LIVE IN OR LIVE OUT INTERNATIONAL NANNY/ AU PAIR, WHICH OPTION WORKS BETTER FOR YOU – 5 THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND WHEN MAKING A DECISION WHICH ROUTE TO TAKE
INTERNATIONAL NANNY:
A nanny is a person who takes care of your children. Child care is given within the children’s house. Throughout history, nannies were servants in large households and reported directly to the lady of the house. Today, modern nannies may live in or out of the house, like other domestic workers, depending on their circumstances and those of their employers. Many nanny-providing agencies specialize in childcare. Many nannies also become a part of their family’s household. Today’s demand has made nannies a popular and valued addition to the lives of the family.
Nannies differ slightly from child care providers. A childminder works out of their home and operates a small business. The childminders are advertised as a daycare. Depending on the country, the government registration for childminder or day-care may or may not be required. Within the UK, the childminder should be registered, hold a current pediatric first aid qualification, have public liability insurance, and follow the EYFS. A mother’s helper is someone who may live in or out of the household, and assists the person of the house with general chores as well as caring for the children. The term au pair refers to a young person, who comes from abroad to live with their family and learn the local culture and language while helping care for the children. A governess concentrates on educating children inside their own home, and a kindergarten or schoolteacher does the same, but in a school environment.
There are no legal requirements to be considered a nanny, some families may require a background check or a CPR certification. Some families may look for other special skills in a nanny, such as being bilingual or having early childhood development coursework done. Nannies help in playing a key role in a child’s development by providing care for them.
An international nanny takes care of children abroad. The international nanny stays with the client in their home and provides care for their children. Please visit https://childcarehelp.co.uk/ for more details. Please visit https://childcarehelp.co.uk/ for more details on our service.
DUTIES OF A NANNY:
Creating a safe and healthy environment for the children
Bathing and dressing the children
Changing diapers and potty-training the children, if age-appropriate
Children’s laundry
Planning meals, preparing food, and/or feeding the children
Arranging playdates and outings
Indoor & outdoor play
Educational activities & crafts
Carpooling or driving the children to school or playdates
Reading to the children
Help with homework
Organizing bedrooms/toys
Administering medicine with parents’ consent, if necessary
Maintaining the logs for the parents
Light housekeeping
Responsibilities of a nanny:
Organize creative activities and educational games like drawing, crafting and puppet games, etc.,
Prepare meals and feed the children (including bottle-feeding for babies)
Change diapers and bath the infants
Help older children wash up & take baths
Schedule nap times for them
Teach children appropriate social behaviors like being respectful to each other and helping out with chores
Transport children to and from school and extracurricular activities
Clean up play areas and children’s rooms
Assist young students with their homework
Ensure children’s safety during indoors & outdoors activities
Take care of children in case of injury and illness
Perform housekeeping tasks as needed
Work with parents to ensure children’s growth and social development
Requirements and skills
Previous work experience as a Nanny or Babysitter
Excellent understanding of child development in different stages of growth
Ability to come up with creative ideas to educate and engage the children
Multitasking skills
A pleasant & patient personality
Availability to work in shifts like during weekends, in the evenings, and occasionally full days
A clean driving license
High school diploma; further training in child development is a plus
First aid certification is a plus.
Types of nannies:
Live-in nanny:
A live-in nanny may be ideal for a person looking to move interstate or abroad for either a short period or to set themselves up financially. A live-in nanny is responsible for the entire care of the children of their employers. This includes washing the children’s clothes, tidying the children’s rooms, supervising homework, preparing children’s meals, taking children to and from school, and taking children to after-school sports and/or activities. The benefits of a live-in nanny include a separate apartment (sometimes called a “nanny flat”) or room, and possibly a car. While a live-in nanny was available 24 hours a day in the past, which is much less common now. Nowadays, this kind of nanny works 10–12 hours on and the remainder of the day off. These nannies are working while the children are awake and the parents are at work. Nowadays, live-in nanny is more common among wealthier families, because live-in nannies often have all their living expenses paid and provided for by the person hiring them. Please visit https://childcarehelp.co.uk/ for more details on our service.
Nanny share:
Some families use nanny shares. A nanny share is done where two or more families pay for the same nanny to care for the children in each family on a part-time basis.
Night nanny:
A recent addition to the role of a nanny is that of a night nanny. The night nanny usually works with a family anywhere from one night to seven nights per week. A night nanny works with children from newborn to five years of age. A night nanny provides a teaching role, helping parents to establish good sleeping patterns or troubleshooting the sleeping patterns of a child. Roles and qualifications of night nannies vary between countries. The night nanny works together with the requirements and philosophies of your family. The pay scale of these nannies varies from country to country, but night nannies are usually well paid in comparison to the general nanny, as the night nanny is seen as a specialist or expert in their field.
Maternity nurse / newborn care specialists / confinement nanny:
In the past, European women were confined to their beds or their homes for extended periods after giving birth. The child care was provided either by her female relatives (mother or mother-in-law) or by a temporary attendant known as a monthly nurse. These weeks were called lying-in or confinement and ended with the re-introduction of the mother to the community in the Christian ceremony of the churching of women. The modern version of this rest period has evolved with the intention of giving maximum support to the new mother, especially if the mother is recovering from a difficult labor and delivery. Please visit https://childcarehelp.co.uk/ for more details.
