Written by Debbie Wordley from Savernake Nannies Introduction Agency
Many parents are choosing nannies as their main form of childcare. A nanny will come into your home and take care of all childcare and nursery duties. A nanny can be a cost-effective form of childcare, especially when a family has more than one child.
But are you aware that nannies are not registered and therefore anyone can wake up and call themselves a nanny?
A few recommended questions to ask your potential nanny would be:
- Do they have a DBS?
- Do they hold a current 12-hour paediatric first aid certificate?
- Are they qualified?
- Can they provide at least two referees you can contact?
There are many ways to find a nanny, such as word of mouth, childcare websites and nanny agencies. But are you aware that nanny agencies are not regulated?
Again, this means anyone can set up a nanny agency. A few recommended questions to ask your chosen agency would be:
Do they have a set of Terms & Conditions for both clients and nannies?
- Do they verify certificates?
- Is the agency insured?
- Does the agency belong to any associations – which shows their professionalism and means they have somewhere to go for legislative advice
- Do they meet their candidates?
Taking all of the above into consideration, when I set up Savernake Nannies in March 2017, I was horrified, so I set about researching deeper and came across a campaign called Regulation Matters. This campaign was set up with the aim to draw attention to families as there is a potential safeguarding risk to children who are cared for in their own homes.
The campaign is supported by many of the most established associations/organisations and companies within the childcare sector with Dr Janet Rose, principle of the prestigious Norland College, as the patron
Many parents assume nannies come under the same regulatory umbrella as childminders so I would like to take this opportunity for any parents who are considering or already hire a nanny to take a look at the campaign www.regulationmatters.co.uk
