What a Nanny does!

This is general guidance for Nannies – each role is very different and responsibilities vary but below are some of the standard expectations of Babyrock Childcare parents

A nanny works in a private home, providing day-to-day care of a child or children for a family. A nanny’s responsibilities will vary considerably according to the age and needs of the children and depending on how much time they are employed to work for. Some nannies live in their employer’s house, providing for all the child/ children’s daily needs whilst others will live out, working full or part time hours.

Nannies are responsible for the day-to-day care of a child or children – they work with one family at a time (although some nannies may divide their week between a number of families) providing all or some of the required childcare during the day depending on the family's needs. Nannies usually work on their own, but sometimes they will work with parents or other carers, particularly if there is a large number of children in the family. Some nannies are known as ‘maternity nannies,’ specialising in the care of newborn babies under twelve weeks old. These nannies are equipped with more specialist skills to work with a family for a very short amount of time, providing child care for the first few weeks of the baby’s life.

Responsibilities

A nanny’s responsibilities will vary according to the age of the children she (or less commonly, he) works with. If the children are babies or very young, the nanny’s responsibilities will be to provide for all of their basic needs. This will include:

• Dressing
• Feeding
• Changing nappies
• Bathing
• Winding

If the children are older and can feed and dress themselves the nanny’s responsibilities are more likely to include:

• Taking the children on outings
• Dropping the children at school or playgroup
• Organising children for school (bags, lunch etc)
• Helping the children with their school work
• Teaching basic social skills
• Playing with and entertaining the children
• Organising crafts and other activities
• Assisting with the mental and physical development of the children
• Administering medicine (with parent’s approval)
• Daily fresh air weather permitting

Being a nanny could also involve more what are known as ‘nursery duties’ – any jobs which are associated with the daily care of an infant or child such as:

• Preparing meals
• Light shopping for fresh produces and supplies for the children’s food
• Preparing & cooking meals and stocking up the freezer
• Cleaning the kitchen after the children’s meals
• Washing sheets
• Tidying the nursery
• Washing clothes
• Cleaning Toys
• Ironing children’s clothing
• Organizing birthday and Christmas presents
• Organising the children’s wardrobes
• Organising and name taping children’s uniforms
• Hoovering the children’s bedroom and play area regularly
• Loading and unloading the dishwasher

Skills

As well as having a love of children, nannies need to be well-equipped with a wide range of skills which will prepare them for the daily challenges of looking after children. These include:

• A specific interest in the personal and social development of children
• A trustworthy character
• The ability to establish good working relations with parents, children and other carers
• A responsible attitude to the job
• The ability to cope well under pressure
• The ability to stay calm in stressful or challenging situations
• A willingness to engage in domestic activities such as washing and tidying
• A creative approach and good imagination
• The ability to plan stimulating activities
• Good organisational abilities
• An awareness of potential dangers to children
• A basic knowledge of first aid for children
• Patience and tolerance
• A good sense of humour
• A commitment to the job and hardworking attitude
• Good interpersonal skills
• A range of practical abilities
• High levels of energy and stamina
• A reasonable level of physical fitness
• A flexible attitude and willingness to work extra hours at short notice

Experience

Experience is very important for finding work as a nanny – even more important than having relevant qualifications as employers will usually require a good reference from a previous employer. Any experience working with children, even if it is not in a nannying capacity will be useful. This could include working in a school or youth group, babysitting or helping in a playgroup. Most relevant qualifications include a mandatory work placement but if not, it is useful to arrange a placement independently.