What is a nanny?
Nannies:
Nannies look after your children in the family home, usually while you are working. They can provide high quality, flexible childcare in the familiar surroundings of the family home. They can look after children of any age and should provide plenty of fun and learning opportunities in a safe environment. Nannies can often work flexible hours and can be a suitable option if you work at times when other forms of childcare are not available. Types of nannies you might come across include:
Live-in Nanny
This type of nanny lives with the family they are working for. The family provides them with board and lodging in addition to their salary.
Daily Nanny
This type of nanny comes to the family home each day. Baby-sitting in the evening might be arranged as part of the terms of employment or in exchange for extra pay.
Nanny-share
An arrangement whereby a nanny is shared by two families. If a nanny is shared by more than two families, they may be required to register as a childminder. Not all nannies are trained and there are no legal requirements for a person applying for a job as a nanny. Nannies can, however, now register with Ofsted on the voluntary part of the Ofsted Childcare Register (OCR). Using registered childcare will give you greater reassurance that essential standards have been met. Also, eligible parents who use registered childcare can access financial support through the childcare element of working tax credits or employer supported childcare vouchers. For more information on registering your nanny contact: www.ofsted.gov.uk
Mother's Help/Parent's Help
Mother's helps usually work alongside you, helping with childcare and general household work. Mother's helps are unlikely to have formal childcare qualifications, but may be experienced. Some nannies start working as Mother's helps and then they 'graduate' to become nannies.
Maternity Nurses
These are specially trained to take care of new babies for up to three months after the birth. They generally live with the family. They can be very expensive! Most new mothers who emply maternity nurses find it a very good option as they can rest after the birth.