So fed up

[happychappy]

I've been a nanny or working with children (in nurseries, schools, or childminding) for years (about 15).

I am fed up with it all. I have amazing experiences and love working with the children and the families mostly but..... The pay is crap, the respect is minimal and it seems there is just no stability. Don't even get me started on the paperwork. I am questioning is it worth it. I suppose I'm feeling really cynical about it all, OFSTED, paperwork nobody looks at, training for the sake of training, CRB checks.

Do you think there is sell by date for nannies or am I having an off day? BTW spent 10 phone calls today trying to get hold of my CCCO officer to discuss need in my area. (I have 4 families waiting for me to be registered to use my service). He's telling me there isn't a need (really!!) and I have to do a stupid course (NCMA course) I did years ago but because I moved countries and didn't keep the paper have to do again (despite having all sorts of higher level qualifications).

Off I go again hoop jumping and box ticking.

Hmm Im having a similar problem at the moment, so have an idea as to how your feeling.
Can you not get a copy of your paper work?

No, but it all seems so bloody pointless and wate of energy that you could be doing something with my family or the children I care for

I think there is a sell by date for many people. True career nannies exist but they are very rare, and most of them just don't bother with OFSTED/equivalent registration because they manage to get work with families where it doesn't matter/they can't claim anyway.

IMO the fact that the system for nannies is voluntary makes it worse because there are too many subtly different interpretations. But the CMs have far too much paperwork, working in nurseries the pay is rubbish.

There is a sustainability problem with staffing across the sector.

I agree. I'm training to do something else but that takes time. Another 3 years I think (hope). Furthermore it's just so expensive for parents. The system isn't really working for anybody but it's the system.

Systems can be changed. But it would always be unpopular with someone so politicians rarely try. Just look at the flak Truss is getting for trying. I don't necessarily agree with what she's d

Incidentally there's a consultation on the utter crapness effectiveness of the vOCR. Your point about joined up registration would be a good one to make.

• I don't necessarily agree with what she's doing but at least it's raised the issue.

Why do touchscreen phones like eating the ends of phrases?

There's a sell by date for many things... I had a complete career change TO childcare years ago... there's nothing wrong with it... sometimes a change is fabulous. Re-training can be good for the soul and self confidence. I could not provide the service I do were my heart not in it, I know that for sure. I wish you luck in your endeavours.

I don't think that there is anything wrong if saying your at a point, where you don't continue working with children. I am not a "career nanny" myself and I could not imagine being a nanny for my whole life. I love looking after children and I always got great references, but not every employer is as nice as my current ones and I also study for a Finance degree. If things go according to plan, I will stop working for my current family the year by little one goes to school FT. This is 2015 and then I have hopefully finished my degree.

However I disagree with the pay crap. I am a live-in nanny and earn 25k a year. I think for a person my age (22) it is a lot and it is more than my friend earns who works for a top law firm in Brussels as an associate. By the time she pays her bills etc. I am far better off than she is.

I agree with the respect. My current employers respect me a 100% but my last employer in Brussels was awful. If every family was like this family I would have stopped nannying a long time ago.

I have worked more than 15 years in this job. Any other job would have a career progression and scope for development but with nannying there isn't. However nannying is the exception in childcare work in that the pay is reasonable. But you start at a certain salary and that's not going to go much higher and gain more interesting roles or responsibility really. Furthermore you generally have to find new roles every couple of years. Another issue I have is you are very vunerable, working alone. It is a difficult job with alot of responsibility and long hours generally. Finally as you get older you become less attractive to employers because they feel you're not up to it because of your age and your family situation is always under question unlike any other type of work. I have lost count of the number of jobs I haven't got because I have children of my own. My children are teenagers and my husband is at home when they need someone at home. Yet apparently I am not is a position to fulful the needs of the role because I will be compromised (IOW they can't take the mikey and come home hours late without a word).

There are some lovely things about this type of work but these are the downsides and unfortunately they are getting to me more that the goodsides. However I am hoping that I have found a couple of roles (2 parts roles) which means that look like they will see me through my final 3 years of nannying and allow me time to study. One of the children is gifted so it will be really interesting from a personal point of view and give me that challeange I am looking for.

I am definitely passed my sell by date. I was a career nanny for 17 years and used to love it. Now I have my own family so I have started childminding and I hate it. Mainly because of Ofsted who I have little respect for. I only have one child on my books for two days a week yet i am expected to run my home like a nursery! I hate all the endless paper wk and everyday I dream of giving my family notice. Of course as a professional I make sure the little girl feels wanted and loved and my children do genuinely love her but my heart is 100% NOT in it. What else can I do? I love being a mum and would like to be a SAHM but financially not an option. I know i am lucky that i am at home with my kids and lots of mums don't even have that option and with only 1 charge what am i moaning about but I hate it and i can't afford to just quit and give it up. I Feel really bad. I would hate for my kids to be looked after someone who felt as I do.

Sienna1...I think a lot of c/ms feel this way at present..totally unvalued and with so little recognition...
Truss started all this with her think tank report about deregulation/agencies...since then it has been a constant bombardment of reports, consultations, then the co-operative nurseries idea followed by 'universal childcare' with 10 extra hours at £1...(no matter who pays for it we will end up losing)
The reality is that childcare has been messed up by those in govt over the years...

I may sound naive but I do believe in voicing opinions and getting heard ...although I think some deregulation is coming, at least the agency threat seems to have disappeared for the moment...we await news

I would like to remind you that Ofsted are under attack at present for incompetence and those calls will grow as more inspection reports come out...in the end Ofsted are accountable...keep your hopes up