Is a Norland nanny worth it?

[Internationalpony]

Hi all,

We’re looking at getting a nanny and I love the idea of a Norland nanny for the following reasons:

1. They’re people who have truly chosen nannying as a vocation and haven’t just drifted into it
2. After a three year degree they’ll have a real in depth knowledge of child development so will be actively developing DC not just looking after them
3. They develop a weekly meal plan and activity plan - I’d find this so reassuring and beneficial
4. It seems like they’d do things to make our lives easier in so many other ways e.g. responsible for keeping the nursery tidy, DC laundry, will even meal prep for DC for the weekend
5. There are a clear set of expectations set out by Norland on what the nanny does and doesn’t do which can help to avoid any potential problems further down the line

However they’re of course very expensive, even for a newly qualified one, and we’d only consider a live out arrangement.

Obviously affordability is very personal but my question is, how easy is it to find other nannies who are just as good and proactively focus on child development? Are most other nannies happy to / expect to do similar duties? Where else have people found good nannies?

Finally, we have recently relocated to Northern England which another reason I’m concerned about finding a good nanny - there is so much more choice in London! Would any Norland nanny want to or be willing to be based here? Has anyone had a Norland nanny in the North before?

Thanks in advance!

I think the important thing is to use a reputable local or national agency who will chase up references/double check them. When I was interviewing (a long time ago) I interviewed a mix some Norland, some Princess Christian and some just very experienced nannies. The one I chose wasn't a Norlander but felt the right fit for us, years of experience and very flexible - told me she chose by the person not the perks as in her experience that was what mattered. Excellent references and I spoke to the last 3 families she'd worked for. The real thing to look for IME is someone who starts at a family when child 1 is small and stays until the youngest starts school. Says a lot about their attitude and professionalism and how well they are able to embed themselves into a family.
Having said that I did have holiday cover via the Norland Agency and they were great.

I'm a Northern nanny! I've been one for over twenty years. I don't have a degree but I consider myself to be a good nanny in terms of keeping myself well informed and up to date with child development and childcare practices. I meal plan, cook for the whole family, keep playrooms and bedrooms tidy, do the children's laundry, sort out too small clothes, buy school uniform and supplies, amongst many other child related tasks. So everything a Norlander would do, but without the uniform and price tag. I don't think you need to specifically look for a Norlander in order to get a really good nanny.

Wow, this is so unnecessary. My DC is here and very well and nutritiously fed. Contrary to “can’t be arsed” to feed her, I spend a lot of my time planning and making healthy, balanced meals. I’d also be very happy to pay someone else to make sure DC has healthy and nutritious meals every day which will free up more time for me to spend with her instead. Please explain why that means parenting isn’t for me? Is good parenting about enjoying cooking or about loving your child and wanting what’s best for them?

How old is DC out of interest? And dare I ask… what do you eat in the week?

What a weird perspective. I cook for my kids because I want them to have nutritious, tasty food not because the task is intrinsically enjoyable. If I could achieve the same outcome without having to actually do the planning and cooking, I absolutely would! Not sure why that would make anyone unsuitable for parenting

Why doesn't your child just eat what you do at the weekends?
You cant take food for them out to restaurants past the age of about 2.

Because as a parent you're not wearing the required hair shirt?

Shame your thread has been hijacked by the if-you-dont-want-to-cook-dont-be-a-mum brigade.

You're question ls are valid and it's good to see some of the useful responses.

Others clearly having a slow Monday evening 🙄

That’s for newly qualified! Then it jumps up significantly after one year of experience!

In terms of providing somewhere for them to live out - I assumed the higher price for a live out nanny is to cover their living costs (it’s about 10k more than a live in nanny)? Surely most nannies prefer to live out than live with their employer?

Why doesn't your child just eat what you do at the weekends?

In my case, it's because I have an odd palette and my child doesn't really appreciate blue cheese, steak and wilted spinach, sushi, salt cod, mussels, bacon-wrapped asparagus and poached eggs, which feature heavily on the menu whenever I can be bothered to cook.

You sound amazing! Do you use any particular agencies to look for families?

This really isn’t relevant to the thread but I’m vegan and DC isn’t. No, I’m sure we won’t do it past the age of 2 but under the age of one I don’t want DC to eat food that’s likely high in salt and where I don’t really know what’s in it.

Yes ditto Princes Christian

I’m not sure this exists anymore? I’ve never heard of it and when I googled it came up with a page from the national archives!

My daughter is a Norland Nanny and I can’t tell you how impressed I have been with all of them. The training is superlative and encompasses practical stuff such as nutrition and sewing etc through to speech therapy, the importance of creative play and quite advanced child psychology. The effort my daughter puts into the weekly meal plan in terms of nutritional balance and variety never ceases to amaze me -

They are the nicest bunch of girls I have ever met and I think any child who is looked after by one of them is incredibly lucky.

You are right to be concerned though about being able to attract one to Northen England. There are dozens and dozens of unfilled jobs with the Norland agency, many offering vast salaries in glamorous locations.

Obviously they rarely wear the uniform while working any more unless it’s a wedding or a christening etc.

Lol, I'm old. Same kind of ethos.

OP contact the training school themselves they may have access to their own register of available nannies.

I know of parents who have hired and currently hire norland nannies and they have and are very pleased.

Equally other agencies may offer similar services.

Good luck.

Massive gap in the market I’m thinking here… why aren’t there any “nanny schools” up here??? Maybe there are I don’t know. Great idea for one of my imaginary lottery win businesses though!!

Apart from the degree that is all stuff I used to do as an unqualified happy nanny. I'd often get jobs over someone with the NNEB qualification. It's the person more than the paperwork they possess.

Be careful you're not being seduced into something you don't really need for the wrong reasons. You would be amazed how many parents start resenting what they have to pay for what they want.

No- they want to live in.
Even a basic nanny would expect an ensuite room and more typically a suite of 2 rooms. A cottage in the grounds is not untypical for rural nannies

Even if they are in the middle or far east where the uniform is a status symbol for the employer?

This thread is reminding me of the Catherine Tate sketch about the Nanny 'from up North'

Oh be fair! The poor OP has had to move north of Watford for some unspeakably painful reason. Surely you don’t want to pile on the agony by raising the possibility that her children might start speaking with a northern accent.

This seems low?? 🥺.
My DC is a fully qualified intensive care nurse, literally life and death stuff. They earn £28k but hey they are only a "nurse".

You can still get qualified nannies who have the NNEB or level 3 childcare qualifications They haven't just fallen into their college courses either. There isn't just Norland nannies unless you are after the prestige, the uniform, the accent. It doesn't make them any better.