I need some perspective on this nanny job situation

[NannyR]

Firstly, this is probably going to be a bit of a rambling post, sorry!

I'm a nanny - I have been in an overseas, live in job for the past year. I'm very well paid, the family are happy with me and the job is secure for a few years. It's not the best job I've had but not the worst either.

When I applied for the job it was advertised as having separate accommodation. This is very important to me - I only apply for jobs with separate accommodation because I like to have some separation between work and home life and my accomodation is my home, i dont have anywhere to go at weekends. I was very lucky to get a lovely studio flat with a small garden in a nearby village.

Now the family are buying a new house that has a "staff apartment" and they want me to move in to this apartment, which consists of a kitchen, a shower room and a fairly small bedroom (not really big enough for a small sofa and a table). It's not self contained and the house is very open plan. If this was the accommodation on offer when they advertised the job I wouldn't have applied.

I just feel like I'm trapped in the job now; I'm not happy with the new apartment for lots of reasons, the situation has made me realise, that at 36 I'm fed up of doing live in work. This is my first OS job and whilst I'm happy here, I've not settled as well as I thought I might. I own a flat (that ive never actually lived in - long story!) in Yorkshire where all my family live and I would love to move back there and do daily nannying, but there are very few jobs around in that area and I would have to take a huge drop in salary (I knew I wouldn't be able to get OS salary but I wasn't expecting 13k for working in a day nursery)

I know in the current economic climate I would be downright stupid to hand in my notice and come home. I'm probably coming across as too picky, I know I'm extremely lucky to have a job, but the thought of my "home" being somewhere that I don't feel comfortable or happy, for the next few years is making me feel very unhappy.

I don't know what advice, if any, I'm asking for, but if anyone has any input, advice it would be very welcome (including giving me a kick up the bum and saying just be thankful you've got a job you enjoy and a roof over your head!!!)

Why don't you discuss becoming live-out with the family? That way your salary should increase and you can use that extra to rent somewhere or stay in your current studio flat? I agree 36 is getting kind of old to be living in someone else's house.

Difficult one but I can see why you're unhappy. Did they know you liked the self contained aspect?

Could you look into other job options? No harm in keeping an eye out.

Longer-term, could you do something different to move to yorkshire?

NannyR
I had to reply to your post!

Did you get the feeling they had some specific reason to want you to live in the new accomodation...or that they are not thinking about it too much and just assumed you'd be fine about it. Is there someone else they employ who could live in the space that will be allocated to you? Or would it be like, this space is going dormant so we wouldn't consider a live out nanny.

There's no harm in giving a couple of agencies a ring and seeing what's out there for alternative work.

I would also be asking them whether this sort of thing happens a lot and what they suggest - for OS nannies, is it a relatively regular reason to leave/renegotiate contract etc.

That's an interesting question - what to do for nanny's who are at the top of the pay scale and looking for a new challenge. I shouldn't think it would have to be nursery nurse work - if you want to continue to work with children have you considered teaching?

Thanks for your input. I don't think they would want (or be able) to pay me extra to be live out. I think the reason is that there is plenty of space in the new house and they don't want to be paying rent for another apartment when there is a bedroom available.

I've been doing a lot of thinking this afternoon and making lots of pro and cons lists and have come up with a few options.

What it boils down to is that my heart is telling me I want to go home, to live in my own place, put down some roots and get my stuff out of storage and generally live a normal life, but my head is saying that, however down I feel here about my job and where I live, it's utter madness to give up a secure well paid job.

I'm going to ask her tomorrow if I can pay the rent myself on the apartment for the next couple of months to buy myself some time to make a decision. Also I've made an appointment over the easter hols with a Yorkshire nanny agency to find out exactly what the job market is like up there.

I've also looked into more training as I have very little in the way of formal qualifications - I've got where I am through experience but that's no good if you want to work in nurseries or schools.

If your heart is telling you to come home then you've probably already made the decision - however 'sensible' it might be for you to stay abroad that will only provide you with money, not the roots/family/security you're craving.

If I was you, I'd move in with the family (asking them to make the accommodation more 'separate' if possible) and save like mad for ~6 months, to give yourself a nest egg for when you come back to the UK. :)

My friend is currently looking for a nanny position in yorkshire, there seem to be plenty of jobs in the cities but she's looking for one in the rural area we're in and there's not much so she's looking at a long commute.

Cannot offer any help re: job but have you looked at OU qualifications, most can be done online, so can be done abroad. I did a level 4, then foundation degree, then Ba in Early Years, just thinking about topping up to an honours (but think DH would divorce me as have been studying since i met him 9 years ago!)

I would accept the new accommodation and view it as a temporary thing whilst you find a job you want to leave for.

South345 - do you have any recommendations for agencies in Yorkshire? I would be living near Bradford, but happy to commute to Leeds, possibly out to Harrogate, Ilkley, Otley etc.

NannyR - first class is a pretty good agency, based just outside of york but they get jobs in and around leeds too. Janet White in leeds is a bit poncey but gets some good jobs. Tinies Yorkshire can be a bit hit and miss but I would register with them if looking up there as a well known uk-wide agency. Chatswiryh used to be reasonable and focused on leeds (unlike the others who cover a broader area) but they don't seem to have many/any jobs recently so not sure?

Hth!

Chatsworth not chatswiryh... Stupid phone!

nannyR, check out nannyjob.co.uk they have jobs from all the yorkshire agencies, search under yorks & humber.
Good luck, follow your heart. :)

Thanks. I've been looking on nannyjob a lot recently! I got my first ever job through Janet White so I was going to re-register with her.
I'll look into Chatsworth and Tinies.