Should nanny be paid more £ for looking after another child?

[SuperNannyWannabe]

I've been working as a live-out nanny for the same amazing family for the past 18months and my pay has stayed at a constant £8net since starting.

I started looking after their 1year old, who is now 2 1/2, they now have another child, who is now 1. The mum is going back to work next month and so I will have both children. No one has mentioned an increase in pay, and I hate talking about money so wondered if I should be asking for more £, or not?? Is £8 per hour for an Essex based nanny average? If I ask for more, how much more? Will be working for them 2 days per week, 11 hrs per day, live out.

Any advice greatly received!! Thanks! :-)

Does your contract include subsequent children, or are you renegotiating the contract?

Generally, more children doesn't mean more money, and lots of contracts mention subsequent children anyway. Since you haven't had a payrise since starting there though, it might be worth asking for one - maybe wait til the new year though, or til you've been there two years? If the mum has taken a year maternity leave some of it has probably been unpaid so they may not have the money at the moment.

We're currently renegotiating the contract, so I thought now should be the time. The onbld one was just for one child, the new one is for 2.

I'm only working for them for another 7 months so if I wait until new year it might not be worth it...

I'm pretty certain they can afford it, but I want to keep in line with other nannies, not be unreasonable.

£8 'net' is reasonable and if you're only there for 7 more months is it worth having that awkward conversation?

£8 net is roughly what I am on in West Surrey and I care for 3 children at present, and have many years experience.

My view is that nannies are not paid per child. So another child who is a member of the family does not automatically mean a payrise. However as your salary didn't increase at the 12 month stage, a salary review now may be worthwhile - but don't expect it to go up by much. Your employers may not have had any salary increase in their job.

Thanks for the help. I've requested a pay review so we'll see what happens... I think I'll hope for inflationary and anything above that will be a bonus :)