Employing a very young, inexperienced nanny - advice?

[ATruthUniversallyAcknowledged]

This is my first foray into the world of nannies/childcare etc so please be honest but gentle!

I'm a teacher and the other day I bumped into an ex-pupil who was working in a local cafe. She's a lovely girl so we got chatting and she explained that she was working in the cafe until she found a 'childcare job'. Would I be absolutely insane to go back to the cafe to discuss if she'd like to be our nanny?

I will be going back to work for four days per week in April, when LO will be around 8 months old. We were planning to put LO into a nursery, but seeing this girl has got my mind whirling. If we employed her, she would get more experience and LO would get one-to-one attention. She's a bright girl, highly responsible and very friendly - exactly the kind of nanny I would have been looking for had I ever thought my budget would stretch to it. She is however, only 17, has very limited experience and I fear I am being swayed by the thought of a 'nanny on a budget'.

Thoughts? Experiences?

Thank you.

You know and trust her already which is a huge bonus. She would do things your way as she is not experienced and would
Earn in the job with just one 8 month old. Mothers don't necessarily have childcare experience. I had a 19 year old nanny who had worked in a nursary before so not quite the same but worked really well. Also a 20 year old straight put of uni as a mothers help very little experience but no problems.

Learn not earn

8 months is pretty young to leave with a lovely, responsible (but young-with-no-experience girl)
Does she have any idea what to do if the baby is sick..would she recognise a significantly ill baby...or choked?
IMO there's a world of difference between having this girl babysit a 3 and 7 year old (which I would happily do, on your recommendation!) and giving her the sole responsibility for a small baby.
It's down to your assessment of her safety, as well as her niceness and your wanting to get her started in childcare.
If it was me, I wouldn't not for a baby. After school pickup, then possibly.
If you do go for it, please get her on a decent child first aid course before she starts.
Good luck with the decision..hope you get some good opinions on here.

Nannies, even inexperienced, can be quite costly. You need to factor in a lot of additional costs (employer's NICs, kitty money, travel, feeding her during work hours) and you become an employer with all the paperwork that entails. Before you make the proposal consider it carefully.

But you know her, she's motivated and I think one to one is preferable for littlies so it is a goer....

Here's what I would do. I would do the maths and research what being an employer means, I would also factor in paying for her to do a paediatric first aid and a diploma in childcare whilst working for you. If she wouldn't do this it would be a dealbreaker for me because it indicates no interest in developing it as a career and finding out more about how to do the best job you can fit the children in your care but rather thinking that childcare is an easy job that anyone can do and it's just playing all day. I would then interview her properly, advertise the job to see what comparable candidates I could get for the same salary and check references. Then I'd have a trial day and if all seems to go well and both sides are happy I'd go for it.

Where are you timetosmile? I know lots of lovely 17 year olds who could babysit a 3 and 7 year old.

Sorry to drip feed, but I should have mentioned that DP is at home 90% of the time so if there was an emergency he would most likely be there (or not, sods law!), she has done a 1 year child care course (no idea which one, I would obviously check the details!) and yes, I would definitely pay for her to do a good first aid course if she hasn't already.

Really appreciate your thoughts. Keep them coming!

X-post. Thanks Fraktious, that's a really good plan.

Could well be a win/win situation. (Which would be ideal.)
Whatever you do make sure that the any employment is on a proper business footing and not 'as a friend/favour'. Make it formal.

I'd give it a go - but would get her to do a paediatric first aid course before she started and would also consider having her start with you at least a month before you go back to work, an extra cost for you but you will be able to supervise and manage her and see her in action before you leave her in sole charge.

Just to tell you about my experience; I left school at 16 and didn't manage to get a place on an NNEB course as there were 200 applicants for 40 places the year I left school. I started a YTS scheme in a nursery and playgroup and got offered a nanny job only 3 months into it - looking after an 18mo and 3yo. I probably got that job because I was cheap and remember talking to my Mum about it and saying that it was quite something that the Mum would leave me in charge, my Mum replied that she thought my boss was probably a good judge of character and I would like to think that I proved her right as I stayed in that job for 2 years. To be honest, it was a learning curve for me as, though I had done lots of babysitting, being in charge of 2 pre schoolers and managing meals, washing and activities etc meant that I did make some mistakes and needed some direction from the parents but I did a good job and received a glowing reference when I moved on.

