I'm 18 and I'm struggling to find work as a nanny/junior nanny - is there anything I can do?

Hi op,

I wouldn't worry about the driving thing. You will find a family who don't need a driver. I do have a car but I walk to work and walk everywhere with the kids. There just isn't the need for a car. And if there is, then we hop on the bus.
Driving is expensive, lessons, buying and car and insuring it. So that is obviously out of the question. So how about working on making yourself more employable in other ways?
First aid, I would get thay sorted asap. It's done in 2 days (if you need the ofsted approved one) or you can do it in 1 day for basic skills..
I would also work on experience, could you volunteer at a local rainbows/ brownies unit ? Tell them how serious you are about it and work towards a young leadership qualification? They may even pay for you to get your first aid course (win win!) You won't be getting paid but you won't be paying anything and will be gaining experience. There you could tell mums and dads that you're looking for babysitting work (or maybe even an after school nanny job) and start networking from there. You will also have a DBS done there (it won't be ofsted approved but fine if parents don't need ofsted registered ).
I started nannying aged 19, alongside my university degree. Great extra income and opened me up to nannying. However, I had been regularly babysitting since aged 14 for babies and older children, including overnight care aged 18, I had a job in an after school club for 2 years and had been a brownies young leader for as long as I can remember! So I had lots of experience. It all comes with time though. I moved recently and had to start all over again building up babysitting networks but it honestly pays off. Volunteer, meet people, help out at a local toddler group? All these things can help you meet people. Talk to anyone and everyone and tell them that you're looking for work. Someone wi know someone who's looking.
Good luck and please pm me if you need any more help!

Hi Nwando123

For me, the MOST important thing to me is that my children are looked after by someone who cares about them and keeps them safe. Driving isn't a big deal for me (might be for other employers though), and qualifications can always be gained. What you have is a genuine desire to work with children and that goes such a long way! Please don't be disheartened.

I really understand what it's like to have a difficult family situation. Reading between the lines I am sure that these issues have made you much more mature than your 18 years!

Once upon a time I was 18, just making my way in the world and desperate for someone to give me a break. Your post really resonated with me. It gets better, I promise! And there are people out there who will give you a chance.

Would you mind if I sent you a PM? I'm about to go back to work after 3 years home with my dds (7 and 2) and although we have our childcare sorted for the moment, we're looking into other options. I can't promise we'll be a good fit, but I'd love to talk more.

Your age/lack of experience wouldn't put me off but the non driving thing would.

We employed our nanny in her first nannying job when she was 19 and she is still with us 3 years later and she is absolutely fab! I actually much prefer her to the two "more experienced/qualified" nannies we had before her as she has really adapted to the style of our family. If for any reason she left us I wouldn't hesitate to go for a younger nanny again.

Sorry forgot to add- I had my full driver's license too which is absolutely essential where I live as nothing is in walking distance. I can't see this being such a big deal in London due to the huge amount of transport opportunities x

I agree with previous posters that having some qualifications behind you will really help.
I'm in northern England, have been a nanny for just under a year (for several families) and have just started my own childminding business.
I have to be honest, I didn't find it overly difficult to find work. I think a lot of parents expect nanny's to be younger or older women. However, I had a DBS check, was fully first aid trained and had my level 3 award. You say you're working towards being first aid trained? I did my course in two days, 6 hours per day. I'm fairly sure most courses are similar.
The biggest thing is making parents feel like you're a responsible and mature person. You don't necessarily have to broadcast your age either- I like to establish a relationship first so they can see that I'm a safe and responsible person to leave their child and then tell them my age when or if they ask.
Best of luck. Remember, all you need is one great family and you'll be well on your way.

The fact you are unqualified 18 and can't drive and lack of exp will put many people off

Would you do a mothers help role - so not sole charge - but you will gain experience and a ref while you wait till qualified - which will then help for next job

Can you never drive? If so then look for jobs in towns with good rails /bus travel

How about a nursery to gain Exp plus don't to drive

Interestingly, like the PP, I also have a child with sen, and I don't therefore get my pick of nannies. I am wondering whether this is an area you would be willing to consider. The pay tends to be better, as it is understood that the demands can be higher. SNAP is a good agency for childcare, helpers, therapist etc for children with SN and SEN.

That said, I would need someone who could drive, to get my DC to pre school and school.

Good luck. You sound great.

Id be happy to have a childcare unqualified but generally well educated nanny. Ive got kids with sen so dont really have my pick of nannys. Im in bedfordshire if you want to pm me

I was in your position of having limited support and a controlling parent at 18. I was desperate to be independent and, after my A levels, went for a number of interviews with the idea of getting a job, leaving home and being self sufficient. I was applying for administrative jobs and some 18+ training scheme positions with large employers.

Every interviewer looked at my CV, looked at my grades (Oxbridge level) and scratched their head. It seemed that they 'could not compute' that a young person with my grades and background would not be heading off for university. More than one frankly told me that I would be better off going to university.

I suspect that, along with concerns about your age, prospective employers are probably scratching their head about you too.

In the end, I stayed home a bit longer (though that was hard), started a university course while living at home and eventually moved out part way through my degree. It was hard and I did envy the free choice and parental support the vast majority of my friends enjoyed. My father did eventually give me some limited financial support but I struggled financially - lived quite hand-to-mouth and a lot of time spent working.

However, I was so relieved to finally be independent that it stopped me from researching the ways in which I could have received more funding support. In retrospect, I should have been accessing student welfare services, access funds and other sources of support. There are discretionary pots of money available and I would have been as good a candidate as the next person.

I studied, graduated and have never looked back.

My honest advice to you is to apply and go to university as soon as you can. Fees and expenses are on an upward trajectory - £9,000 is not going to be the limit forever. See the latest government green paper on higher education.

