Cost of a Nanny in Norfolk?

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We are considering hiring a Nanny to look after our two children, aged 5 and 7 years, and would like to know the likely cost, can anyone help please?

It would be for three days a week, before and after school 7-9am and 3-5pm in term time and three full days in the holidays. Is this even feasible? Would we need to employ for full days all year round? If so, what would the Nanny do whilst the dc are at school?

Sorry if these seem silly questions but I really don't know where to start! TIA for any advice you may have.

The best way to find the going rate in your area is to contact local agencies and look at jobs ads in you area.

It's possible to find a nanny for the mornings and afternoons only, but unlikely. You'll probably need to pay extra for the hours you do need. Your best bet is probably a nanny who has their own child that they want to bring or a nanny-share.

7-10 gross per hour I expect but have a look at job ads, nannying and in other work to get a feel for salaries in the area. Nannies tend to be paid more than school/nursery workers, so take that into account when looking at salaries.

Not sure who a before/after school job appeals to, especially with all day in school holidays. If hours fitted with pre-school, then it might suit a pre-school worker.

Some advertise on Gumtree.

Will the nanny need to be on call whilst the children are in school? If they are ill and need picking up? If there is a teacher training day/broken pipes or can you cover those times? If you need her to be on call, then you need to pay her for those hours.

I looked after 7 year old twins for a year and with holidays, sickness, training days and snow days, out of 260 week days, they were off for 148 days. Granted, they were at private school so a few less days off for state school.

Their school day was 9am to 3:30. School was 15 minutes away (30 in rush hour) I dropped them then went either to the supermarket or run errands (drop/collect dry cleaning, speciality shops (health food, electrical for light bulbs/fuses/tools, post office to collect/return parcels etc) or home to make/strip beds (I stripped my employers bed but the cleaner remade it, huge bed and duvet, took me ages to make it. I also told her that if I ever found anything grim in it, I would not finish the job nor do it again! Heard many, many horror stories of disgusting things found in beds and laundry baskets so I also got her to put their washing in the machine and turn it on and I would dry and fold it once I knew it was clean!) tidy the boys room (they were pretty tidy so not a great deal of tidying), dust and Hoover it on a Monday. Empty the dishwasher and load breakfast things. Prepare after school activity equipment (tennis, swimming, rugby bags) or an activity for us to do together usually the beach but crafts or baking on rainy days or for birthdays, Christmas etc. prepare after school snacks and drinks for them. Prepare tea for them and sometimes employers, depending on what I was making, batch cooked for the freezer. Do their washing, ironing and putting away (and they had loads of it! Clean uniform every day, tennis kits twice a week, swimming towels and muddy rugby kits and after school clothes (they were pretty messy boys!) mending/darning/sowing in names tags. Recycling (didn't have lorries then) sorted and stored too small clothes, bought new clothes as needed (mainly school/sports clothes, pants and socks, after school clothes were done by MB with the boys) apart from bosses laundry and bedding, I did all of these jobs before the boys started school!

I did meet friends for coffee or lunch a few times a week or go to the gym or swimming (lifeguard had my mobile incase school called and leisure centre/beach was 2 minutes from school)

Some days I had barely 10 minutes to myself, other days they were pretty chilled out, very much like my role now with an 11 month old!!

Oh and costs! I don't know the going rate for Norfolk but don't forget to offer gross wage you will have to sort tax, national insurance and employers national insurance but you can pay a outside body to do this. They vary in price but start at £150 per year, do look around as some are much more.

You will have to feed a full-time nanny, my employers provide breakfast, lunch and tea for me (I can't eat after work, 7:30 finish, it's too late for me) I eat what my charges eat. Some employers only provide lunch (some make the nanny bring a sandwich, which is thankfully rare but also really mean) you can tell them what you will provide. They will need drinks and probably snacks!

Factor in the cost of heating the house if nanny is there all day, also fuel allowance, recommended is 45p per mile to cover fuel and wear and tear or cost of providing a 'nanny' car. Also factor in having your or the nanny's own car valeted occasionally if she uses it (getting vomit out of cracks and crevices is not easy!)

And finally, kitty, for errands, shopping, ice cream/hot chocolate at the park after school, swimming, craft equipment, tea out occasionally and day trips in the holidays.

I think that's it!

Thanks for all the detailed advice, it's given me a lot to think about! I think maybe we would be better off with a child-minder, but it's proving difficult to find one...don't suppose anyone can recommend a child-minder near to Diss?!