Being a nanny is a truly rewarding job. It’s an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of children and their families, and comes with plenty of feel-good factor. It’s also a really varied industry with a few different options about how you work. Here, we’ll outline the different types of nanny roles to help you make your decision on what’s best for you.
Full-time & part-time nannies
Full-time nannies are employed for between 40-60 hours a week, typically for families who need childcare on four or more days, whereas part-time nannies usually provide care for less than 40 hours per week, often only working for a few days a week.
Parents usually need childcare while parents are working, so the hours tend to reflect the working day, with some flexibility either side of this. Nannies may also be asked to offer occasional babysitting during evening and weekends.
Full-time nannies work with one family for extended periods of time, and can either be ‘live-in’ or ‘live-out’. If you chose to live-in, you’ll have your own bedroom in the family’s home. Choosing whether you want to be live-in or live-out will depend on your own preferences – would you prefer to have in-home accommodation, or would you feel more comfortable with your own space? These factors are important to consider before you apply for your role.
Nanny shares
A nanny share is when two or more families employ the same nanny. This could mean that the nanny cares for up to two families’ children at the same time, or they split the week between the families. Parents may favour this type of arrangement as it can be cost-effective, but it’s important to remember that nannies can only care for two families at a time before having to register with Ofsted.
Nanny/Housekeepers
In a nanny/housekeeper role, the nanny will be tasked with both childcare and general housekeeping duties. While these two roles are often separated, families with children in school may prefer this arrangement as they might not need childcare all day. As a nanny/housekeeper your role will be varied and will include an array of responsibilities, from school pick-up to grocery shopping and cooking.
Nanny/PA
Similarly to a nanny/ housekeeper, a nanny/ PA will typically divide their time between childcare and other duties. As a nanny/PA, you may find yourself in charge of tasks such as paying bills, shopping and other household admin.
Maternity nurses
As a maternity nurse, your job is to support new parents in the first 4-8 weeks of a baby’s life. You’ll both care for a newborn and educate parents on how to take care of them – advising on topics such as feeding and sleep routines, but also taking care of the baby’s wellbeing by feeding, changing and washing them. Maternity nurses typically have gained a few years of experience as a nanny before taking on this type of role.
Night nanny
Night nannies care for babies during the night and undertake tasks such as bottle-feeding, burping and nappy changes. They typically follow maternity nurses and their role is to help babies develop good sleeping habits and give parents some respite.
After school nannies
After-school nannies are there to support parents by collecting children from school and taking care of them while parents finish work. It’s not uncommon for after-school nannies to do school drop-off in the mornings also.
Temporary nannies
Temporary nannies work with families on a short-term basis, for example during school holidays or maternity cover. These positions are generally for less than 6 months but can be anything up to a year.
Travel nanny
Some nannies will also be hired as travel nannies, meaning they will travel internationally with families on a regular basis.
Interested in one of the above roles? Our team can help you find a brilliant position that’ll suit your experience. Apply to one of our listings today and start your journey towards your next nanny job.
