FAQ's
How long should I allow to find a nanny?
As a rule of thumb, 8 weeks is about perfect. This allows a couple of weeks to find and interview candidates, and once an offer is made, allows the nanny to work out her notice period at her previous employment (usually 4/6 weeks). However, as soon as you know you need a nanny, it is wise to start the process. It’s not uncommon for parents to get in touch 6 months in advance.
Why choose Rosebud Nanny Agency over other agencies around?
Rosebud Nanny Agency offer face to face meetings for families (or the process can be done over the phone, if you prefer). This gives us the opportunity to really get to know you and your children, resulting in better matches with candidates. Rosebud Nanny Agency is run by Abigail Plested, a fully qualified and experienced nanny herself. Abigail understands the nanny process from both sides, and is able to use this insight to make great matches between families and nannies. She has a very high success rate with her placements.
What is the difference between a nanny and a childminder?
Nannies work from your home and are employed by you. This means you are responsible for providing them with payslips, paying their tax and National Insurance contributions, and ensuring the nanny is given paid annual holiday leave and Statutory Sick/Maternity pay. This is an area we can provide advice and assistance with – it’s not as scary as it sounds!
As well as caring for your children, they will perform ‘nursery duties’ – this means jobs around the house relevant to the children, i.e. the children’s washing, cooking, tidying the playroom/kitchen/children’s bedrooms. Anything above this level of housework needs to be discussed in advance, and may be classed as Nanny/Housekeeper.
Childminders work from their own home, are self-employed and have numerous children from different families. You pay per child (with a nanny you pay per hour) so if you have more than 1 child, it may work out more cost effective to hire a nanny.
What are the benefits of hiring an Ofsted registered nanny?
If a nanny is Ofsted registered, she is able to accept childcare vouchers as part of her salary. If either parent is able to use childcare vouchers, it will save you money to have an Ofsted registered nanny.
Please note that having an Ofsted registered nanny is not necessarily an additional check on the nanny, so if you are not able to use the vouchers, it is not necessary to get your nanny registered. Ofsted generally inspect 10% of nannies, chosen at random.
To be Ofsted registered, the nanny needs to hold a childcare qualification, up to date paediatric first aid, nanny insurance and a DBS (criminal record) check. Coming through Rosebud Nanny Agency, she would have the first aid and DBS anyway, and likely a qualification. I also advise all nannies to take out insurance.
As the employer reaps the benefits of the nanny being Ofsted registered, it is usually the employer who pays the registration fee (currently £105 per year). The nanny would cover all the costs associated with being registered, such as first aid and insurance.
Aside from the nanny’s salary, what additional costs should I budget for?
As well as the nanny’s tax and national insurance (to make her Gross salary) you may need to pay Employers National Insurance Contributions. This will vary depending on the nanny’s salary, but if you pay your nanny more than £160 per week, Employers NI will be due.
If your nanny uses her own car for work, you will need to pay her a mileage allowance. This is not for her commute to work, just journeys she undertakes as part of her duties, eg the school run. The AA recommend 45ppm.
Any day to day costs the nanny will have, e.g. toddler group admission, light household shopping, swimming etc, should either be reimbursed or a kitty provided for the nanny to use.
What if my nanny is part time, and has another job on the days she is not working for me?
If your nanny has two separate employers, you may not have her full tax free allowance. This is why Rosebud Nanny Agency recommend agreeing a Gross wage. She will have separate contracts for each job and they should not overlap (unless by prior agreement with all parties).
How much does a nanny cost?
When you hire a nanny, you will become an employer (don’t worry, it's much less scary than it sounds!).
You will agree on a Gross salary with the nanny - typically, the going rate is between £13 and £16 per hour depending on their experience and qualification level, as well as the required hours.
On top of the gross salary, you will pay employers NI and employer pension contributions, bringing the total cost up approx. £1.50 per hour – this figure will vary depending on the salary, do contact Rosebud Nanny Agency with the hours you require for a more specific cost.
What are the benefits of using an agency over privately finding a nanny?
If you are able to find a nanny through recommendations from friends, this is of course ideal. However, not everyone is able to find nannies this way, and taking to advertising online is a time consuming and daunting process. If you find a nanny online, it can be hard to know how to vet them, how to perform criminal record checks and what to do next, i.e. drawing up a contract, setting up payroll.
By using Rosebud Nanny Agency, we do all of the advertising for you, and trawl through the applications to find the ones that fit your requirements. We also meet all candidates face to face and vet them before sending them on to you, enabling you with peace of mind and freeing up your time. Once we have found your nanny, we assist you with the contract and payroll.
At what point do I pay Rosebud Nanny Agency?
A placement fee is only due upon the successful placement of a nanny with your family, and you will receive an invoice once the contract is signed by both parties.
If you choose not to hire any nannies you meet through Rosebud Nanny Agency, you will not owe a penny.
What if I meet a great nanny who has her own child she wishes to bring to work (NWOC – nanny with own child)?
People that work in childcare obviously love children, so it stands to reason that at some point, they may have their own. Often nannies with their own child wish to return to work, and take their child along.
Some people see this as a positive – the nanny has a whole new wealth of experience from becoming a mum. Also, it can be really lovely for your child/children to have the company of another child – particularly if you have one child, or a baby with older children in school during the day. If the nanny’s child is of similar age to yours, it can be a lot of fun, and really aid your child’s development.
If you have 3 or more young children, logistically a nanny bringing her own child along just won’t work.
You will need to discuss the finer elements, such as how the nanny’s child’s routine will fit in with her working day, any equipment needed, such as cots and high chairs – do you have spares? If she brings her own, do you have somewhere to keep them or will she need to take them home each day?
If you choose to hire a NWOC, it is important to keep the lines of communication open. It is also important that the nanny has family/friends to help out if her child is sick, so the nanny can still come to work.
What if my nanny looks after my children, and those of another family, at the same time?
This is called a Nanny Share, and can reduce childcare costs. Typically a nanny working for two families earns about a third more than in a one family job, ensuring she benefits from the extra work load, but both families spend less than if they had a nanny each. It is advised you set up separate PAYE schemes, as you will save money on NI contributions.
The logistics of a nanny share can be tricky – Rosebud Nanny Agency only advises going into a nanny share with a family you already know, ensuring you have similar ideas on nutrition, routine, discipline etc. If your children are similar ages and you have 2-4 children between you, it can work very well.
Other points to discuss beforehand are – which house will the nanny be based in? Will we split her salary evenly between the families (if one family has 1 child, the other 2 for example, or one family is full time the other part time)? Who will provide food for the children and the nanny? etc. Please call for more information about nanny shares.
