To hire a nanny with no experience?

[Jazzybeats]

Struggling to sort out childcare for September - our options seem to be either childminders who are like mini factories and don’t seem to really care or a gauntlet of friends/family favours.

We interviewed a nanny who seems fabulous, good recent direct experience in a nursery and school but hasn’t done nannying before.

AIBU to give her her first nannying job?

YANBU! She has childcare experience. The only thing I'd check is how she feels about working alone. My friend hated nannying as she found it isolated but as long as you're happy with her going to toddler groups and play dates then it shouldn't be a problem. I went from being a Nursery Nurse to nannying which I did for 20+ years and loved. We all have to start somewhere.

Someone gave you your first job...

Can't see a problem.

As long as the nursery gives her a good reference it seems fine to me.

So she does have experience with children just not as a nanny?

Does she have any relevant qualifications? Children's first aid? Childcare qualifications? Good references? Clear background check?

If so and you like her, give her a go, be very clear on terms and conditions and review regularly.

Every nanny has to have their first family at some point.

It's a learning curve and personalities are very much part of the dynamic, but it could work really well as she's not coming with preconceived ideas or ways of working with a family which could really be in your favour.

Go for it. Even the most experienced Mary Poppins type had to have her first job at sometime.

DBS check? Support from an agency or freelance? Have a system for her letting you know how it's going, a diary or regular debrief. Keep an eye on it. Good luck

Yes she has all the relevant certs. Good point about the isolation - something to check with her as she seems super extrovert. And lots of other great points above. Hasn’t thought of it being a positive and moulding her!

I don’t think yabu to give a Nanny the first job assuming she has experience and a dbs. I do object to you calling cm’s mini factories who don’t seem to care.

I am a cm and care very much about all my children but yes children move on and my focus is then on the remaining children in my care ( the same as a teacher having a new class) but Still love to get an update from my previous parents .

I agree someone has to give her the first job as a nanny. If no-one was given a first-job we would all be unemployed.

No disrespect to CM in general. The ones near me who do pick ups and drops are like mini factories tho. I know there are great ones - some of our friends use them further afield (so not workable to us). But none of the ones who do pick ups and drop offs who we have met filled us with any confidence. Hence my AIBU!

She has childcare experience, childcare qualifications and presumably good references from the nursery and an appropriate DBS; I would definitely give her the job 😊

100% agree that everyone has to have a first job. If you like her and she has experience,then great!

I think it depends on your children,though.I wouldn't hire someone without lots of experience, but my eldest has HFA and is extremely well behaved - but sensitive.My youngest is nearly 3 and has no SN as far as I am aware, but is an absolute tornado of chaos I wouldn't leave them in a new nanny's hands as I don't feel that would be fair on any party!

If you're kids are relatively easy to manage, go for it!

If you get a good feeling about her then snap her up. For my nanny it was her first job. She’s 44. She has been amazing, but I knew within a minute in her company with her that I could share my home and not feel uncomfortable and I wasn’t wrong. It’s so important you feel you can relax around the person. Some nannies I interviewed were so full of child psychology theory and all talk but no actual warmth, I knew they weren’t for us.

By all means give someone a chance (we all started somewhere!), but make sure you have a decent contract with enough of a probationary period that you can back out if it's not right.

I hired someone with almost exactly the same background to nanny for our pre-schoolers. She was a disaster. Couldn't transition from the supervised expectations of a day-care/nursery to self-directed activities. Prioritised going shopping for her own things over the kid's activities and regularly breached even basic child safeguarding measures. Eventually terminated her after she attempted to steal our car because she 'needed it more than us'

I would definitely employ a former nursery nurse. One thing I would say is that it’s helpful if she knows other local nannies. Helps with her nanny social life, meeting with other children etc, either going to groups, the park or for play dates?

I did, ex nursery - she’s been with me just shy of 8 years. She’s part of my family now and has no intention of moving on!

Oh and I’m super isolated but she doesn’t have a problem, but she’s a bit older (+50). One thing I’d say is that you should offer to keep her certs up to date where possible in case she wants to go back to nursery afterwards. It’s a nice thing to do as an employer and you will know she’s totally up to date.

Definitely.

Get a good contract in place and research and be clear about what you expect from the start. Communication is key, treat her well and it should be reciprocated.