Nanny for Downs Syndrome

[Londondad1968]

Hi. We have two kids - boy of 2, girl coming up to six months. DD has Downs. As my wife is looking to do a bit more freelance work, we have started looking for a nanny for three days a week. Our firm view was that we didn't need a specific SN nanny - just someone willing to do some physio exercises now and then, and engage with her, and who would thereby gain some SN experience that might be useful for her future career. It is hard to see that DD is any more work than any other child of the same age at the moment, though who knows where this goes with weaning etc. Only person we have met thus far - through a regular agency - has lots of great SN experience, and is totally lovely, but therefore wants £12/hour rather than £10/net which is what everyone we know pays. We are really struggling to afford this and still don't really see that we need to pay more than everyone else. None of the other CVs are attractive at all otherwise, but we have been looking for less than a week. The agency - who of course want a fee for her - are giving us scare stories about how most nannies won't want the "extra work" without extra money. She has apparently been onto the DSA about it to back that up. Would be hugely grateful for any (preferably informed!) views as to whether we are right to be holding firm for the moment, or whether we should be looking down the back of the sofa to up the rate. Thanks

Hi Londondad1968, we have two children, DD who will be 3 in January and DS who will be 1 next month. Since DD (who has DS) was 10 months old, I have worked from home, varying between two and five days a week. We have had two fantastic Nannies - one is currently on mat leave, the other is covering. Neither had SN experience and neither was more expensive than average. Both have taken the time to learn about our daughter, learn Makaton, and really bring both her and her brother on. My view is that you need to find the right person - our first Nanny had given up nursery work because she wanted to do real one to one work, the second is just out of college and we've given her her first job. I think the important similarity between both was that both were open-minded and kind. I know how nerve-wracking it is to carry out the search, but my advice would be to keep looking.

p.s. I would definitely agree that our DD with DS was no more work than any child and has continued so. If anything, she has been way less work than her little brother, a great eater, contended, happy bather, the lot. Once Portage and SALT start, there are more appointments; we do the important ones ourselves but involved both nannies from early on and they were fine with them. Good luck with your search.

@BigCC - thanks so much. Very reassuring.

Hi - I would be a bit wary of wanting to employ someone who sees Downs at six months as a reason in itself to get more money (not sure from what you say whether it is her or the agency saying this). You can't put price on the right attitude. Maybe give it longer than a week to look - and ask other SN parents locally about nannies.

I have paid 'extra' for nannies/carers who were not that great and the going rate for nannies/carers who were fantastic. I would now only pay more if the person has a specific skill or expertise that is not readily available - but I'm meaning tutors here not nannies.

I paid the standard rate to a young nanny (think she was 19) to look after DD from age 6 mths. Nanny didn't have SN experience but seemed lovely and had previous nannying job. It was a gamble but it paid off. She was willing to do anything DD needed and would even book appointments in with any Health Professionals who rang whilst I was at work by checking my calendar on the wall. She later had to learn to deal with DDs seizures and took it all in her stride. She stayed for 4 yrs until DD started school. We couldn't afford to give her big pay rises even when her workload increased on the birth of DS.

But I would agree that what is more important is to get someone who wants to do the job for the love of the children and not the love of money. You need someone keen and willing to learn and who won't be phased by anything that comes their way in the future.

I would go with however is the most motivated & interested in both your children equally.
Our best childminder (never had a nanny) was the one with least experience but we just clicked & our ds's loved her.

whoever

Hi, my one year old has a developmental delay of unknown origin, some of his development is/has been similar to a child with DS. Our nanny ( full time sole care 4 days a week ) has been great, takes him to ot and physio does physio with him everyday etc. she was with us for our older son before ds2 was born. When I went back to work after maternity we upped her to £11/hour but more because she then had sole charge of two rather than one.