Why can't I find a nanny?!

[BooChunky]

I've been looking for a nanny for four days a week (Wednesday's off) because I'm going back to uni. Every nanny we've spoken to we've stressed that I'm not sure what my schedule will be exactly so we're happy to agree to a daily rate now, so that if I end up home early everyday and let them go, they're not going to be out of pocket. We do have a dog but I'm putting him in doggy day care every nanny day so he won't be an issue for anyone and she won't have to take care of him. We've been really informally interviewing, and during the interview had agreed to 10ph and four weeks holiday, all bank holidays etc... So we really loved 2 of the nannies and invited them back to meet our 2 children and see how they got on. (Though I know this could go badly just because children are unpredictable!)

So, we loved Nanny 1. She was so sweet, my youngest child really took to her (nearly 2, and very clingy to me) and she agreed to the money.... I wanted to offer her the job on the spot, but we had already arranged to see nanny 2 the next day.

So Nanny 2 arrives (after me raving about her to DH about her 10 years experience and how easy it was to chat to her) and it was completely awkward. Then she started on her demands... She wants her 4 weeks holiday and all bank holidays, but also Easter holidays and mid December until January 3rd... Paid. We need someone 4 days a week with Wednesday's off, this was specified a lot and mentioned in our profile, on the phone and at her first interview. Well, she doesn't want that. She's decided she wants Fridays off because she just loves to take long weekends. And if she 'liked the family enough' she would agree to their schedule but she doesn't feel she can at the moment - oh dear! She won't use her own car (although her profile says she will), and needs to authorise the car we want her to use, as we may not have considered it's safety for children. She also wants to be paid 45p a mile for local driving even though we would have to cover all car expenses. She reminds us how great she is, and how wonderful a nanny she would be... A lot. She tells us she's going straight off to another interview so we need to hurry if we want her.

Well, um, we don't anymore!

So Nanny 1... she's very young, she only has 8 months experience and her spelling etc on her cv was awful! But she was so so sweet and lovely and we really wanted to give her a chance because she was just so likeable. She already agreed to 10ph and 4 weeks holiday plus bank holidays and Christmas week so we called and offered her the job...

She comes back to us saying she's changed her mind. She wants £14ph. Minimum.

Fuck.

We really like her so we write a long message saying that my oldest will be at school all day, My youngest will start nursery next year and the following year full time school, so as a long term job it will get easier and easier, the children loved you, we loved you but financially we just can't do £14... We can look to review it in 6 months but for now we can only do 12ph but we've got to look at some finances.

She comes back to us saying that actually, even 12 - 14 wouldn't be enough.

Back to the drawing board.

It must be me?! What are we doing wrong? Is this ridiculously cheap for a nanny? Is 4 days a week weird? Is the 2 meeting process odd?

[BooChunky]

I have considered nurseries, childminder and au pair but putting aside my youngest childs separation anxiety, my spare room is like a cupboard, an au pair couldn't possibly live in there! And both my children's bedrooms aren't much bigger actually so I wouldn't even want to switch them around.

[mimishimmi]

So $26 aud/hr?

Yes, around $25 to $30 an hour. Admittedly though, having a nanny is relatively rare in families with less than 3 children. It can work out cheaper than having three to four children in nursery/afterschool care though.

Setting aside one complete wage to pay for those early years care is quite normal. If you can find cheap care (grandparents, friend), great, but if not, noone is being 'entitled' to charge what they like - as with anyone else trying to make a living.

[Patapouf]

I don't see how a nanny is 'entitled' if they want to earn a good wage to whoever said that. It's a job, a very hard and often stressful one with an incredible amount of responsibility. Just because someone needs to be earning more than x for them to be able to afford a nanny isn't the nannys fault, it doesn't mean she doesn't deserve to be paid well! As a nanny with just 3 years experience I was earning 45k a year for 30 hours a week!

Our early years childcare in the UK is seriously flawed, and that's got nothing to do with nanny salaries but the fact we don't have government run nurseries thay are available to everyone full time. But that's another thread.

[Idocrazythings]

If you did decide to pay more could you say that's on the proviso you take the dog out of daycare and she's responsible for him too? Plus she could babysit one Sat Night a month too at no extra charge? She might then prefer her £10 an hour. Or just keep looking?

[Corriewatcher]

I recently took on a temp nanny/housekeeper to help with kids after school and light housework whilst I was convalescing. Had no trouble finding someone, and all the agencies quoted me £10 ph net as the going rate. One candidate was even an ex-Norland nanny. We're in a leafy part of Bucks so would imagine it's a similar scenario to Surrey. Our (large) dog was at home too ( but no dog walks involved).

I would keep looking.

[MargolottaOfUberwold]

I live inSurrey, how much training do you need to be a Nanny

[SquinkiesRule]

Margo I did the NNEB training years ago it was two years training full time. Not sure if they even have this training now days except for Norland.

[chasingtherainbow]

The shocking thing is there's no entry requirements to be a nanny! Professional nannies argue that qualifications should be mandatory but since ofsted don't give a fuck about us and there's no governing body someone could literally walk into their first nanny job with nothing.

I know a few nannies now whose career is soley based on experience built up over the years!

[SomewhereIBelong]

There is no entry requirement for motherhood either.

[VelvetRose]

Oh my goodness how many times does op have to say that the nanny will not have reduced pay if op comes home early!!!

It sounds like a really, really lovely job op. Hope you're able to find the right person for it!