These specialty maternity nannies are also known as newborn care specialists in the US (disassociating this specialty from medically qualified nursing). These nannies are highly experienced in all aspects of newborns, aside from medical issues. They can work 24 hours a day, seven days per week, but most commonly work five nights/days a week for the first three months of a newborn’s life. Their role consists of assisting parents with feeding guidance, nursery set up, premature infant, multiples, colic, reflux, and sleep guidance/training. Various training organizations provide non-accredited certifications. However, in an unregulated field, parents have to ensure that the qualifications of their maternity nanny are legitimate and accredited. Some specialize in postpartum care for mothers and babies. Another related job is perinatal assistant.
Chinese and related East Asian traditions practice a form of postpartum confinement which are traditions and customs regarding recovery from childbirth. The “confinement ladies” have specialized knowledge of how to care for both baby and mother. In Singapore and Malaysia, newborn care specialists are known as confinement nannies. They help in assisting the mother in taking care of the baby so that the mother has a good rest. Confinement food will be prepared to help with the recovery. The employment period will be about 28 days up to a maximum of 16 weeks. These postpartum care workers are called Sandhu Jorisa in Korea. These nannies teach the new mother how to care for her baby, measure their health, prepare light meals, entertain older children, perform light household tasks, clean the home, and disinfect the bathroom. They also help by taking care of the mother, baby, and family.
AU PAIR (The traveler)
Au pairs are usually young people (between 18-24 years old) and generally come from another country. They do not have qualified child carers but will take your children to school, entertain them, and do some light housekeeping duties such as preparing meals and laundry (only for the children). The arrangement with au pairs is regarded as a cultural exchange between the employer and employee, including time out to learn the native language of the host family. They often lack experience and can only work for a maximum of 30 hours a week in the UK.
Au pairs working are treated as a member of the family they live with and get pocket money and are not entitled to the National Minimum Wage or paid holidays. They allow you and your family to broaden your horizons, in terms of language and culture. They are perfect for families who are looking for more affordable childcare support. They are popular with families who have school-aged children so that they can provide the wrap-around care, i.e. before and after school. Please visit https://childcarehelp.co.uk/ for more details on our service.
What does an International Nanny do?
An International Nanny provides children with the care they need so that parents can focus on other responsibilities. These nannies cook meals and do household chores, such as laundry or grocery shopping while watching their children.
What makes a good Nanny?
A good Nanny should have sound judgment and share responsibility with parents in raising children. A successful Nanny should respect the wishes and traditions of the parents to care for the child properly.
Who does an International Nanny work with?
An International Nanny takes care of o; one or multiple children in the parents’ home, and they may work directly with the children’s teachers if they help with homework. These nannies are responsible for completing household chores, preparing meals, and transporting kids to school.
Qualifications of an international nanny:
In the United Kingdom, there are no formal qualifications required to be a nanny. Some parents sometimes prefer to require their nanny to have a CPR and/or first aid certification. Many nannies have childhood education credits or degrees, though these are usually not required. Please visit https://childcarehelp.co.uk/ for more details on our service.
5 THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND WHILE HIRING:
Following are the 5 tips on how to choose the right international nanny for your home.
1. Ask for help
When you want to hire a housekeeper, you don’t have to test several companies to get the best one as they may cost you a lot of time and resources. To avoid this, you can ask for references from your colleagues, friends, and relatives. With their guidance, it will be easier for you to get the right one as you will get an idea about various people or companies offering the service. Referrals will help you to know the pros and cons of the companies offering the service.
2. Cost
The important factor that you should consider when hiring any service provider is cost. There are many companies with exaggerated prices, and when getting an international housekeeper, you should check the rates from various providers to avoid exploitation. Always you have to remember price does not determine the quality you will get. Every company will have its rates and quality and you should go for the one with the best price and quality. Set a budget and it will also guide you.
3. Experience
When interviewing different companies, don’t forget to ask them how long they have been offering the housekeeping service. A new company can provide an excellent service but getting an old company can save you time. An old company will have many experienced housekeepers who know what the clients want. Experienced housekeepers may charge more than the new companies, but this should not confuse you. They may have a small difference in rates, but the convenience you will get is worth it.
4. Check for reviews from previous clients
A housekeeper is someone who will get access to your house and even the most sensitive parts such as bedrooms. You need to make sure the housekeeper you choose has no past criminal records as this will determine your safety. To know about the history of a company, you can check their reviews from past clients. As many companies have a website, you can visit their reviews from customers and know customers’ opinions. If you find many complaints you must not choose that company. Please visit https://childcarehelp.co.uk/ for more details on our service.
5. Ask questions
After checking reviews of the housekeeping companies, you need to know if the housekeepers will offer precisely what you want. You should not hesitate to ask any questions. You can call the housekeeping service company on the phone and ask them questions to understand what you should expect. You can ask them questions like what they use for cleaning, the time they will take, their license information, and any other questions you might have. You can know more about the housekeeper you are hiring by asking questions.