I'm still a nanny now, 26 years on (with a 10 year stint as a cm'er when my own children were young) and have done various courses over the years. Everyone needs to starts somewhere - for some that's after gaining a qualification and for others it's getting a break like I did and gaining experience.

I would give her a go with a probationary period of say 3 months.
at the end of the day if she wants to do childcare, she has to start somewhere. if yu know, trust and like her then its a start. and if your dp is home most of the time he will b e there in an emergancy.

i say this as someone who started childminding at a very young age with no children of my own (i had younger siblings, but no 'expiearience' of looking after kids) I will be forever greatful to the 2 parents who gave me a chance and left their kids with me (being older and having dc of my own I'm shocked that they even contemplated it!)

Right, so the killer question... salary ideas? We're in a small-ish city in the midlands.

I think it's a great idea. I would choose somebody i knew and trusted over a experienced stranger.

Minimum wage for age 18-20 is £4.98 per hour - so maybe around £6ph gross.

As you are a teacher think about what you want to do in the holidays - there are a few options. She can work the same hours all year round (28 days holiday per year, including bank holidays) You could get her to work reduced hours in the holidays- think about whether you would pay her reduced hours or be a lovely boss and pay her normal salary for a shorter day or less days per week. You could get her to work term time only and either pay a retainer for the holidays or pay her like a teacher and pro rata her salary so that she gets a set monthly wage (I think the holiday calculation for working 39 weeks per year is about 20 days holiday)

Ah yes, the holidays... Ideally I would 'pay her like a teacher' so that we only employed her for 39 weeks per year, but our monthly outgoings (and her income) remained stable. This would mean a lower than average salary, but would give her the freedom to go on lots of more expensive than term time holidays and to perhaps carry on working at the cafe during peak times.

All food for thought. At the very least I think I'll pop back into the cafe and ask if she'd like to meet up to discuss the possibility of 'some childcare'. Depending on the conversation we can then decide if that's occasional babysitting or a formal nanny contract.

You probably have a bit of leeway with a dh that works at home but remember to impress upon her that you cannot authorise term time holiday unless for exceptional circumstances.

No, you're absolutely right. DP is at home, but very much working. He gets really irritated with me disturbing him all the time now I'm off!

In fact, that may be what would scupper this plan. DP may be keen to get the house back.

You wouldn't be able to employ her just for 39 weeks a year. You would need to add on statutory holiday as well. Think the guidance for term time workers is still under review, so you may need to calculate it as casual - see Direct.gov: Holiday Entitlement.

You may want to split salary over 12 months (is that how your pay is done?) which may give complications if they leave part way through a year.

These things can be solved though. You may want the help of a payroll service, though I've had employers in the past do it themselves with the assistance of the HMRC employers helpline.

DP working from home could well be a sticking point, not just for DP but also for the nanny, as they may feel pressured to keep things quiet all the time at home, which may be tricky with a teething baby.

Talk to her about it, then if she's keen and your DP isn't totally against the idea, then see if you can contact the cafe manager/owner for a reference - for example you will want to know how reliable she is at attending work.

Also ask her about what prior experience she has of caring for babies - such as evening babysitting. Babies all day can be very draining, especially if they are going though a phase of not sleeping well, teething pain. Also you may want her to have some knowledge of childhood illness... babies can deteriorate fast. There are weekend first aid course which she could do, should she get the job, which would give her some knowledge of illness and how to manage accidents (babies grow to be toddlers who then fall over trying to walk).

I'd worry about her maturity in terms of decision making. I say this having had problems with an inexperienced nanny who previously worked in a nursery. I guess she'd have to get her first job somewhere, but really she should be looking for roles which aren't sole charge so she can learn the ropes - it doesn't sound like what you're looking for, even though your DP works from home.

