Choosing between two lovely nannies

[GoldysMum]

I can't believe how much this decision is worrying me but i feel like it's really important to get right, not least because my previous childcare arrangement has gone a bit wrong and I don't want to disrupt DS and DD again if it can be helped. Any advice on which nanny would be much appreciated.

Nanny 1 is very experienced. She knows the area and I'm pretty sure would be great with both children. She has glowing references. Drawbacks are she is quite expensive to the point that I would not have much money left over after paying her, and also not flexible on days so I would have to work around that a bit.

Nanny 2 is the niece of my current babysitter who I've used for years. She has just arrived in the country so doesn't know the area. She seems very sweet and warm but is a little shy. I think she'd be great with my youngest but my oldest who is in school most of the day can be difficult at times so I wasn't certain how she'd cope. She was a nurse in her country and also has two children she has left behind, which makes me feel sad. She is a bit more reasonably priced and also keen to help with housework too. Also not that it should matter but her Aunt will be very upset if I don't give her the job and may not babysit for me anymore!

Actually writing it all down has helped make things clearer to me but would be good to get some opinions.

Oh and one more possibility to add to the mix - as nanny 1 isn't flexible on days, would it be a mistake to employ both - nanny 2 for the day nanny 1 couldn't do or is that a bit disruptive - my mum also does a day so already lots of people involved in their care?

Would go with nanny two. Greater flexibility would win it for me, she can learn the area and you can help with ways to cope with older dc.
Doing housekeeping would be a bonus for me.
Juggling three people each week??

Does Nanny2's immigration status check out ok - is she entitled to work in this country? It is something you as the employer are responsible for checking to the best of your ability.

You are offering a job for a set wage. Is nanny1 wanting more than you are offering? Shouldn't stretch yourself if you don't have to do so, as costs can increase once someone is working - currently I presume you have estimated likely costs, based on past experience.

Flexibility - are you not wanting a nanny for specific days, specific times?

Nanny 2 all the way for me....

I'd probably go with a mix of the two and see how it goes. I've had two nannies before and it was fine.

Nanny 1 for me, no question.

Thanks for your responses - for me, I agree, nanny 2 is better - having my housework and childcare taken care of would be amazing! However I'm wondering if it's worth making a sacrifice of a bit of money and the exact hours I want to get someone who might be a bit better and more interactive with the children? It is an hourly rate and nanny 1 is £2 per hour more than nanny two (inclusive of taxes) which does add up significantly over a few days.

Nannynick - I've been assured immigration wise all is ok but it is a student visa so I would get that checked with how many hours she's allowed to work before employing her. Salary wise, it wasn't set, I asked people their rates as I wouldn't want someone to work for me at a rate they were not happy with but I then negotiated nanny one down a little to get a rate I could just afford.

And flexibility - I can work my own hours flexibly, but would have to alter the hours I currently do to fit in with nanny 1. Not ideal, but perfectly doable for the right person. Just feels like such an enormous weight in my shoulders to make this decision, especially after getting it wrong once already

Nanny 1
Pros:
very experienced
knows the area
glowing references

Cons:
quite expensive (not sure what you mean by this, as it is you who decides the salary not the nanny. Is it that she may not take the job at the salary you are offering, in which case they are not in the running.)
not flexible on days (an employee wanting fixed working days/hours is not unusual)

Nanny 2
Pros:
seems very sweet and warm
was a nurse in her country
has two children
more reasonably priced (see above, it is you as employer who dictates the salary. What you mean I guess is that she will accept a lower salary)
keen to help with housework (though would she be able to do that as well as care for your children. Nannies are expected to do some light housework, so Nanny1 would be doing some).

Cons:
niece of my current babysitter (I see this as a negative, as it may mean you feel you have to employ her because you know their aunt. Their aunt may also may get involved if there is ever a disagreement between you)
just arrived in the country
doesn't know the area
a little shy (so am I at first)
question over how she will cope with oldest child.
has two children she has left behind (how old are the children? Will she cope being away from them?)
her Aunt will be very upset if I don't give her the job (see above, would aunt get too involved?)

Are either of these nannies actually in the running? Is Nanny1 is wanting more money than you are offering? If so, they are not in the running - you can't afford to pay them what they want and if you did hire them on less money, then they might leave for a better job after a short time.
Nanny2 has just arrived in the country... will they stay long, will they miss home especially as their children are there (their children may be in their 20's or they might be young... do you know how old they are?).

For both nannies - are they legally entitled to work in the country? It's something you need to check before hiring someone. Do their references check out ok, do they seem fairly healthy (always hard to know but sickness record with past employers may be an indicator).

Is it live-in or live-out. If live-in, you will need to decide if they are someone you can share your house with. With live-out, you need to get on with them but don't have to put up with them for quite so long each day as you would if they lived with you.

Neither to me seems totally ideal. Any other candidates?

Student visa - what country are you in and what country are they from?
There can be restrictions on what some students can work. Also that means that they won't be staying long term - how long is their course? Also their study comes first, so would they be able to do the hours you need if they are needing to be at college / on placements?
Definitely something to look into.

