What shoud I pay in these circumstances? Help from nannies please!

[cupofteaplease]

Well as I've posted in previous threads, our AP is leaving us tomorrow.

We need somebody in the house from 7.30 when I leave, and no local childcare starts until 8am. Our childminder has said she will help us out until we replace our AP, but it cannot be a long term agreement.

So, we are frantically searching for an AP on Gumtree and APW. However, a young lady has got back to us, who we spoke to when we first started looking for an AP in August.

Basically, she has many childcare qualifications and was looking for her first nanny job. We didn't suit each other as we only need part time care until lunchtime, and she is not OFSTED registered, so I cannot claim back any money paid via my childcare grant.

She has been working in a nursery in another town, but hates it, and has said she would rather work for us as we live on the next road from her and she really wants to get into nannying.

She is coming to meet us this evening. Now, I think she is 19 (could be 18, I can't remember). She originally asked for £200 net per week for 40 hours, but offered to accept less as there is no travel involved and we don't require a driver (she doesn't drive).

So- how much would be a fair price to pay for a first job, 27.5 hours per week? Also, how easy is it to become OFSTED registered? Would we organise this, or would the nanny?

I've used nurseries, preschools, a childminder and an AP, so consider myself quite au fait with childcare, but haven't got ANY experience with a nanny.

Advice GREATLY received!

I don't understand why she asked for such a low salary - at £5 an hour that's minimum wage.

But if she's happy to accept that how about just multiplying 27.5 by 5.

Its quite easy to become OFSTED registered but may take a few weeks and from my experience the family fund this.
Id say around £180 would be reasonable but I could be wrong as cant remember that far back, and I think it depends on the area you are in?! hth

Thanks for the replies, think i shall look into it a bit further and see how to become OFSTED registered. Laurie I've no idea why she charges what she does- she set the rate!

tbh most 18/19yr wont earn 6/8ph and i think min wage at her age with no sc exp is fine

problem is that she would have to find a job for just afternoons/after school and this could be hard

agree she could be ofsted if she has the right quals, first aid etc

I'm an 18 year old nanny and I earn £5.50 ph. I think its acceptable for my age and experience.

In a nursery she would be earning around £6 an hour I should think, so I guess that would be a reasonable wage for her. If she has childcare qualifications she can be Ofsted registered, but may need to take a first aid course - I think you should pay for this and the cost of registering (around £200), and she needs to pay for insurance (£70 I think).

Agreed with the others. She could always supplement that salary with another job in the afternoon or volunteering at a school or somewhere to get more experience and it would give her a good first job.

Multiplying 27.5 x 5 is a good start.

Thanks for all the advice. It doesn't matter now as she has just rung to say she has been offered a full time job elsewhere.

Back to the drawing board...

I'm guessing you're not in London?

(I'm saying, because my babysitter, who I think is 18 now, charges £7/hour, and she's one of the cheaper options!)

No Cockney, not London!

bugger cupoftea

what will you do now?

Blondes, right now I'm thinking I might just give up my PGCE and be a SAHM.

I can't find any reliable childcare for my pesky darling dc and I'm having a 'feeling sorry for myself' afternoon!

In honesty, I shall just have to up my search on APW- just having trouble trying to find an AP already in the UK to start as of yesterday.

noooo dont give up the pgce....stick with it soemthing will come up...good luck.

Don`t give up , what area are you in ? Maybe someone on here can help if they know where you are . Or they can point you to local mother and toddler groups etc where maybe another mum would like a bit of pin money , you could drop your kids at her and she do any drop off etc . There will be a way you just need to search a little further . Good luck - and stick with your PGCE it will be worth it !!

def dont give up

what area are you in again?

Northamptonshire - I just looked at her memeber page

its a shame you're not in london - you sound like a fabby lady to work for!

good idea about another mum in a parent/toddler group... or even a nice nanny who is looking to top up her earnings??

I'm in South Northants. Thanks for the encouragement- I am still looking for an AP. It's just a case of sifting through the many applications from APW, which is of course time consuming!

Im having a similar problem too. Really wanted our student but she doesnt qualify until summer then she has to get registered which can take up to 3 months (i phoned OFSTED and they told me she needs to apply for a pack and fill it in and send it back with all relevent paperwork ie proof of her qualification). However, ideally i need someone now for 2 or 3 days a week. I phoned a nannie agency and nearly fell over with shock of their placement fees - £750 for full time. They want £250 for 2 days - does anyone know if this sounds right?

I know my boss paid £3,000 for a placement fee for me {I'm full time live in}

Try gumtree, netmums, nanny job, nanny net or families online aswell as here

Ok i will thanks - may be its a good deal then. What happens though if what ever reason the nanny doesnt get on and a couple of weeks later she leaves - i havent asked them that yet.

cupofteaplease My e-mail isn't sending or receiving atm so I can't e-mail you just now. Can you e-mail me the contents of your profile so that F can see exactly what the duties are, the ages of the dcs, pocket money rate etc. I can ask her tomorrow.

bbeau- that sounds about right,infact sounds rather cheap to me

most agencies charge fee of 3 to 3.5 of the nett salary - to place me full time would costs parents 1500+ or 3 days part time,as i am 900+

Most agencies have a policy where if the nanny doesn't work out for whatever reason they will replace within a reasonable amount of time but you should check any contract you sign and i personally wouldn't go with an agency that didn't do this as sometimes with all the best will on both sides the nanny isn't the right fit for your family. Definately think you should check nannyjob and gumtree first as there are loads of nannies about.

i would say £150 -£200 gross would be fair for those hours as min wage is much less for those aged 18-21yrs.

she has no nanny experience and is newly qualified and doesnt drive so you would be giving her much needed experience.

Maybe start at £150 gross for those hours as its part time (that would be £300 if was a full time 55hr nanny job) then offer to increase to £200 gross after 4-6mths that way she will be willing to impress and want to stay to get the pay increase.

mind the kids is another webiste you can use.