Becoming a Nanny....

[Saz73]

Been childminding for a couple of years now, someone suggested to me about Nannying. What in additional to the cm training do you need?

to be a nanny you need NO training or qulaifications what so ever you just need to find a family willing to have you as there nanny

most agencies insist that if you dont have a child care qualification you have at least 2 years child care experiance... but childminding almost certainly be fine.

Thanks for that NannyL. May consider looking into it then. Is it something I could do as well as the childminding, just that having difficulty filling vacancies.

Where are you, Saz73?

I assume you are looking to be a live-out nanny.

I'm in Nr Reading, Berkshire. Yes it would be live out. Just looking at the possibilities at the moment.

I would think there would be a good nanny market there. But, I would also think there would be a good childminder market there. Any idea why you are having trouble filling your spaces? (i.e. competition, location, etc.)

I think you will find the biggest difference is going from setting your own schedule / activities, to actually being someone's employee.

There's not enough work out there at the moment. In the last couple of months I know of 3/4 new minders in my area so work is getting scarce, also live near a army camp and everyone seems to be using friends to look/do school pick ups. In our local shop there only use to be only my name on the board but theres 3 of us now. I;ve probably been spolit in the past as i could pick and choose work but this is no longer the case.

I did my NNEB years ago and have quite a lot of nanny friends . To be honest I think you would find it harder to get work without a nanny qualification.

Unless you knew the family already etc.

I was a nanny for 8 years before becoming a childminder and I am not qualified.

a lot of people like nannies to be either qualified or experienced, so I do think it's worth looking into. also if you've had your own kids then that's the best experience you can get! some might be less keen on an unqualified nanny for tiny babies. have you done any cm training? any short courses on childcare? they would help, even if they're not technically a "nanny" qualification.

At 19 I got a nanny job with a 5 month old baby. At that point I had 2 years nannying exp. I stayed in that job for nearly 4 years.

As a nanny employer I have never cared whether any of our live in nannies had a "qualification". More interested in experience and "click" factor. Good references are important, a piece ofpaper is not.

Click factor is very important, I find parents choose me because of how I interact with their children. Recommendations are like gold dust, if someone recommends you, then you are likely to get the job unless you really mess up the interview.

I met a new family today... they heard about me via one of their friends recommending me. However, they did check through paperwork thoroughly - qualifications, First Aid, SureStart Approval (as they may use Tax Credits). So clearly some parents do want the reassurance that their childcarer has some qualifications, as well as experience.

Flexibility is something that families require these days. The more flexible you can be the better - so if you don't mind working strange hours, weekends, shifts, or whatever the parents require to match with their own work pattern, then the more chance there is of getting work.

Up to date first aid qualification, good references and likability are all desirable, but no formal qualifications required.

Most of all the parents want experience, confidence and aimilar attitudes to disipline etc. Agencies vary on what they like nannies to have.

if you are experienced with babies there is more money in maternity nannying, but shorter contracts.