Thinking of hiring a nanny

[MildDrPepperAddiction]

We are contemplating a nanny share with another family and we are not really sure how this works.

I tried posting earlier but it didn't seem to take so apologies if this is doubled up.

Do we effectively become the employer for the nanny or is she self employed?

Can we still use tax credit contribution/childcare vouchers via employer?

What about holiday/sick pay?

If you have details of a website that answers these questions or if you have experience of this and can advise I'd be really grateful.

Yes you employ them with the other family (assuming its a share where both families' children are cared for together)
Yes you can use vouchers if the nanny is registered
As an employee nanny gets holiday pay (5.6 weeks which can include bank holidays) and statutory sick pay etc.

The BAPN have a guide to employing a nanny on their site and a guide to nanny shares too, which is worth a read. They'd probably also be able to answer most of the questions you have even though they're for nannies they do adv

Posted too early! Was going to finish that they do advise parents too.

You will be the employers.
Tax credits/childcare vouchers - what country are you in? Different procedures in different parts of the UK.

We are in Belfast. Does that change anything?

It certainly does with regard to tax credits / childcare vouchers. NI Direct: Home Childcarers looks like a place to start in your hunt for information.
That gives a link to a booklet Employing an Approved Home Childcarer (pdf) which looks like it would be useful to read. It provides information about the approval scheme, employment matters like maternity pay, holiday entitlement, national minimum wage, taxation and payroll, what the contract needs to contain, things to think about when interviewing. In fact it looks a good guide for anyone considering employing a nanny (home childcarer) as much of it applies in the rest of the UK as well as in Northern Ireland. The difference is in the approval scheme itself.

Thanks for all the replies. Does anyone know of good sites where I can get a template for a contract?