How much are they paid?

An au pair is usually paid £70-100 per week. If they are paid above the lower earnings limit you will need to register as an employer. You may also need to register as an employer if they get another job, for example a Saturday job. You will also be expected to provide some form of transport so they can get to English classes etc unless everything is within walking distance. In London this is usually an Oyster card, outside London it is more common for an au pair to be provided with a local bus pass or bicycle or be insured on a car.

 

VS

 

What is a nanny?

A nanny is a qualified or experienced childcarer who is able to take sole charge of children on a full or part time basis. They may be of any nationality as long as they have the right to work in the UK and any age from 18 to 70+. They can live in or live out and are paid a salary, from which tax and national insurance must be deducted by their employer.

What do they do?

A nanny will take care of everything to do with the children, from feeding and changing to providing educational activities, making food and bottles to children’s laundry and cleaning their bedrooms. Some nannies are also willing to batch cook meals to freeze for the children or the family or take on PA duties such as waiting in for parcels or repairmen and picking up dry cleaning. They will supervise and help with homework and music practice and may work overnight or at weekends in a proxy parent role.

What can’t they do?

There is virtually nothing a nanny can’t do, but there are limits to what most will be happy to do. Nannies are not housekeepers, they do not usually tidy up after parents or manage the house. They also can’t fly using an umbrella.

How much are they paid?

The 2013 nannytax salary survey showed that nanny ranges varied from £318 to £672 gross for a 50 hour week. Live in wages are typically lower than live out.

Pitching a nanny salary

Pitching a nanny salary can be difficult. No two nanny jobs are the same, ever family has different requirements and expectations, and even jobs with many variables in common might be advertised with very different salaries. There are four main things which affect a salary: location, the nanny’s profile, the demands of the job and perks.

To get an idea of salaries in you local area look at jobs which are being advertised. The nannyjob.co.uk search feature will enable you to do this and includes jobs through agencies which can offer a good guide to what nannies are really looking for and what nanny agents feel is a reasonable salary for the nannies they place.

Just as every job is different every nanny is different. There are all kinds of nannies from those with no qualifications to those with relevant postgraduate degrees, those with no experience of nannying or even any childcare to those with many decades. Take into account the kind of nanny you want. Experience and qualifications come with a price tag, and an experienced nanny who feels undervalued won’t hesitate to look around for a better deal. Equally an inexperienced or unqualified nanny might be cheaper but will need more guidance and management from you and the time you need to invest may outweigh the additional cost of a more experienced nanny.

Think objectively about the demands of the job. Do you need to sweeten the deal? Long hours or a very heavy workload may need a higher salary to attract candidates. Travel might seem an attractive prospect but in reality it’s very disruptive for a live out nanny as they are still paying rent and bills. Even a live in nanny may have a gym membership she can’t use or have to cancel meeting up with friends. Although a nanny is paid on a per family basis, a job with 6 children will be less attractive than a job with 2 so you may need to offer more money to make it worth their while.

A nanny share represents increased work for the nanny, not necessarily because of the extra child (although dealing with children close in age can be more challenging than a sibling group) but because they then have 2 sets of parents to communicate with and please. Scheduling holiday becomes more complicated and there’s a risk that they may lose their job if the share falls apart. To reflect all this nanny share salaries are usually around 25% higher (gross) than a single family – still a cost saver for you!

Part time jobs tend to get more per hour gross – a nanny with multiple employers may end up being on a BR tax code since real-time reporting was introduced (which is why you should never agree net) so to keep their take home pay in line consider paying a little more. It’s also harder for a before and after school nanny to get a job during school hours, or an afternoon nanny to fill their mornings, so again consider paying a little more than a full time position would per hour so they can survive.

Job longevity is a definite perk. If your job is a relatively temporary one or your children are close to school age again you might need to offer a little more to compensate for the lack of stability, unless you can guarantee the job with the same pay but reduced hours in the future.

One of the most common perks is allowing a nanny to bring their own child(ren) to work with them. There are lots of different opinions on pitching a salary for a nanny with own child (NWOC). Some will say you’re paying for the experience and competence of the nanny and that stays the same even if she brings her child along. Others saying a 20-30% reduction is pay is appropriate because your children are no longer getting undivided attention, you cannot enter into a share to reduce your costs, you have increased wear and tear on your house and your nanny may be less flexible with hours. Remember you cannot pay less than minimum wage!

Finally the most important thing is what you can afford. There’s no point advertising £15/hour if you can’t afford it. It’s best to advertise a narrow range and keep some in reserve. We suggest aiming to keep round £1/hour to negotiate with comfortably. Although it may not feel a lot on an hourly basis you don’t need to go up in increments of £1/hour when negotiating – for most nanny jobs that’s £50/week, or £2.5k/year, so you can add £10 to the weekly pay even if it only works out to 20p/hour. This will allow you to offer an exceptional candidate that little bit extra at interview, or plan a pay rise in the future.