Hiring a nanny - advice needed

[Stokey38]

Hello, need some advice about hiring a nanny in London. My DD (2.3) is already in a nursery which we are very happy with but they are not going to have a place for my DS (.2) until April of next year and I will be returning to work mid Feb when my DS will be 9ish months. I really don't want to move my DD to another nursery but equally not keen on taking them to separate nurseries. I have started to think about possibility of having a nanny for DS until he is a bit older but have no idea what I would need to pay or even how I go about looking for a nanny. A nursery place for him is £70 a day (8 - 6.30), is a nanny similar price (I'm in SE London if that has any relevance to price) or would I be looking to pay more? Also, would it be acceptable to ask Nanny to take and collect my DD from nursery. Am such a novice at this and really have no idea how it works so would really appreciate some help on this. Thanks

Hello

you could potentially employ a nanny looking for first job for £6-£7 gross an hr in london - this would be someone who perhaps has a couple yrs experience as a mothers help or as a nursery nurse.

An experienced qualified nanny will be more expensive at £9-£14 gross an hr.

Yes nanny would take and collect children from nursery.

If you are looking to have a nanny I would consider using a nanny for both children rather than paying a nursery for one as would be more cost effective for you.

Have a look on www.gumtree.com, www.nannyjob.co.uk, www.childcare.co.uk, www.netmums.co.uk

you can search nannies looking for work on all the above sites and place your own adverts.

A nursery place for him is £70 a day (8 - 6.30), is a nanny similar price (I'm in SE London if that has any relevance to price) or would I be looking to pay more?

A nanny (working 55 hours a week) will cost around £37,000 outside of London... with London adding on another 15-20%.

Back in December 2009 I wrote this: Example Costs of Employing A Nannny
It shows how the costs for a nanny are calculated. You will see that it isn't just the cost of their salary but also a lot of other costs involved.

Also, would it be acceptable to ask Nanny to take and collect my DD from nursery.

Yes, but I would remove DD from Nursery. It's not cost effective to have a child attending nursery as well as paying a nanny.

A nanny is a replacement of nursery.

Once your DD is aged 3 and entitled to pre-school funding (the term following her 3rd Birthday). Assuming that funding still exists (given government cutbacks), you could then send your DD to a local pre-school (or nursery) for a couple of mornings/afternoons a week, using the funded hours.

I think in order for the nanny option to be cost effective, you would need to take your DD out of nursery and have nanny look after both of them full time. This is what I did when I had a toddler and a baby. It also meant I never did another childcare run.

Oh, and if you are able to offer a live-in position, you will find the cost goes down considerably.

Thanks for this, all really helpful. Strix, can I ask how your toddler was going from nursery to nanny? My DD loves nursery and we have just moved to a new area so I have not met too many other mums with toddlers so it's a really good opportunity for DD to play with other children her age.

sure the nanny you employ will have her own gang of friends child age related and your dc wont miss out socialising

agree to be cost effective that if you employ a nanny then take out of nursery

She was actually 14 months when we moved from childminder to nanny. I was very worried that she was being torn from beloved childminder. In fact, about two weeks later childminder called to say they missed DD and could they come round and collect her for the afternoon. I said yes (of course). Childminder and her two sons stood at the door all excited to see DD, who stood there stone faced as if to say she'd never seen these peple before in her life.

I was mortified.

But, DD carrie don just fine. She went off with them and had a nice time. She also did fine when nanny was around to look after her.

I guess it just goes to show that young children are far more resilient than we are.

Also, I agree with Blondes that any nanny is going to have a social circle and other nannies/kids to hang out with. If you really want some consistency in who your DD play with you could always sign her up for a class like tumble tots or swimming where she will more or less see the same children each week.

Besides, change is good for kids. It teaches them to adapt and that is a valuable life skill. I think it helps them settle at school. I think it's the children who have never had a change in carer who seem a bit shell shocked when mum/dad/carer does a drop and run on the first day of school.