Employing A Nanny

When should I check references?

You should check a nanny's references in case you would like to call them for a second interview after the first one is over. There is no need for you to check the reference of someone whom you haven't met before. If you like the person, then you can start referring about them by calling their previous employers. It is better to check the references verbally instead of relying on written ones because it can be fake ones. The most appropriate way is to talk directly with the real person and check whether their references are real or not. Ask the nanny specific questions about what children mean to them, and how they took care of them. The answers to these questions will allow you to evaluate them as well as instil confidence in them.

Should I check that the nanny is legally allowed to work in the UK?

You should always check if the nanny is legally allowed to work in the UK if you're not going through an agency. You should always check that your nanny is legally allowed to work in the country because you can get a two thousand pound fine for hiring someone who's Visa has expired or who is in the country working illegally.

Should I give my nanny a trial run?

It's always good to have a trial a few days before you offer a nanny a job. You should spend one or two whole days going through a child's full routine with the nanny, and at the end of that you can offer her the position with a full week trial period. Within four weeks you will definitely know if she's the right person, or if he is the right person for your family. You will see if your children are happy and you'll be able to offer her a permanent place or not.

What should I put in the contract?

A contract between a family and a nanny should always have the start date. It should have the number of weeks holiday that you're offering her or the number of days holiday. It should also include the number of days she is allowed to pick, and the number of days that the family is allowed to pick for holidays. It should have sick days, if you're offering any, or if you're just offering the statutory minimum. It should include all her duties. This should be written very specifically, so that there's never any problems between the family and the nanny. It should include anything to do with driving the car. If she's living with you, it should have specifically if she's allowed to have people over to the house. It should talk about whether she's allowed to use the telephone. And the contract should also include her salary.

What legal obligations do i need to meet as an employer of a nanny?

As an employer of a nanny, you have all the same legal requirements any employer in the U.K. has. You should offer her some holiday pay, you should offer her the minimum statutory set pay, and you should offer her a contract for your own peace of mind also.

What other costs are involved when hiring a nanny?

When you are hiring a nanny, there are certain costs you should take into consideration. If you're wanting her to drive your car, you're going to have to pay extra insurance on that car. If the nanny is under 22.5, then the insurance is going to be a lot higher; so you need to consider those things. A nanny will expect to be fed in your home, so you need to provide her with lunch, and if she lives with you possibly breakfast, lunch, and dinner. A nanny may need to travel with you. You need to take into consideration how much it's going to cost for her tickets on a plane. If you provide your nanny with a mobile phone so that you're able to contact her at any time, you need to consider that cost also.

What ground rules should I set?

When you're hiring a nanny, you need to think about what rules you want to have in your home. You need to let her know before she starts working whether she's allowed to have other nannies and other children that they take care of over into your home. You need to let her know if you only want your children to play with children that you know, and make sure that she is aware of this. You need to let her know if she's allowed to take the children on any play dates or to any play groups or to the park at any time. If you want to organize your child's day and not have the nanny be responsible for this, you need to set these rules before she starts. Other rules that you should tell her is if she is allowed to use the telephone and whether she's allowed to smoke in your house. You should always have in the contract that she is not allowed to drink any alcohol.

What do I do if I am concerned with the way my nanny is caring for my child?

If you are starting to have concerns about the way your child is being cared for by the nanny; perhaps their rooms are not very tidy, their clothes are often dirty, and when you come home their face isn't clean if it's a small child, or if you're worried that their hands aren't being washed properly before they eat - you should address these issues immediately with the nanny. Always remember, she is your employee and you should treat her like an employee. Have regular meetings with her about her performance, say once a month. And at the beginning of every week you should sit down with your nanny and discuss what the week's plan is going to be. If you really feel she is not doing a good job, you should perhaps come home early, or when you leave come back an hour later, pretending you've forgotten something, just to check and see what she's doing. If you feel that your children are not getting good care, you should give your nanny notice immediately, because you should not feel uncomfortable when going to work. You need to feel totally confident in the way your child is being cared for, and you can always find somebody else.