Longer-term local nanny or shorter-term recommended Norland nanny

[Confusedrechildcare]

We are planning childcare for when I return to work. We have the option of a brilliant, Norland-trained nanny who has worked for a friend since qualifying and is available for one year due to our friends going overseas for a year. She would be a live in nanny. The alternative is a local nanny with no formal childcare qualifications but who seems switched on and is warm.

We’d of course prefer to have a nanny recommended by our friends - she sounds very focused on development and works in a very structured way keeping journals, meal plans etc. However it would mean our children (twins who will be 13 months when the nanny starts) will need to change to a different nanny after one year and I’m concerned about the developmental and attachment impact of that.

The other nanny is more of a risk since she isn’t recommended and she’s unlikely to have the same level of knowledge of child development as someone who studied for three years but she could turn out to be great and has the benefit of providing more stability.

Having said that, we only plan to use a nanny for two years and then move DC to nursery at age three so it would be either be two nannies for one year each or the same nanny for two years.

Which option do you think is best? I’d be interested in hearing from nannies or those with knowledge of child development and attachment in particular. Also interested in any experiences of live in vs live out.

The other nanny is more of a risk since she isn’t recommended and she’s unlikely to have the same level of knowledge of child development as someone who studied for three years
As a matter of interest, for how many years did you and your OH study child development?

Bizarre question. We’re not childcare professionals so haven’t studied child development… hence valuing the knowledge and expertise of someone who has.

As a friend of a Norland Nanny who has drawn on her knowledge & experience countless times since becoming a Mum, they really are brilliant. If the other nanny was formally trained it may be a harder choice but if it's untrained vs Norland trained, it's a no brainer for me.

I note PPs comment re training you & DH have had but the difference is you know each other well and trust each other's judgment. Very different compared to when you're leave DC with a relative stranger.

if you go with the local nanny, she might also leave after a year for some other reason. My kids had nannies for several years and I found that you can't really plan for more than 1 year at a time - your needs might change or the nanny might move or whatever.

has the local nanny dealt with twins before? that is a much bigger challenge than 1 child, so would make me more inclined to go with the Norlund nanny

I'm was a NNEB nursery nurse/nanny

What experience does the other nanny have? Does she have any qualifications in childcare? Does she have references? Personally I would opt for the Norland Nanny rather than warm and switched on.

She has experience of nannying for children from age one (although not twins) and working as a mother’s help for younger children. She’s young (mid-twenties) and she has good references but no formal qualifications.

Either nanny could get pregnant or decide to give up nannying, or your friends might not want a nanny in year, or you might decide nursery is better in a year... There are endless possibilities.

Chose the best option for now.

I wouldn’t discount the local nanny due to having no qualifications. I know a nanny who is amazing and her knowledge of child development is incredible. She is so warm and inviting and really helps the children come on both emotionally and developmentally. She isn’t qualified it as she hasn’t pursued qualifications as she has never needed to. That in no way doesn’t mean that the knowledge isn’t there.