You said in your OP that you wanted to avoid disruption, so I feel you need to be thinking that nanny will stay 3 years+ if possible, with luck longer. How long do you think you will need a nanny for?

Thanks for your responses - for me, nanny 2 would in many ways make my life essier - having my housework and childcare taken care of would be amazing! But I also imagine i'd have to be a lot more organised in giving instructions and managing her. I'm wondering if it's worth making a sacrifice of a bit of money and the exact hours I want to get someone who might be a bit better and more interactive with the children? It is an hourly rate and nanny 1 is £2 per hour more than nanny two (inclusive of taxes) which does add up significantly over a few days.

Nannynick - I've been assured immigration wise all is ok but it is a student visa so I would get that checked with how many hours she's allowed to work before employing her. Salary wise, it wasn't set, I asked people their rates as I wouldn't want someone to work for me at a rate they were not happy with but I then negotiated nanny one down a little to get a rate I could just afford.

And flexibility - I can work my own hours flexibly, but would have to alter the hours I currently do to fit in with nanny 1. Not ideal, but perfectly doable for the right person. Just feels like such an enormous weight in my shoulders to make this decision, especially after getting it wrong once already

Woops, something wrong with my phone - didn't realise i'd already posted that!

Nanny1 would be doing some housework type duties, wouldn't they? As a nanny I do things like: laundry, cooking, dishwasher, sweep/vac, general tidy.

You are the employer, you dictate the duties, the hours of work, the pay. Is that where things went wrong before, that you let the nanny dictate too much?

I would go for nanny one with the glowing references. Unless you are desperate to get your housework done. More likely nanny one will stay longer.

Why dont you advertise for a mothers help? Would im agine nanny two will need much more guidance as she has not been a nanny before.

i would carry on looking personally but if not then use nanny 1

dont employ no 2 just because her aunt may not bs for you

Nanny 1 sounds much better option if there're no other options. Maybe you could negotiate on salary.

Nanny 2 sounds like lots going on with her and all manner of problems could arise. You would have to personally see her visa and check her visa status, employers' responsibility, and as nick says may well be limitations on her working.

Um, who exactly assured you that immigration-wise it isn't a problem? Someone with a vested interest perhaps?

I would have loved to give a job to some of the people who have applied to me, but if they are from Non-EU/commonwealth countries it is usually simply not possible.

If they come in as a student they need to be registered on an approved course (so that's maybe £4k per annum). Then they need to attend full-time (that takes up a big portion of the week - minimum 15 hours, probably over a number of different days), and then they are limited in the hours they are allowed to work (20 per week term-time). They also need to demonstrate that they have the funds both to attend college and maintain themselves and also to leave the country at the end of the course (that means someone needs to deposit a serious amount of money in their bank account for them to then provide bank statements to prove funds) It is only then that they can get a visa and have it renewed annually. And if none of that is adhered to you will not be able to get an NI number for her. And it is your responsibility as an employer both to pay her tax (not possible without an NI number) and to ensure she is entitled to work.

All of this means that unless ALL of the above is adhered to, not only will she be breaking the law, but you will also be breaking the law if you employ her

Hi there. The more I think about it and read these posts the more I am realising there would be potential big problems with nanny 2.

I think I am going for nanny 1 who is English so can definitely work legally and the reference is from someone I know and trust. I had interviewed a few and think it is just really hard to find someone good and so I think personal recommendations are best. One candidate who I quite liked at interview couldn't provide a reference for either of two families who she had supposedly worked with for two years!

So anyway, will hopefully speak to nanny 1 on Monday and try to clarify all the details and salary (and to my boss to change my own hours). Any tips on this would be great - my previous experience has only been with nurseries - and a childminder who decided having children of different ages in her care didn't work for her!

So is this the first time of having a nanny? Yes, do make sure you are both talking about salary in the same way - ie you are talking Gross (before deductions) salary, not Net (after deductions).
Agreeing set days/hours can be beneficial as you and your children know when nanny is on duty, and when they are not. If your work can be done felxibly you can arrange to work when nanny is on duty, or decide to do something else special for yourself or for one child.

Of the two nannies, Nanny1 certainly sounds easier - no interferance from an aunt, no hassles over visa/work permit/working hours.

Your nanny may well be willing to babysit.
If someone else you know is recomending Nanny1 then that is certainly worth taking note.

Don't push yourself on the salary though, as there are other costs involved beyond the salary which will need to be covered as well (activities, travel, food). Think about costs over a yearly period, not hourly, daily or monthly. Discuss holiday entitlement - do you want them to take holiday at the same time as you, does that fit with them or would they want some choice as to when they take holiday? What are the constraints - such as not during school term time unless an emergency (funeral for example, though that may be compationate leave).

Thank you, that's very helpful. It is my first time employing a nanny and hoping it is the right choice for my dc this time :-)

I'd definitely recommend you download My Nanny Toolkit to help you get started on the right foot with your nanny.

We advise all of our parents to use this- it's a great way to help you outline duties, communicate your expectations and find out if the nanny is the right nanny for your family.

www.mynannytoolkit.com

Good luck with your choice!

Rachel@KiwiOz Nannies