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Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

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Original poster

Paid study leave for a nanny?

43 replies

KnotsinaWame · 31/05/2013 16:23

We have advertised a role and interviewed and selected a nanny.

Nanny due to start in 3 weeks but wants to make an addition to the contract. She wants to add in 3 weeks paid study leave (this is on top of annual leave/bank holiday entitlement) and us to pay accommodation and course fees for any further training she wants to do (child care courses etc) and to keep up with her current certificates.

We feel that her current experience and qualifications are perfectly fine for the job (I'm home all day anyway just working in a different room) and we don't want to pay 3 weeks study leave, course fees and accommodation.

AIBU in thinking that if she has a hankering for more quali's that she can do it in her own time? This is our first nanny so genuinely don't know!

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cathpip · 31/05/2013 16:33

Yanbu, I studied to be a teaching assistant whilst working as a nanny and did it around my job. If its first aid then yes allow her paid leave for that, but quals to further her career ( that are of no use to her when looking after your children) do not help you esp when the experience she has ( and qualifications) are as you say perfectly fine!

Ebb · 31/05/2013 17:10

Well, there's that saying, "If you don't ask, you don't get" but .......... What a cheeky cow! No, you're not being unreasonable to tell her you are not paying for her to study. If she wants to add to her CV, she can do it in her own time at her own expense!

chelsbells · 31/05/2013 17:17

Can't believe she wants you to pay for her to do courses she wants to do! As with other posts, yes if her first aid expires while with you then it's in your interest to let her have time off for it, but it's still for her to pay for! I was at Uni and nannying a couple of years ago and never asked anything of the family!

LongNeckedDancers · 31/05/2013 17:18

No way!

Blondeshavemorefun · 31/05/2013 17:21

Ditto ebb

Cheeky of her but agree don't ask don't get

But the answer is no don't give it to her

Wereonourway · 31/05/2013 17:27

Three weeks!?!

Bloody hell, it is cheeky.

WouldBeHarrietVane · 31/05/2013 17:36

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ActionLog · 31/05/2013 17:39

Definitely not.

TBH I'd be having a bit of a think about how keen you are on her as I would be concerned this may be starting to show an attitude of rampant entitlement.

nannynick · 31/05/2013 17:45

I guess you are not wanting her to work 7 days a week, so there should be some days she can do studying in her own time.

However if it was an office job then an employer may give some days for training. It isn't an office job though!

If this is the nanny you really want to employ, then try coming to a compromise. For example, it is not reasonable in my view that you "pay accommodation and course fees". Keeping up existing training to do the job - such as First Aid - I feel is her responsibility. Other training she may want to do, you may not see any benefit from so it is not your interest to pay for the training. Maybe you could compromise on a few days extra leave, though you certainly do not have to do so.

If you have a child in the future who has additional needs, then your nanny may need some additional training... however you cross that bridge when it happens, not before. In that situation you may well contribute towards training and indeed you may well do some training yourself.

YANBU to refuse this request in my view.

Original poster

KnotsinaWame · 31/05/2013 19:23

Thank you for all agreeing with me :)

She is working a 35 hour week spread evenly over Mon-Fri.

It is a live out position.

She asked, we said no but now she wants to meet to discuss things and we are hoping this isn't back on the agenda! Just wanted to check in advance of seeing her tomorrow in case she brings it up again. cheers!

OP posts:

Gruntfuttocks · 31/05/2013 19:29

Hmm, lots of alarm bells ringing. Trouble ahead. I'd start looking for another nanny if I were you. Really. Just do it and save yourself the aggravation of sticking with this one.

orangepudding · 31/05/2013 19:35

That's a really cheeky request from her - YANBU.

LadyHarrietdeSpook · 31/05/2013 20:45

I would say no (trying not to shriek No! No f'ng way!) If she makes the comparison to an office you can point out that companies who pay for courses can demand the lot is repaid if an employee leaves or is dismissed before a certain period of time. But I wouldn't even go this far. Just say no.

nannyof3 · 31/05/2013 20:59

Cheeky cow!!!!

Shes trying to pull a fast one!!!

Karoleann · 31/05/2013 21:06

I wouldn't compromise on any days. I've always asked for a paed first aid cert on appointing nannies and if they don't have one, I offer to pay for it - but they have to do it in their time and I have the proviso in the contract they have to pay to back if they leave within six months.
So no no no...

LadyHarrietdeSpook · 31/05/2013 21:19

I mean if I were for example transitioning an au pair to a nanny role and paying less than full nanny market rates I might consider this as a sweetener. Yes she may well qualify and leave for a better paid job but it may be worth it for the time you have them. It is nice to invest in someone. But I doubt this is the case here and imagine how galling it would be to incur this cost then she leaves for a better job or demands a raise because she's better qualified! Companies who pay for training are in auch different position because in principle the employee could stay for years. Nannies generally are much shorter term. Also who knows what the tax position would be on these benefits. The way some people talk it's a wonder they realise there is a recession on.

OverAndAbove · 01/06/2013 17:11

There's no way I would agree to this - and no way my (corporate) employer would do so for me. What you might do, is agree that her holiday leave can be taken on any crucial days (eg lectures, exams etc) if needed, so you are helping her studying but not actually paying for it.

Pouncer1 · 01/06/2013 18:53

How did the meeting go today?

Ragusa · 01/06/2013 22:24

Wow -what a cheek. The only way I can imagine she might have thought this would be acceptable was if she was from a country where childcare was v highly regulated and qualified - somewhere like Sweden or another scandi country. Or, her English is really poor and she wants to improve it. However, I don't think that's something you should pay for.

Are you offering her a reasonable wage?

I work for a fantastic employer but even they wouldn't think about offering me 3 weeks of fully-paid residential training - that's a joke.

Like others, I would be really worried that she will be completely entitled and will carry on being very demanding.

What did you decide with her in the end?

Casey · 01/06/2013 22:32

How did the meeting go?

Original poster

KnotsinaWame · 02/06/2013 08:29

Update: Today we had the meeting and I think it was all crossed wires?

She said that maybe the phrase 'study leave' had been wrong and what she'd meant was that if a course came up that was relevant (ie 2 day first aid at work) she would be allowed to do it (in work hours) and at our expense as it was needed for the job.

If there wasnt a course locally we would pay for her to travel. so not 'study leave' as such, but time off away actually doing the course.

I think we have agreed that the only thing we feel is relevant for the job, course wise, is her to have a first aid cert. So that'll be a 2 day course every few years - we can live with that! Hugely different to the "3 weeks study leave" she had written!!

For someone that asked up thread we are paying £9.60 per hour gross (£17,500 for a 35 hour week 7am-2pm) We had no idea what to offer but she did ask if that salary could be reviewed in a few months so nervous it's a bit low. What a mine field this nanny lark is!

thank you everyone for your help.

OP posts:

BranchingOut · 02/06/2013 08:32

Reminds me of BoffinMum's thread about the ridiculous demands of some nannies.

I had a prospective nanny want us to pay £10 per day for her parking, just because she didn't want to use the bus - this was in inner London with a direct bus service and no driving required for the role.

BranchingOut · 02/06/2013 08:33

Phew, that all sounds much better. Well done.

EasterHoliday · 02/06/2013 08:34

FWIW, those first aid courses are frequently held on weekends because people need them for work and don't get hte time off. It's a requirement that she has it for her job and it's her responsibility to keep it current. Our nannies have never asked for time off or the cost of the course to do first aid.

MissStrawberry · 02/06/2013 08:42

When I was a nanny I took a first aid course on a Saturday and the employers paid for it.

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