Category: nannies

SCHOOL READINESS

And just like that, the summer holidays are over! For some, sending the children back to school couldn’t come any sooner. You’ve faced the high street, waited (patiently!) with your ticket to try on new school shoes, hair has been chopped and styled, new stationary has been bought (for them and you!) and your diary is ready to go… but what about the children. Are they ready? Are they excited and prepared?

It’s easy to assume the children are also ready to go back, see their friends and fit back into the school routine. But what about their emotional readiness? What about the children who are starting at nursery or school for the first time? The ones transitioning to primary or secondary school. Even the difference in classroom, teacher or timetable can be overwhelming for a child.

Transitions work best when a child is prepared. So what can we do to prepare a child for the September ‘back to school’ time in their lives?

Firstly, talk to them. Ask them how they are feeling. Don’t just put the emotions you are feeling into their minds. Really listen to their anxieties, worries and excitements. Break down each one and show them emotional support. Not just at the start of school, but continued throughout their first few weeks, and beyond if needed. Sometimes they won’t want to talk, and that’s ok! Just being there, listening and allowing them the opportunity to open up will give them reassurance.

Another thing you can do to get them involved is with the new term shopping! If they have a say in what bag, coat and shoes they will be wearing, then they are going to show a little more enthusiasm. For young children, finding a school bag with their favourite character on is going to help massively. For older children, it’s ‘fitting in’ with peers, so they will want a say in how they look.

One of the biggest anxieties about starting at a new school can be around friends, or not knowing anyone. To prepare children for this, I always advise trying to find other children also attending the same school (try local social media groups). Planning play-dates before school starts will give them someone they are familiar with. In the first few weeks of term, plan after school tea times together too. This will really help them build on friendships and relationships with other children, and as parents and nannies, also introduce you to other families from the school.

And lastly books! Reading is something that you can do together with your child. Books can help with no end of matters, and school readiness is one of them! Pop along to your local library, find some books about going to school and read them together. Change the words to fit in with the name of your child’s school, or teachers to personalise it, and just spend some time one to one discussing everything around school.

With everything, time helps. Enjoy this period in your child’s life, support them, reassure them and allow them the time to adjust to these new beginnings.

We cover all sorts of transitions that happen in a child’s life, including school readiness in our Early Years Care and Education Course. Please contact Little Ones Training and Education on 0207 112 8057 to find out more!

 

(ShPP) Shared Parental Leave

Expectant parents can now share the 52 weeks of statutory maternity leave after the birth or adoption of their child.

​​This leave and statutory pay can be split between them either one after the other or both can be on leave at the same time.

​​Expectant parents need to give each of their employers an indicative breakdown of the leave they plan to take at least 8 weeks before it starts. They are then able to change their minds twice during the year of leave and put forward new proposals.

​​This is paid at the same rate of SMP and is based on the salary of the parent taking the leave.

​​To be eligible both parents must share responsibility for the child at birth. and they must meet the work and pay criteria, i.e. have been employed continuously by the same employer for at least 26 weeks by the end of the 15th week before the due date, still be employed by the same employer while they take the leave and earn on average at least £118.00 gross per week

​Notice periods are built in to the scheme so employers can make plans for the nanny’s intentions for leave.

Employers cannot refuse to grant any leave entitled, however they can refuse requests for separate non continuous blocks of leave and insist that all leave requested is taken in one block.

​​Both parents are entitled to Keeping in Touch days.

SSP Statutory Sick Pay

All nannies are entitled to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP), as long as they earn over the lower earnings limit of £118 a week and give you the correct notice.

SSP is paid to nannies on the 4th consecutive working day off and the first 3 working days are classed as waiting days and any salary for these 3 days are paid at employers discretion, unless they have something specific in the contract regarding paid sickness.

If a nanny has more than one job then she is entitled to SSP from each employer should she qualify.

Nanny must provide a Doctor’s fit note if she is off sick for more than 7 days in a row, for first 7 days they can self-certify.

How much is SSP

For this tax year, 2019/20 SSP it is £94.25 per week. Nanny can get SSP up to 28 weeks.

