Becoming an unregistered nanny

[GotMyGoat]

Hello, I'm thinking about becoming a nanny in london (SW?), I'm hoping that being unqualified/unregistered parents might find my rates attractive?

Is there anything I should be thinking about? I've already done a paediatric first aid course, and could get a CRB check done for parents to see (should i order one now, or does a parent order one on looking at me?), I think i've got a fair bit of transferable experience, reading assistant, work in schools, having been a parent etc.

Also, it would great if I could bring my dd with me part time, how does this affect wages and insurance? Do i need nanny insurance even if I'm employed? Do I set my rates in an advert, or do parents? I'm thinking £9 an hourish for london, will nanny agencies touch me?

Suddenly hit me like a lightbulb this week that this would be a fantastic idea, but would really like to do it properly, advertise attractively on childcare.co.uk etc.

Thanks [busmile]

The going rate for a qualified, registered nanny who doesn't have their own child is about £13ph. When you say £9 are you including tax and insurance in that or do you want tax/NI on top?

Most parents want a nanny who is registered so they can pay with childcare vouchers. I'm not sure that being unregistered will be a selling point tbh.

You cannot get a CRB check done on yourself. If I were you I would register with Oftsed, it's very simple and they will do a CRB check for you.

You are not legally required to have insurance, but it is advisable.

Parents will decide what they want to pay you, but you can state in your ad what kind of money you're looking for.

Nanny agencies won't normally deal with people unqualified and with no experience. At the moment many are full and not taking qualified/experienced nannies so I wouldn't rate your chances. However, there are lots of good websites so you don't really need an agency.

Bear in mind that nanny jobs are few and far between at the moment. Have a look at the 'giving up nannying' thread or the 'can't find full time work thread'. I think you will probably need to do before/after school only, flexible hours, or massively undercut the going rate in order to find work at the moment.

Nannies can generally NOT be self-employed no matter what some families tell you. Do not agree to do it unless you have checked with HMRC.

Thanks - that's a really useful post! Is registering with OFSTED a fairly simple process then? I had never thought about that.

And thanks for the heads up on the unemployment situation - I was considering things like emergency childcare/evening/night work to try and make me more appealing, so will definitely look at more flexible working patterns.

I was looking at £9 before tax and ni go out,

Am reading the info on the OFSTED website now.

You have to be qualified to register with Ofsted. And no family would take you without a CRB check. You have to get a CRB through a company so an agency would be your best bet.

Why do you want to be a Nanny?
If you are going to undercut the already low rates would it not be better to go into a different, less competitive industry?

I'm a qualified, registered, experienced Nanny and I'm really struggling to find a job; and my rates aren't high.

By not being qualified, registered, having no experience and expecting to bring along a child you aren't an attractive candidate for prospective families who already have a huge pool of nannies with similar wage expectations to choose from.

I don't mean to sound harsh at all; but please don't narrow your opportunities elsewhere (and spent money on registration, CRB etc) only to enter a very much suffering industry

And the average hourly net wage (for live out) is around £10 at the moment

Seventh - you don't sound harsh at all, you sound very realistic!

Are you in London? I've seen nanny rates in the areas I'm looking at for experience and qualified of £14 ph, so thought I was offering a reasonable alternative.

The Ofsted document I was reading seemed to suggest I could register with proof of my first aid, though perhaps I skimmed over the qualifications bit. Will have a re-read in the morning.

I suppose Nannying is attractive because It would make working more affordable for us by cutting childcare costs and fits in well with my lifestyle -I'm being made redundant and I haven't seen anything similar to my role advertised in the past 6 months so am thinking of returning to study later this year, full time then part time nannying could fit in really well with this. I like the idea of having the security of being an employee, whilst also being able to be independent and plan activities etc.

I'm not putting all my eggs in one basket, I'm doing my research and thinking I'm pretty good at creative parenting stuff and maybe I could make a living out of that.