[Patapouf]

I know a few nannies now whose career is soley based on experience built up over the years! guilty! I fell into it, it was never my planned career (and still isn't) I was highly sought after though, and still get calls from families asking me to come back but nannying is certainly the type of job you can learn as you go. Practical experience counts for a lot in my book. Half a nanny salary is basically danger money anyway because of the high level of responsibility- a good nanny is absolutely invaluable.

there is no entry requirement for motherhood either

[chasingtherainbow]

Danger money made me LOL patapouf
The nannies I do know who aren't formally qualified are indeed fab nannies. I do actually personally think that experience and a good knowledge of safety is more valuable than a qualification IF I had to pick one over the other. I equally know plenty of qualified childcarers who just. . Well shouldn't be.

My point was that I think most people (like those joking about retraining) would be shocked to know the highest paid childcare role doesn't require anything at all.

Tbh I find the lack of monitoring for nannies a bit worrying in truth. though I'm eternally grateful that I have no paperwork

[Littletabbyocelot]

The first thing my nanny payroll said was never advertise net, they implied it was illegal and said to contact them urgently if we'd done so.

I pay my fab nanny 10ph gross. Couldn't afford more but it's the going rate locally anyway.

[Justusemyname]

I agree. I regularly got jobs as a non NNEB nanny with experience over qualified nannies with none or little experience.

[TranmereRover]

you have to kiss a lot of frogs to find Mary Poppins. It's a uniquely complicated job to hire for - you're trusting someone with your most precious things, and require professionalism but also emotion and softness. You need to see a lot more than two people - even if you get lucky and think that number 3 is the one, still see any others you have lined up just to make sure.
Two people being unsuitable doesn't mean you're having difficulty recruiting - it's just the early stages.
I'm sure the nannies on the thread will argue that's time wasting, but it's just as important for them to choose their job rather than just take the first one that's offered.

[WaitingForEgg]

I would say use an agency. What you are offering seems more than reasonable. Maybe some people would like more/wouldn't take that salary, but some will. Your pay Norland Nannies advise £29,000 - £45,000 gross per year for the home counties, and they notoriously demand high salaries, so what you are offering seems very good. Perhaps be more fixed with the terms, state hours, pay etc factually and then if you finish early, it's a bonus for them then, i don't think you need to pre warn them.

[WaitingForEgg]

And that is based on a 50 hour week, not the 40 hour you are offering

[0x530x610x750x630x79]

Where do you live? I'm assuming central London.
why would you assume central London? doesn't anyone outside central london earn enough to be able to afford a nanny? are we all just taking our kids to work with us in the paddy fields outside london?

[SuperFlyHigh]

OP - I know you say your spare room is like a cupboard but I've let (on occasion) my box room out (I have two double bedrooms and a box room maisonette/flat thing part of terraced house) and my mum (large Victorian terraced house with lots of bedrooms plus small box room) has also let her box room out.

Once it was to foreign students, once to foreign worker/student in my mum's case.

My case similar see above but for about eg 1 year.

Our box rooms are a similar size - eg you can comfortably fit in a single bed, bedside table, chest of drawers (small), single wardrobe and even study desk and chair (but then have hardly any floor space!) and even then chest of drawers can be hard to open - you have to look for good furniture combos. I've also managed a small double bed in there too...

I've had similar friends with similar size rooms hire au pairs and no problems. Then again there are the friends who have huge houses and a floor (usually attic floors but with living room, separate bathroom etc for nanny/au pair) which are more than generous!

but most students/au pair types are happy with box room or larger... factor in the fact that they will stay 1 year/18 months at most (or 6 months at least etc) and they're fine. Honestly.

You would have to make clear they could have access to other areas of the house and also TV etc - if you want noise down after a certain time give them headphones or ask they use them etc.

[bbcessex]

From what you've said - it's not you, it's definitely them!

Don't underplay the job. Don't start off on the wrong foot as a walkover. Be friendly and approachable but don't be a walkover.
The job is (eg) 8.00am - 6.00pm, Mon, Tue, Thur & Fri.
That's not bad hours. The pay is reasonable. You are making yourself look too eager to please by saying "I'll be home early etc.".. what if you're not? what if you are but you want the nanny to stay so you can study? It's a job, you're paying. Be firm.

I would not start by saying "you can leave early etc." I also wouldn't try to arrange children's activities like swimming just for the Wednesday (although it's great for you to do things with the children too).. that's the nanny's job, plus it is good to have activities to do.

I know the mid-week day off isn't ideal, but there's not much you can do about it. You could possibly look at a Nanny with her own child; there is often a little more flexibility there...

[nannynick]

I am in West Surrey just outside the M25 and an experienced nanny in my area would be £10-12 maybe 13 gross an hour based on 40 hour contracted week.

Surrey is quite big and some areas are more London others very rural. So location may make a difference.

What happens when there is no uni? Is it term time only or would you be home alot at some points in the year?

[farfallarocks]

I would definitely use an agency, we used one in particular, Abbeville Nannies which covers SW London and they literally ONLY sent me applications from people how ticked all our boxes, I could have hired about 4 of them I think! They can then advise you on money too but in London the going rate is edging up from £10 to 12 net per hour for an experienced nanny at the moment so £14 net is nuts.

[farfallarocks]

Sorry just seen you are in Surrey but I also agree, sounds like a great job, don't be put off, you have just been unlucky

[TreadSoftlyOnMyDreams]

You are not offering rubbish money and your Ts and Cs are fine too. You've just been unlucky. If you are going to be off in the summer holidays and other school holidays it would be a very nice perk particularly for foreign nationals , NWOC or indeed anyone who wants to take a 3 week holiday somewhere exciting rather than take a standard 2 weeks off to the Med; to offer additional unpaid leave during school holidays by prior arrangement.

[Patapouf]

PPs have made good points about holidays, there is an awful lot of time off from uni in a year. Actual contact time I have is only 27 weeks a year, plus a few extra for exams!

I do think it's important to mention that sometimes they may finish early at the interview stage as they may have to think about how they are getting home and if finishing early would actually cause a problem.