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Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

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Original poster

London Manny Looking for work

10 replies

SteveHarris · 20/04/2009 15:35

I am a 24yr old male. My mother has run a childminding business in our home since I was 3. I then helped her out with the children ranging from new borns to 15yr olds. I also did some babysitting for some of them in the evenings. I have 20 years of experience looking after children but no qualifications. Would anyone here employ me? I love children and I know I would be a great Manny for any family in the London area. I am hard working and would never let anyone down. I live in the London area as just moved to the City. Any one interested please contact me on [email protected]

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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Original poster

SteveHarris · 20/04/2009 15:36

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

OP posts:

nannynick · 20/04/2009 17:41

Hi, welcome to Mumsnet Steve. Nice to see another Manny posting on here. Good luck with your job hunt.

poshtottie · 20/04/2009 17:46

Nick you have company.

20 years experience, but your only 24 typing error obviously.

You could do a first aid course and any of the MNT courses, some are only one day so would be good for you and help you get work.

nannynick · 20/04/2009 18:09

Steve - you need qualifications. When I was around your age, I did the 2 year CACHE Diploma in Nursery Nursing. Agencies won't touch you without qualifications these days and I expect most parents won't consider it either - as a bloke you have to have lots of pieces of paper to prove that you know about caring for children.

If you want to work in Childcare - then do a 2 year training course, then register with whatever nanny registration scheme is running at that time. I expect that within the next few years, all childcarers will be registered in some form... and there may be minimum training requirements for that registration.

poppy34 · 20/04/2009 22:10

steve -as an employer I would agree with nick. Although your experience etc sounds great , a lot of employers will want more than that as they will be looking for you to be ofsted registered if they want to pay you with childcare vouchers (and even if they don't want to do this it equates to the same thing that nick is talking about) - am bowing to nick's superior knowledge here but coming from other side of the fence as an employer I can vouch for what he says.

Good luck

nannynick · 20/04/2009 22:46

Even once you do have lots of paperwork (training certificates, Ofsted registration, references from all sorts of childcare things you have done in the past) some parents still won't even consider interviewing you - because of your gender.
When chatting with agencies, I have known them to put my details forward for a job but for the mother to respond to the agency saying that her DH would not consider it. That seems to be the current stumbling point - mums can like the idea, but convincing dads is harder.

callmeovercautious · 20/04/2009 22:57

Why not try a Nursery, the big chains will put you through your qualifications via NVQs and you will gain alot of experience with a wide range of young children.

DD goes to a Nursery with one male carer. He works with the older DC atm but every now and then covers with her age group - she loves him to bits

Good male role models are essential in education. The more the better! Our "male carer" has a great line in "masculine" nursery rhymes. Lots of rockets and tractor songs - the ladies all stick to Baa baa and twinkle twinkle type things - DD finds them boring now she knows how to sing about rockets going ZOOM.

Original poster

SteveHarris · 21/04/2009 09:43

Hi everyone sorry I was away from my computer last night. Thanks for all your information. It seems silly where I have loads of experience with children from all ages, I'd say I have been looking after children from when I was around 10. I have been CRB checked as I was living in my parents home where they had their business. You all have given me allot to think about which is very useful.
Nick- What are you up too now then?
I was also looking at a website yesterday and it said how allot of parents now a days prefer to employ male instead of females, do people in here feel this is the case?

OP posts:

nannynick · 21/04/2009 19:04

I am nannying - working for a lovely family with two under 5's.

I would not agree with what you have read on a website, I was job hunting about a year ago and many parents would not consider me due to my gender. Fortunately the agency I am with found me a great family who would consider it.

nannynick · 21/04/2009 19:14

Steve, I think you saw the comment from LotsOfLovelyShoes on the other Male Au-Pair thread - but for anyone else finding this today, or in the future, that mother's comment confirms my earlier post about mums being ok with it, but will their DH? Male Au-Pair thread link

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