Dilemma: whether to continue employing our au pair as a nanny

[fluffymouse]

Our au pair is amazing. She is great with our daughter, and we are very lucky to have her. She has been with us for 3 months, and we employed her hoping she would stay for a year.

She has now told us she will be moving in with a friend next month, but would be happy continuing to au pair for us.

Providing of course that she is happy to continue to work with us we need to think about employing her as a nanny (obviously at a big additional cost) or whether to find a new au pair.

I would love for continuity, and really dread the idea of another au pair search. It is however a big cost (but one we could stretch to... just about), and I worry how happy she is to continue working for us if she doesn't want to live with us anymore.

She has told us she wants to live with a friend for the social side, and doesn't feel that her house is quite her home, though we have done everything possible to make her feel welcome.

What do you think?

What are her qualifications??

It's a massive extra cost - I have just gone from
Nanny to au pair and it is a big hike

You also have tax and NI go factor in, payroll, paid holiday and sick leave

Your au pair will become an employee - if she gets PG for example
You would have to pay her stat maternity pay plus there's min
Wage to take into account for live out workers

She is very well qualified (to degree in relevant subject). Lots of experience too. She is however still improving her English, and her job involves talking to dd in her native language.

I realise the cost will go up quite a bit. I don't think there is any chance of her becoming pregnant any time soon so I've not factored that into account.

As for paid holiday and sick leave, we of course do offer that to her as an au pair.

If she's qualified offer it to her

Re the paid holiday and sick leave that would go up incrementally in cost

4 weeks paid holiday at weekly rate will be more that you pay now

Do you think she's interested?

Its fairly difficult to get an au pair at short notice, so you could continue with her until September maybe.
I think if she's moved on from you after 3 months, its likely she's looking to nanny full time and you will lose her anyway

I don't think you need to employ her as a nanny and pay nanny rates. You can employ her as a 'live-out au pair' or 'mother's help' or 'junior nanny' or any name you want to give it. Offer her minimum wage for her age, that probably won't be that much more than you're paying once you factor in decreased living costs etc.

I agree with Karo though it sounds like she's looking to climb the ladder. I'd maybe offer her minimum wage for the rest of her year and then offer to 'promote' her to nanny (and look for a share to split the cost).

I feel I need to pay her extra at least the amount of her accommodation outraged, otherwise it would make no financial sense to her. This would work out over minimun wage, but not by that much. (is it around 6/hour now?)

I think min wage is £6.25

I wouldn't necessarily assume she wants to move on, just because she has moved out. I completely understand wanting to live with friends over employers, not matter how lovely they may be!!

Have a talk to her, tell her how important she is to you, and perhaps offer more than min wage, but not quite nanny prices, and explain why. If she is planning on moving on, thus will at least keep her with you until you can grind someone else, and if she isn't thinking of looking elsewhere, she will love the fact that you appreciate and respect her!

** I meant find, not grind!

I agree about having a chat with her, that should help you make a decision.

Min wage is £6.31 for over 21 (which I assume she is as she has a degree)

Thank you for the replies.

I have spoken to her and she said that she is happy to continue working for us. Now we need to think about how we can make the finances work. I think we can manage it but dh isn't sure.

Minimum wage rises in October 2014, so keep that in mind. Details

Registering her with ofsted would make employing her a lot more affordable. I've had a look at the website, but can anyone clarify what qualifications are acceptable for childcare? Is a teaching qualification acceptable?

As a nanny she won't need to have formal qualifications except first aid and food hygiene.
Registering as a CM there are a few more hoops to jump through...

Minimum for Ofsted registration would be to do the Common Core course. Teaching qualification may not be suitable on it's own.

Could try seeing if the qualification is listed on
www.education.gov.uk/eypqd/qualification-search

Ami: a nanny on the register needs cypop5 or common core skills to register with ofsted. You don't need food hygiene either as a nanny, I find it odd that nannies and cms have different requirements!

Op: she can do ccs through mnttraining, it's an online course that she has a month to complete. I did it in a night, it's mostly common sense bits really! Then a paediatric first aid course that is twelve hours long (can recommend a great one in South east of you're close!) and insurance.

The insurance may be difficult as the main companies want you to have experience as a nanny, I think nanny insure was the one I used when I started out as morton Michel wouldn't take me on until I had two years experience. I've just switched to PACEY, which she may want to look into as the insurance is included in membership and is cheaper than getting just the insurance from other companies. You also get discounts on training and some limited training for free.