help needed - want to employ a nanny

[silverfrog]

Hi, I oculd do with a bit of help, please. We have been mulling htisover a while, and I've asked questions here before (thank you for your help). HToughts are crystallising slowly, and we have advertised but with no real comeback, so if you could let me know what oyu think, I'd be really grateful.

We want to employ a nanny to help out with our 2 girls. dd1 is 5 and has ASD, dd2 is 3 and NT.

We want a live-in nanny to help us out generally (I don't work) - eg dd2 will be starting pre-school soon, and I can't physically do the 2 separate likely school runs (dd1 is at SN school).

Plus extras like clubs/music classes or even OT - we need an extra to either be taking one girl to the activity or staying home with the other one.

For a variety of reasons, a nanny is thebetter option for us, as it gives continuity for dd1. And live-in gives us some flexibility on babysitting, etc, with a known person for dd1 (big issue here)

So, in general, my questions are:

Am I likely to find someone who is interested in this sort of role? It would, of course be quieter during term times, (more as dd2 gets older, i guess, but they would have a pre-schooler to look after for now), but busy during holidays, which is where days get a bit crazy when dd1 loses the routine of school.

Should we advertise a gross annual salary, or hourly?

Overall, we are thinking (loosely) 7.30-7.30 Mon-Fri. I say loosely, because as mentioned above, I don't work and so there would be two of us around to do stuff (is this going to be a problem?) Plus up to 2 nights a week babysitting (included) - we would rarely use both nights, I should think.

Odd weekends and holidays with family paid on top, by mutual agreement.

We were thinking salary in the range of £20-23k, depending on experience. Does htis sound right? (we are South East, not London)

Nanny would have own room, sitting room and bathroom.

What do you reckon?

My nanny is live-out so hours and salary are different. But if you are around you could look for someone with less experience, for the shared care aspect, or someone hoping to build up their SN experience.

For babysitting our contract says one night a week Mon-Thurs, with weekends at nanny's discretion. This sort of restriction might make it more attractive for the nanny.

I would advertise an annual salary. I think you can be flexible about the hours while one or other DD is at school, can't you? It is the wrap-around care which you need.

I have always used agencies to recruit nannies. Lots of people here recommend nannyjob but I tried on that last time I was recruiting with no luck, and Gumtree had just too many cvs for me to sift through.

My first thought is that as it's a shared charge role and live-in, it's more likely to appeal to a younger, less experienced nanny. Maybe someone who has au paired for a year and wants to move on to more of a nanny job, or someone quite recently qualified.

I would give a weekly salary in the ad, both in gross and net - though no harm to include a gross annual salary too.

THanks for the replies.

Yes, meant to say babysitting would be Mon-Thurs for the included nights. Anyhting else nanny would have first refusal, and paid extra on top (or, in the case of a weekend away, time off in lieu if preferred). Absolutely no carry over of babysitting, either - totally use it or lose it

HAppy to be flexible about hours, as long as the flexibility goes both ways. Once both girls are at school, I can see that it would be one of us doing one school run, the other doing the other (prob on a week on/week off basis - I would def still want regular contact with both schools)

Usual nursery duty stuff for nanny (children's laundry, keeping bedrooms/play areas tidy, cooking for the children type stuff) and then her time would totally be her own until afternoon school run. School holidays would obviously be more hands on, and for more constant hours, but that's the pay-off for having easier term times, surely?

We are using an agency, and they are wanting us ot specify an hourly rate. We don't really want to go there, tbh. We'd rather pay a bit over the odds during term time, and have a happy nanny who is willing ot put in a little more work in the holidays, than start quantifying each and every hour worked.

Shared care is about the strenght of it, I suppose, with some sole care (why have ananny if I can't have the odd day off )

oh, and not too worried about experience - w eneed someone who is going ot get on with the girls (dd1 is our main interviewer here), and are happy to provide any training thatmight be necessary.

Most full time nanny jobs are advertised with a weekly wage rather than hourly, so I would put that in the ad - then potential nannies can easily compare between jobs. Lots of jobs are still advertised and discussed in net, so an estimate of net too.

I think definitely a weekly salary. Hourly for live in is tricky.

I agree it would suit a less experienced nanny or one wanting to move into special needs nannying. I suspect the wage may swing some people into applying if it's high enough. Shared care isn't generally that attractive a prospect.

Are you using SNAP childcare? If not they're worth considering.

Make it v clear in the contract what you expect at the most so you're always being more reasonable than the written terms and if you ever need to call them in you can back it up rather than relying on goodwill.

Ok, so we'll add a weekly wage.

Is shared care really not that attractive? I'm not the hovering type,but at the same type, if dd1 were not disabled (which, let's face it has changed just about everyhting we thought we'd be doing/able to do as a family, from everyday stuff like schools to holidays and everyhting in between too) I would not be employing a nanny at all.

I really don't want to not be involved daily with my girls - they are still so young. humph.

Would making it more officially split (like on a rosta) make it more attractive? ie, if I do mornings and breakfast one week, and the anny the next? and the same with tea tiem/wind down to bedtime? I obviously don't wan to end up employing someone to do nothing, but as I said, at the same time, I am a SAHM, and amnot really the type to be a lady who lunches

It's not all bad - don't worry! it's just that shared care in many nannies' experience is a bit of a PITA because you're never sure who's in charge, you can feel like you're constantly being watched and if you're accustomed to doing sole care and being your own boss throughout the day then the switch back to shared care would need some incentive for an experienced nanny.

Less experienced nannies are less picky about jobs because they can't afford to be.

Not a hard and fast rule and SN nannies may be more accustomed to shared care.

I really think you might be looking more for a Mother's Help/junior nanny in view of the hours, duties and amount of shared care. That's good for you! It opens up your potential pool of candidates so you can find someone DD1 bonds with, especially as you've said you're not that worried about exact experience.

I agree, it's not that shared care is necessarily unnattractive, it's just that it will appeal to some kinds of nanny more than others. If you've been used to doing things your own way, it's hard to go back to working alongside a mum - whereas a less experienced nanny might enjoy having the mum there to support them.

Since you'll be around and want to be hands on, a junior nanny/mother's help type is probably better for you than a super competent, experienced nanny who might want to take over.