You know her and speak well of her.

She has done a year long CC course.

Your DP is home 90% of the time. I presume you think she's able to work autonomously, so she shouldn't trouble your DH, as long as you treat her as though she is in sole charge and don't expect her to check with him before she goes out or whatever. She's 17 - plenty old enough to understand he's there in case of emergencies ONLY.

Lots of nannies do not want to work with a parent at home, but she needs 'a foot in the door' of childcare... win/win.

I think it could be a really, really good deal for both of you.

The St John's Paediatric First Aid Course is really good.

I would definitely meet with her and talk it through.

Thanks again. These latest posts are also really helpful.

I think she'd be fine with decision making medjool - I taught her for two years and she was very hard working, conscientious and dependable. The kind of pupil who would ask when she really needed help, but generally happy to just put her head down and get on with things. I know I can't compare meeting homework and coursework deadlines to looking after a baby, but at least I know that she's sensible (believe me, there are plenty of ex-pupils that I wouldn't let in the same room as my pfb, let alone look after him!)

Wow, think I just talked myself into it!

Seriously, thank you. I was starting to think that I'd gone a bit bonkers, but you've reassured me that I'm not being totally unrealistic. I'll take LO into town in the next few days and try to see her (any excuse to sit in a cafe and eat cake!) then ask if she could meet me when she's not at work so we could discuss it and see if it would work for us both.

I took on an 18-year old nanny, straight out of school. In fact she'd just come over here from Australia, and wanted to work as a nanny until she'd earned the right to go to uni here without paying international fees!

I knew I was taking a risk, but my gut feel (and DH's) was that she was (like yours) bright, sensible, mature, and like-minded (plus I met her mum, which helped with the just-arrived part). It worked out brilliantly and she stayed for 2 years. When she started she had care of DS (3) at half-day nursery and DD (9m). I was working form home two days a week out of the four that she worked, and felt this was a good way to "keep any eye" which helped her to settle in, reassured me, and let her know I was potentially watching/listening.

She had good references (I spoke to her headmaster in Australia and a woman she'd babysat for); I made a point of speaking to them and asking about the maturity/decision-making side. She was the most mature 18 year old I've ever met and I still have no reason to doubt this (it's 2 years since she left us now and I've given her good references for a number of jobs she's doing around her uni studies).

One really important part of interviewing/checking out a potential nanny for me is to invite them to your house when the child is awake. The best ones get down on the floor with the children immediately and engage with them - sometimes so well that it's hard to talk directly with the nanny (perhaps not such a problem with an 8mo than a toddler!). This might be a good test if you know this girl from school and cafe - invite her over and encourage her to play with your baby.

I hope that's helpful. I'd go with your instincts - you could have a great setup for both of you. Don't forget you'll need to gradually increase her pay as she gains experience, or she'll soon realise what else is out there.

Good luck!

If she worked in a nursery she would almost certainly get NMW, but she would also get training and work towards a childcare qualification (the Level 2 NVQ is assessed by supervision in the workplace and working as your nanny would not be suitable).

The statutory minumum holiday entitlement for someone working N weeks per year is N / 46.4 * 5.6 weeks, rounded up. So for a 5 day week 39 weeks a year, 39 / 46.4 x 5.6 x 5 = 23.53, 24 days paid holiday, although many employers would round this up to pay 44 weeks.

Workers under 18 cannot work more than 8 hours per day, 5 days per week so if you were paying say £5ph for this that would be £200pw for 44 weeks, £8,800 a year so spread evenly £733.33 a month or £169.23 a week.

One really important part of interviewing/checking out a potential nanny for me is to invite them to your house when the child is awake. The best ones get down on the floor with the children immediately and engage with them - sometimes so well that it's hard to talk directly with the nanny (perhaps not such a problem with an 8mo than a toddler!).

I totally agree with that.

One negative I've just thought of is that her age means she would probably find it impossible to get nanny insurance and she wouldn't be able to register with OFSTED for you to use childcare vouchers.

what about s
asking her to baby sit while you go out in day time with dp at home and see how it works for her and dp