Once you have a university place, your best bet is to then find an au-pair type role (accommodation for limited childcare and pocket money) in the local area. They do exist, particularly for people who might have school age children. Most importantly, ask for financial support and advice from the university, the students' union, the NUS, charitable trusts and anyone you can think of. Your family situation should not prevent you from getting the education you deserve.

Best wishes.

Sorry, posted too soon. I should add that I was studying whilst I did it, I volunteered in a nursery two days a week whilst my charges were at school and one day a week at the school the younger child was in.

Get a 12hr paediatric first aid ASAP. Look into doing voluntary work related to children: so scouts/guides. I got my first position because I had been an activity instructor for 6 months. I had spent my teens doing a lot of babysitting, helping out at kids groups, volunteering in a nursery on my day off form college, etc too.

Don't just look at cities, the place I got my first job was a beautiful town in the country, an hour from London, an hour by bus from Swindon, Cheltenham and not far from Bath too. I had access to a car but couldn't drive unfortunately! I was paid more than I would have been in a city job too.

I'd recommend an au pair position in the UK too, it was my step into nannying and I took one that had a a bit more responsibility which helped.

An au pair position like this might work:

www.gumtree.com/p/au-pairs-services/kind-experienced-live-in-au-pair-for-2-child-family-in-london/110878121 . Its sole care, so you'll get the experience you need, she only wants a 6 month commitment, so you'll be able to move on quickly and you have another couple of days off in the week where you could find other work?

There are quite a few roles like this on gum tree - some are really taking the p*, but others are more like junior nanny roles.

Not driving would be OK in London, and perhaps OK in other cities.

You do need a first aid qualification, and working in a nursery for a while is likely to help build your experience.

It is hard, starting out in many fields, when prospective employers are looking for either experience or qualifications and ideally both when you have neither. But it is a case of getting the first job or jobs and then it will all work.

Another thing to try is being a summer holiday nanny (for slightly older children).

Au pair world has English nannies looking for English jobs. To be honest it might be more cost effective in London. As a live out inexperienced nanny you might get £8-9 an hour then pay extortionate London rent, council tax, utilities, transport, food etc. As an au pair you would get all those expenses paid and about £95 in your pocket plus lots of spare time to offer a few paid hours to other families to boost your finances and experience.

I'm sorry about your family situation op, that sounds really tough

To be completely honest your age wouldn't bother me, but I wouldn't hire a nanny who wasn't fully qualified and didn't have a first aid certificate.

Are there any nurseries/playgroups locally recruiting? Or schools recruiting for holiday clubs/after school club?

Not driving will seriously restrict the jobs for which you can apply.

Group care does not pay that well and would be live-out, so you would need somewhere to live but not driving would be less of an issue though you would need to be able to get to/from work.

Why a city? Be flexible on location. Some places may be an hour or so train ride from a city.

What can you do now to get some experience, be that evening babysitting, helping at a youth group, helping at a creche, part time work at a nursery/pre-school.

You are doing training now, does that course include practical placements? Get references from those placements.

It is a very tough market at the moment, be as flexible as possible.

When I first started in childcare I worked 3 years in nurserys and now have been nannying for the past 8years. My first nanny job was an after school nannyjob. I would personally gain a few years in a nursery to build up some experience. Then I usually suggest look at after school nannying. Most families struggle to find an after school nanny as most nannies don't want to work just a few hours a day. So most parents as long as you can sit and do some homework play a little and warm up some dinner, are usually not as particular with employing a qualified/experienced nanny as someone who's looking for a nanny to look after their child10+hrs a day.

If you have limited experience it is probably worth working in a nursery to build up experience. You can also use the time to complete your qualifications. You will then be in a much better position to apply for jobs later.

Sorry, I meant childcare.co.uk

Make sure your CV is perfect. Ie no spelling, punctuation or grammar errors. That will make you stand out against people who are applying to jobs via gumtree.

Wtite an appropriate but chatty cover letter with your CV. Let them get a feel for you before they even read your CV.

Search on gumtree and make yourself a profile on homechildcare.co.uk

If you get an interview dress appropriate, shake their hand, make eye contact - but most importantly play with the child.

To be honest, I want a nanny to be at least as qualified as I am, if not more so... I look for childcare qualifications, standard first aid, and a driving license. The driving license may be because we live places where we need to travel to get to the nursery, park, town, Doctor, hospital etc. But I think I would be alarmed and need to ask more questions if there were a medical reason for not driving? (For example - if you can't drive because of epilepsy, how would that affect your ability to take care of the children?) I'm not asking - just that if I were employing you to look after my children, and I have the choice between someone who can drive, and someone who can't, I will always go for the one who can...

I will always also go for experience - it doesn't have to be nanny experience, but nursery experience is a good substitute. I'm not sure what 'a bit of childcare experience in the summer' means - working in a nursery? A playscheme? Some babysitting for friends?

I think you will have more luck once you are childcare and first aid qualified, but I would also consider getting a year or two in a nursery environment before nannying I think. Unless you have extensive placements with your course that are willing to provide childcare references - in which case you might get lucky.

Are you doing some volunteering in the interim? Anything with kids would be great, but it would be a useful string to your bow if you could get some experience with kids with additional needs. Things like that will make you stand out as someone who is taking their career seriously.

Good luck!

Make sure Facebook etc only contains photos and comments that would appeal to a prospective employer .

I'm English and did Au Pair work in London just to get out of my hometown. Was financially independent, as didn't have the crippling rent costs and travel expenses. I would recommend this, my situation was much like yours. I didn't have a lot of experience etc but just needed a stepping stone to start off with.