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Paid childcare

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Original poster

Live in nanny advice - outside of London - whether to go with agency nanny or independently sourced nanny - (in our situation only need part time nanny)

31 replies

H515 · 09/09/2024 16:10

Been weighing up the pro’s and con’s

Solo parent household. Baby is 8 months.

Only really need part time. At most 4hrs a day.

Have tentatively been looking at nanny agency who can place a local nanny to come in for these hours a day.

This is what they said re costs involved;
£20 per an hour.
If she worked 3 – 4 hours per a weekday at £20 per an hour she would work 15-20 hours per a week and her costs would be
£300 - £400 per a week.
Our agency fees are £70 per a week.

I’ve been contacted by a nanny on an independent website (childcare website) local to the area seeking a live in role but ideally she’d like a full time role.
Yet to hear from her what she’s looking for fee’s wise.
(I imagine she’s not be classed as ‘self employed’ so there comes all the extra admin of navigating being ‘employer’ and all that comes with that)

I know there’s so many options and variants when it comes to these things and trying to work out what would work out best.

If I found the perfect live in nanny it would be someone who was studying also or looking for other work to go alongside just a part time nanny role in our home. Or just simply looking for a part time nanny live in scenario for whatever their own personal reasons may be. But I know that’s easier said than done when looking for part time live in.

I do see the benefits of a live in role as being a small family unit (just my daughter and I), my daughter would have a wider home life environment which will always be nicer for her.

But there’s also the predicaments of (from some posts I’ve seen) of it can go wrong.

Any advice from those with experience of any of the above would be great fully received 🙏

I tried part time nursery and the amount of times she has been sick in her first two months has been crazy. Also the hours don’t really co incide with the hours I’d need.

it’s a tricky one to navigate but whether it’s an outside nanny or live in. I think that’s the route we’re going to try to go for for now (rather than childminder or nursery).

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Blondeshavemorefun · 09/09/2024 16:52

Same hours and days is an employed role

Some nannies illegally say they can do this self employed as work for several families over the week

You would be better off finding a cm who could offer a morning or afternoon session

4hrs isn't a lot and for a nanny depending what hours you needed say 8/12 she then needs to find a 1/7 position etx - which makes it hard

Can you condense you hours depending what you do and have 2 x 10hr day

Original poster
H515 · 09/09/2024 16:50

qualifiedazure · 09/09/2024 16:18

In what way would the nanny be self employed? It doesn't sound like you're offering a self employed role?

Why is the agency charging a weekly fee? Would they be acting as the employer?

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I’ve seen and experienced this before when I got an emergency maternity nurse through an agency for some help when my daughter was in and out of hospital in her early months. I think when it comes to ad hoc work and not a set permanent role they set it out like this.

It’s set out a lot like this in many diff industries these days. They vet their people they’ve got on their books. Find person suited for the role. And the person turns up for said work and is paid as self employed.

The agency weekly fee is extortionate in my eyes. But it seems the way with most in this industry.
The part time nanny coming for few hours a day with the pay set up structure I posted they sent over is based on a non permanent position. As I wanted to test it out for a few months to see if it suited us and the lady they sourced for the role also likes to be on a flexible basis and she prefers to do couples hours with multiple positions throughout the week etc to work around her other commitments.

OP posts:
Businessflake · 09/09/2024 16:21

H515 · 09/09/2024 16:16

The agency live out nanny I’ve so far been quoted for is classed as ‘self employed’ so not employed by myself if that makes sense (as in I don’t have to go through the admin of PAYE and all that etc)

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This is really unusual, unless the agency aren’t providing the same person each week?

Or they may provide a service where you pay the nanny net, and the agency pays all the additional costs/deductions.

I would be very wary of a nanny wanting to live in and work part time. How have they even found you? Did you advertise for someone? This is much more common with an au pair.

qualifiedazure · 09/09/2024 16:18

H515 · 09/09/2024 16:16

The agency live out nanny I’ve so far been quoted for is classed as ‘self employed’ so not employed by myself if that makes sense (as in I don’t have to go through the admin of PAYE and all that etc)

Show quote history

In what way would the nanny be self employed? It doesn't sound like you're offering a self employed role?

Why is the agency charging a weekly fee? Would they be acting as the employer?

Original poster
H515 · 09/09/2024 16:16

pinkfleece · 09/09/2024 16:12

If she does the same 4h for you on the same days each week you have to employ her whether live in or out.

The agency live out nanny I’ve so far been quoted for is classed as ‘self employed’ so not employed by myself if that makes sense (as in I don’t have to go through the admin of PAYE and all that etc)

OP posts:
pinkfleece · 09/09/2024 16:12

If she does the same 4h for you on the same days each week you have to employ her whether live in or out.

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