What is a nanny?
Nannies are professional, in-home childcare providers. Qualified nannies are generally trained to provide care and educational development for children from birth to 7 years. Nannies may be employed on a live-in or live-out basis.
A nanny should be willing to do any and all domestic activities related to the children, including cleaning their rooms, doing their laundry, entertaining them, disciplining them, teaching them manners and caring for them when they are sick or upset.
How to become a nanny?
You may be able to start work as a nanny without any qualifications, though many employers and employment agencies will prefer you to have some training in playwork or childcare.
You may find it useful to do a college course before looking for work as a nanny. Courses include:
- Level 1 Award in Introduction to Health, Social Care and Children’s and Young People’s Settings
- Level 1 Award in Safeguarding
- Level 2 Certificate for the Children and Young People’s Workforce
- T level in Education and Childcare
Nanny duties
Nanny duties are diverse and depend on the employer and specialty, but some responsibilities are common to most:
- Organize creative activities and educational games
- Transport children to and from school and extracurricular activities
- Indoor and outdoor play
- Educational activities and crafts
- Carpooling or driving the children to school, activities, or playdates
- Administers one-on-one care and meets the physical, emotional, social, and intellectual needs of the children
- Keeps the children’s areas neat and tidy and does the children’s laundry
Nanny skills
To be an effective nanny you’ll need certain skills and competencies. The following are often cited in job vacancies:
- Child-focused
- Compassionate
- Adaptability
- Ability to multitask
- Excellent verbal communication skills
- Active listening skills
- Patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
How to find a nanny job
These jobs are advertised online, in local newspapers and at your local jobcentre. To find all the nanny jobs near you, you need to:
- Search for nanny jobs on popular job websites such as; Indeed, Total Jobs and CV Library
- Use the DWP’s Find A Job Service
- Check local newspapers and local Facebook groups, especially groups dedicated to local jobs
Nanny Job Titles
When you search for nanny jobs online, be aware that the jobs might be advertised using a different job title. Popular job titles for nanny jobs include;
- Au pair
- Babysitter
- Caregiver
- Child care worker
- Day-care provider
- Household assistant
What does a nanny do?
The day-to-day tasks of a nanny include;
- Feed, bath and dress children, and change babies’ nappies
- Teach basic social skills and hygiene
- Provide a safe setting for children
- Help children to learn through play
- Take children on outings to widen their experiences
- Do nursery and school runs
- Organise play opportunities to help children mix with others
- Prepare healthy meals and snacks
- Tidy up and clean rooms used by the children
- Keep records for the family