Nanny Part Time for Autistic Child and Sibling

[runikka]

Good evening

Just wondered if anyone can offer me some advice. Our little boy currently attends day nursery and a special school nursery part time. I am looking to increase his special school hours in the new term but it will mean losing some day nursery sessions. I am thinking long term and wonder whether a nanny who is trained to deal with or has experience in special needs would solve our childcare issues. However, I am unsure if there are many nannies offering

a) special needs provision
b) part time help
c) the cost

If anyone can offer any advice or point me in the direction of a website I'd be very grateful.

Kind Regards

i used a regular nanny agency but made it very clear what i was looking for (ie someone who was prepared to get down and dirty in the world of sn - dd2 has cp)
i paid just on the high end of the normal rates for the amount of kids i have (3).
there are nannys out there who are looking to gain sn experience, so you may be lucky. i've used two nannys found in this way and had no problems. i didn't necessarily want any sn experience, just an absolute willingness to learn and get involved, and deal with therapy sessions etc. it took a month or so each time to find someone we were happy with. the part time thing is the most difficult, but it's just the luck of the draw as to whether the person you want is going to be able to meet your hours...

I have a friend whose son is quite severely autistic and they also have a second child. They had a great nanny for about 6 years. Like Romy they paid top end of normal rates, but insisted that she went into school with the SN child (school were happy with this arrangement) where she worked with more children than just the autistic son. Must say my son benefitted from her input greatly for a couple of years!

Where abouts are you Runikka?

Hi

We are in West Sussex. I am just thinking that if he goes into the school, I will be short every day on the hours from day nursery. It is a problem we will need to address when he starts school properly anyway. We also need childcare for our daughter and a nanny might mean she could attend playgroup and then have cover for the afternoon.

contact SNAP nanny agency

the specialise in special needs nannys

www.snapchildcare.co.uk/

As a nanny who cares for several children with ASD, I have no special training. Is there any? I can't even do EarlyBird as places on courses are for parents.
Your local NAS branch may know of local childcarers who have experience of working with children with Autism.

Some teachers and childrens nurses have left their professions and gone into nannying as less stressful and more constant consistent hours.

snap childcare are great and have many nannies on there books who are experienced in different special needs.

Some nannies will also have personal experiences from siblings and other family members.

In west sussex for someone with special needs experience you for part time you are prob looking at £10-£15 net an hr.

nannynick -
here's something you might be interested in. have you heard of cool2care? they are running a course in guildford next month. free training for those interested in pursuing providing care for children with disabilities. they are a non profit organisation set up to link carers and families. charging £25 to book a place on the course, but it doesn't get cashed if you turn up. in theory you are then supposed to go onto their books so that they can link you to families looking for carers - the courses are either weekends or evenings.
the project is being rolled out in surrey and b'ham this year, but hopefully further afield once the trial is complete. i don't think the courses will tell you anything you don't know already, but will actually provide certification of training in issues surrounding care for children with varying disabilities.
(i'm thinking the original idea is to provide a link service for those in receipt of dps, but once you have the training you aren't tied into any contracts or anything - they have no further interaction past introductions, you make your own interview/ employment arrangements with employers)

just a thought if you hadn't heard of them before - it only kicked off in May i think...

Thanks Romy

Hi,

we used SNAP earlier this year to get a nanny for the resaons you say.

I have dd1 (just turned 4, ASD) and dd2 (18 months)

We were starting up a home ABA programme, and rather than find tutors etc we got a nanny. she does 20 hours a week, and does a lot of the ABA work, but also is "just" a nanny, so will have both children if needed, does pre-school runs if needed, etc.

She is incredibly flexible with her time, so we have been able to swap morning sessions for afternoons, and vice versa if needed (especially now in the holidays). She also comes away with us if we have weekends away (as this weekend, when we are going to a wedding) and so we have someone the girls know helping us out, and also she does the babysitting. she is marvellous.

silverfrog... can I ask what training your nanny has?