Quick look seems to suggest that to register with Ofsted, you don't have to be qualified if you have sufficient child care experience, or have taken some of the core skills courses.

Does parenting count as child care experience?

Factsheet, Requirements for the childcare register: childminders and home childcarers

CR4.2
Childminders and home childcarers must have successfully completed a:
() qualification at a minimum of level 2 in an area of work relevant to childcare, or
() training in the core skills as set out in the document ?common core of skills and knowledge for the children?s workforce?.

So I am wondering where you have read about you only needing 'sufficient child care experience'. What document did you see that in?

You can do basic training that covers Common Core... such as courses from MNT and BabyEm.

£9ph gross is very low for London so I don't think you'll struggle to find work tbh.

You do need to be qualified to register with Ofsted, but it's a one-day course, do the exam all on the same day so really not too much trouble.

In addition you need first aid (which you have), insurance (which you should have anyway) and a CRB (which Ofsted will do for you).

Where are the £14nph jobs?! Send them to me!

All of the jobs with all five of my agencies have been £10nph - £12nph max

But IME nannying is not at all secure. It isn't like being an employee at a company. I was recently fired for dislocating my knee and taking two days of work (having been signed off by the hospital) by the family from hell. I was also made redundant by a family because the mum decided on a whim she wanted to be a SAHM and then two weeks later buggered off 50 miles away (DS lived with grandparents).
Because you are working for parents rather than a business there just isn't the same job security.
This is just my experience though and to be fair I do work with very wealthy families who have the hiring/firing luxury.

Seventh I'm pretty sure the OP is talking gross not net. £13-14 gross ph is about right (it works out about £10-12 net).

makes more sense

If you can't find anything on your own you can still at least try to get in touch with some agencies... I thought none would accept me but just sent a few mails explaining my situation + my CV of course and some said no but I'm registered with 2 now, soon to be 3 so it's definitely worth a try. Good luck whatever you decide to do

Thanks for your replies everyone, it was Wimbledon where I saw the expensive nannies!

I was reading a PDF from the Ofsted website, which is where I saw the core skills courses mentioned.

Job security is a worry, but I'm starting to realise that no employment is that secure, with regards to funding issues for businesses.

I think I might try and get an office/retail part time job and try and do some babysitting/emergency childcare before jumping in looking for full time care jobs.

I just thought I'd offer a parent's perspective here:

A CRB check is okay if you have one handy. But, personally, i think they are a false sense of security. It just means you've never been caught. And if you are from the UK originally, it's not really worth anything at all. I put a lot more stake in your referencs... and yes I talk to them myself. I have had a fair few nannies, and I don't think a single one has had a CRB check.

OFSTED registration is not only something I don't care about, but in fact I prefer you don't have it. I had a recent very bad experience with OFSTED concerning my absolutely lovely childminder. It left a very bitter taste in my mouth; and the further OFSTED remains from me the happier we will both be. I can use my childare vouchers elsewhere (e.g. Kip McGrath).

Bringing your child with you would make the job a nanny share and I would expect the rate to be reduced accordingly. In principal I'm not opposed to an extra play mate, but you would need to think about things like sick policy, compatible school pick-up/drop-off, after school activities, logisitcs of travel, etc.

'OFSTED registration is not only something I don't care about, but in fact I prefer you don't have it'

It would be a shame to punish future nannies because Ofsted are twats Strix. Many of us are registered now because parents require it. It's a horrible thought that people pissed off with Ofsted would now avoid us!!

strix, i had to google kip, seems theres one where i live

knew you could use vouchers for nannies/cm/nursery and some private schools accept them, but didnt know private lessons as well :)

OFSTED registration is important as only OFSTED registered nannies can be paid with childcare vouchers

A CRB check is essential for obvious reasons

Well, worry not. Most parents don't hate OFSTED as much as I do; and won't hold it against you.

AS I said the childcare voucher attraction is cancelled out by being to use them elsewhere, so not of any value to me.