Hiring a nanny is a big decision for any family, not least financially. So for first-timers or those considering taking the plunge, here are a few first-hand tips to help you through the process:
It's important to recognise the distinction between nannies and other forms of informal childcare that you may have utilised in the past, such as relatives, childminders, au- pairs or baby-sitters. Employing a nanny transforms you into a fully-fledged employer, with all the incumbent financial, legal, social and moral obligations. Nannies are childcare professionals who are actively pursuing their chosen career in the same way that you probably are.
As a general rule, I'd recommend using a specialist agency. Don't limit yourself to solely word-of-mouth or placing ads in the local paper simply to avoid paying an agency fee (painful, but chicken feed in terms of the overall cost). You'll only serve to limit your pool of candidates and end up having to do all of the leg work involved in drawing up a contract (a legal document, so beware!), references, police checking etc. Which agency to go with is (as with any agency) largely a matter of reputation, the efficiency of their service and the personal chemistry between you and the consultant. Established national chains are a pretty good bet. Try www.tinies.co.uk
Don't assume that a nanny is uniformly qualified to look after any child, regardless of age or sex. Nannies come with many different skill profiles. Some love babies, some find them boring. Some have a strong creative streak and have no problem filling your child's at-home hours with a stimulating variety of activities that would make a Blue Peter producer want to hire them on the spot. Others have to follow step-by-step instructions from a craft manual. Some have an impressive range of culinary skills. Others can only produce foods involving mince. Some prefer sole charges and so on.
Decide what matters to you and then recruit against this. Inevitably you will need to make compromises, but if you do then at least you can be reassured that it's in the area of desirable, rather than essential, attributes.
For example, unless you plan to be around all or much of the time, I would advise against employing a nanny for a new born unless they had prior experience. Likewise, if you don't work close to home, don't employ a nanny who isn't sole-charge experienced. Acceptable trade-offs might be weak culinary skills. You can always batch bake at the weekend and keep a stocked freezer.
Nannies are probably the most expensive form of childcare there is. For most people employing a nanny involves some degree of financial sacrifice, so it really is worthwhile taking the time to work through the full costs involved. Any nanny agency or payroll agency will be able to tell you what you can expect to fork out for in addition to your nanny's net salary (unlike most other professions, nannies' salaries tend to be negotiated in net figures). Most significantly, this includes your employers' tax and NI liabilities, but there are also other considerations such as any tax liable (on both your and your nanny's part) for benefits-in-kind such as the provision of a car. You should also factor in additional costs such as running a kitty or float for everyday expenses.
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