She has little formal training as a SN nanny.

She is a student, studying early years development/teaching (final year, so dissertation writing)

She has previously worked in a nursery, and also on a SN playscheme. She has also been involved with babysitting/extra pair of hands for a family with a child with SN.

We were looking for someone who was right for dd1, more than someone with a lot of training, as we felt that anything she needed to learn (ABA-wise) would be easier to fix than a non-starter personality-wise with dd1.

As soon as she walked through the door when we interviewed her we knew she was right, and she has been a total star. She is coming away with us this weekend, and has previously baked goodies for us on the journey. this time, she has attempted a GF/CF cake so that the dds can have some too (not sure if youknow about GF baking, but it is not always something that comes easily, let alone having to buy special ingredients etc) - all off her own back.

For us, what we needed was someone with a similar "what-you-looking-at" attitude to anyone who might stare if dd1 kicks off, total acceptance of needs of a SN 4 year old (so still in nappies, extra help with feeding etc) but most importantly of all, someone who fits in with the family.

It has been such a relief to have her, really has been the best thing I've done.

Thank you everyone for your response it is very helpful. I have had a brief look at SNAP but might look in more depth with my husband later. We are also not necessarily looking for specific training but someone who will understand our son, know a bit about autism and will not just write him off as naughty or difficult. I am a bit concerned about the increased cost involved as I am guessing childcare vouchersetc cannot be used against someone you directly employ? It has got to be what is best though so will continue investigating

nannynick - come and volunteer for PAG if you want to expand your repertoire

sliverfrog - Thanks for that, interesting to know that your nanny has little formal SN training.

Your nanny sounds a bit like me... my SN experience is from doing 1:1 nannying/babysitting typically 3-5 hour sessions, helping on a playscheme, accompanying a family (3 children on autistic spectrum)on holiday.
I'm NNEB trained, so back in those days there was no part of the childcare course that covered special needs. Thus I'm self-taught via reading books (once I've read a book on SN, my local NAS branch gets it for their library).

I agree with you that it's the connection between the carer and the child that is important, rather than a piece of paper saying they have done X, Y, Z courses.

runikka - SNAP may be useful, but as sliverfrog has said, the nanny need not be specially trainned. So I would suggest trying to recruit yourself initially (much cheaper) and if you find that you are not get getting suitable candidates, then consider using an agency.

Childcare Vouchers can be used to pay a nanny, in England. The nanny needs to be registered with Ofsted under the Voluntary Ofsted Childcare Register (my renewal letter arrived this morning, cost from Sept 2008 for me to renew is £110).

You will find a lot of info in this section of mumsnet with regard to nanny recruitment, the tax/ni side of being a nanny employer, and about childcare vouchers. If you can't find the answer to something... start a new thread and I expect on the nanny employers, or a nanny themselves will be able to help you.

If you are able to get Direct Payments, then I would asking on the SN Board. You can also get help there for how to fill out the forms for things like Direct Payments, benefit entitlements etc.

Romy7 - what help do you need? Most of my Monday's are available at present. Let me know via e-mail.

Hi my name is Laura and I'm 25 years old and looking for temporary work as a nanny for up to 2 years. I would consider other nannying jobs but prefer special needs and younger children. I have had plenty of experience with special needs children as an LSA, head of hydrotherapy, mainstream nanny, babysitter and camp america. I work with profound and multiple learning disabilities and challenging behaviour at present with children from 3-25 years of age both in the community and in a school setting. I am fully CRB checked with various qualifications in first aid, health and saftey, epilepsy as well as a diploma on occupational therapy. i drive and am willing to accept a post up to 30 miles way from collingbourne ducis near marlborough, wiltshire. I am energetic, love children, am passionate about special needs, hard working and flexible. Available for work in about a months time or possibly sooner
email [email protected] or call 01264 850161