Build A Nanny - help

[StiffyByng]

Googling is giving me not very helpful information here, so I realised the experts of MN were what I needed.

Next spring I will need a nanny for my 1 and 3 year olds. Never had one before but I can't afford two sets of nursery fees, and I will be working shifts and studying so I need the flexibility anyway.

Our disabled teenage daughter had a brilliant carer we employed through Direct Payments. She had no qualifications at all - we hired her because she was lively and friendly and made a great friend for our daughter. As our daughter's condition progressed however, her healthcare needs got high, and her behaviour very challenging, and her carer was amazing, working hard under unbelievably strained conditions. Then the carer went away for a long-planned year of travel, and since then our daughter has sadly died.

Facing up to our new childcare issue, we naturally thought of this carer as someone we would trust our kids with. She is enthusiastic, caring, responsible and energetic. BUT we would like her to have some sort of training, if only because she has no experience in, for example, preparing food for little kids, or awareness of child development, etc.

Google gives me an array of possible qualifications at different levels but no real idea of what is essential, how long things take, and which stuff is best off done in person rather than online. The carer is in Australia right now and would be happy to start off learning stuff while there. This is probably a stupid question, but where to start? What can she do while she's out there and what could she do while working for us?

If you would like her to be able to be paid in childcare vouchers, she will need some qualification as well as insurance and first aid. Have a look at mnt training. They do online/distance learning and a min she will need for ofsted is the common core skills.

Not sure if there are any specific courses on cooking food for children. Maybe in Aus there are adult education places which do short courses, you never know they may run simple cookery classes which might cover doing food for children, or cover making simple dishes that children may eat.

MNT is a good suggestion for child development training, not sure what they have at the moment but they are introducing more online courses.

Will you need to use Childcare Vouchers (scheme offered by some employers)? If so, then MNT does a common core course via distance learning which is suitable for registration in England (which country are you in?)

There are books on child development which are worth a read. Whilst old, one book which is quite good as a guide to development is called Birth to Five. Can't remember the author, could find out later as have the book somewhere at home. General reading around the subject can be just as good as a course in my view.

((Hugs)) about your eldest dd :(

Basic skills /quals for childcare would be first aid / crb (tho now new name) and nanny insurance

Common core skills or a nvq

Tbh if you know and trust this girl (which you do) then she may not need any other skills apart from common sense :)

Unless you use vouchers then need a basic qual

Nanny nick will be able to give you more info as he's good at things like that :)

Keep in mind that a nanny is not usually cheaper than 2x nursery. Make sure you look at all the costs involved, remembering to add employers NI just like you probably had to do when they were a carer for your eldest.

There are quite a lot of posts on here about costs of having a nanny, so have a look through those for things to keep in mind, such as activities budgets, travel, food, taxation, payroll etc.

Thanks, all. Definitely need to use vouchers so I knew Ofsted reg would be needed but had no idea what was required for that.

Cindy, I am in South London, and a nanny is most definitely cheaper than two sets of nursery fees here! Even with gross pay.

I've had a look on MNT and it looks great, although I'm still not clear on core skills. I am being a bit slow to work it out though so I may give them a ring. I need to decide how many bits of training to offer to pay for - I don't think she has much spare money right now but at the same time I could hire someone already qualified. I know round here people often pay for registration and first aid fees.

I don't want her to be a great chef! I just know from personal experience that her current idea of cooking is a hummus sandwich and crisps, and I'd like her to know the basics of good stuff to give kids.

Stiffybyng, have you factored in the EY funding that you get from the term after DC 3rd birthday. I was also convinced a nanny would be cheaper, but for my DD going to nursery 2 days a week, our fees approximately halved, plus we got a sibling discount (off the older child unfortunately).

For me (West London) it would ave been cheaper to pay nursery fees for 2(which is what we did with DD1&2)

Babyem and Tigerlillyhave training courses, worth looking at those as well.

As you need to use childcare vouchers, initially concentrate on finding courses that are suitable for registration. I suggest that First Aid is done as 12 hour both days practical. Subsequent refresher course could be shorter but I feel the 12 hour practical course offers more time trying things out and getting trainer feedback.

In my area nursery for two would be around £100+ per day, nanny would be a bit higher. However it does depend on salary and working hours. There are benefits to having a nanny, no need to wake children, nanny will care for a mildly ill child.

If money is tight then do budgets for both options and list pros/cons. By the sound of it you want a nanny so you will probably find the money if needed.

NHS website and various university sites around the globe have videos and text about child development.
There are simple cooking guides online.
Could she follow recipies, there are various books available, some have basic nutritian guides in them.

if you would like ideas etc on courses here in Australia she can do send me a message as I Nanny here, and I am happy to help, but I'm not sure how transferable to England they are

If you know her/like her/ trust her etc then I wouldn't worry too much about qualifications. Were you qualified when you had your children? I'd say the majority of parents have no formal training.

If she's keen to learn/do the job then just get some child development books and some basic books on cooking for children. Can you have a few weeks handover so that you can train her up a bit yourself?

I would also double check the costing. I'm in London and a qualified nanny is definitely more expensive than two nursery places (not by huge amounts, but definitely pricier).

I'm mostly worried about the qualifications because of registering, I realise. Also though, although she means well, and is a good learner, I reckon there are some common sense things she might not think of and I might not think I need to tell her! So a bit of basic stuff wouldn't hurt. I think too, given that she wants ultimately to work with disabled children, she will need to do some of this stuff anyway. Absolutely we're not qualified as parents so I'm not too hung up, but I do know from experience that there are things that she cocked up, like medication in her previous time with us, that parents can cock up too, but that training makes you more likely to get right. I think she'd feel more confident being thrown into caring for two small kids with a bit of training under her belt. A handover period will be essential.

Our nursery is £65 per day for over-twos, and £77 for under-twos. The 15 hours discount won't apply until halfway through the year I will have both of them at home full time, and apparently my nursery is frustratingly slow at processing it in any case - and I think the reduction in cost only works out at around £150 a month. I am thinking of moving my child to another nursery owing to issues with the management there, but the cost is at the higher end of the normal price in this area (bloody nappy valley type of place!). My friend's fully qualified nanny costs her less in gross although obviously that doesn't figure in the extras like fuel, activities, food etc. But I think even if they take the cost to marginally more, the convenience would be worth it over a nursery.