As of the start of the 2014/15 tax year the Government abolished any compensation on SSP for small employers and this is now a cost to the employer.

Nannies do not qualify

If they have already had 28 weeks of SSP paid.

Have already taken 3 or more years ‘linked periods of sickness – where 4 or more days of sickness happen within 8 weeks of each other.

Receiving other statutory payments (SMP for example).

Nanny may be able to apply for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) if she is not entitled to SSP with you or has had 28 weeks of SSP. In order to apply for this, you must give nanny a SSP1 form.

 

Career Breaks

Our recommended partners at www.PayrollForNannies.co.uk  provide payroll advice for parents and have created this content.

There are no laws that deal specifically with taking a career break – it is only an agreement between the employer and the employee.

Employers don’t have to offer career breaks. If they do, the policy must be clearly laid out (eg in a staff handbook) and should cover things like:

  • eligibility and notice periods
  • how to apply and how long is allowed
  • if the employment contract’s terms and conditions continue – eg qualifying for pay increases

Employees can make arrangements to return to work after a career break, but these agreements are not legally binding, and it could mean ending the existing contract of employment

Jury Service

Our recommended partners at www.PayrollForNannies.co.uk  provide payroll advice for parents and have created this content.

All employees must be allowed to take time off for jury service.

Employers can choose to pay staff for time taken off, but they do not have to.

The Court will pay the employee for the time spent on Jury service and employee will be given a statement of earnings notification which employee then gets employer to complete and then give to Court to claim for loss of earnings.

If employer chooses to pay employee whilst on Jury service, then it would be expected that the employee then repays the employer any payments from the Court that they receive for loss of earnings.

Alternatively, an employer can if they wish, but not obliged to do so, top up the employees earnings they receive from the Court.

Nannies and Mobile Phones

Our recommended partners at www.PayrollForNannies.co.uk  provide payroll advice for parents and have created this content.

A lot of parents are becoming increasingly concerned regarding nannies and their use of mobile devices when they should be concentrating on their job, which of course is looking after the children in their care.

People generally, not just nannies, seem to spend a lot of their time on mobile devices whether texting friends or checking their social media apps.

Some parents are now putting a clause in the nanny contract limiting the amount of use a mobile phone or even supplying nanny with a work mobile phone and then nanny not permitted to use their personal mobile.

We would perhaps suggest erring on the side of caution as nanny may feel that if implemented you are not trusting them entirely.

Nanny-State Pension Age

Our recommended partners at www.PayrollForNannies.co.uk  provide payroll advice for parents and have created this content.

What happens when nanny reaches state pension age

If nanny reaches state pension age, she will then not have to pay employees NI, this then increases the amount of money she will then take home in her pocket if she is on a gross wage.

If nanny is on a net wage, then the employer will then get the benefit of employee then not paying NI and will then see a reduction in the overall total cost each pay period.

Nanny and Sleepovers

Our recommended partners at www.PayrollForNannies.co.uk  provide payroll advice for parents and have created this content.

If you are thinking of going away for the weekend, and have asked nanny to look after the children, should you pay her national minimum wage while she sleeps?

The court of appeal in July 2018 has stated you need to be awake for the purposes of working to qualify for national minimum wage.

This Judgement is likely to be appealed but as it stands the below will apply.

Once the nanny has been woken up, then national minimum applies.

If nanny is going to do sleep ins, it would be advised to agree a flat rate, and then in addition to that a rate for when nanny is awake.

 

https://www.moorepay.co.uk/blog/court-of-appeal-reverses-pay-decision-in-sleep-in-workers-saga/

Nanny believes she has paid too much in tax

Our recommended partners at www.PayrollForNannies.co.uk provide payroll advice for
parents and have created this content.
Parents, nanny may come to you as the employer, and claim she believes she has been
paying too much tax in either the current tax year or previous years.
If relating to previous tax years it is best for nanny to contact HMRC directly by writing to
them with an explanation of why she thinks she has paid too much tax and she should
enclose relevant P60’s for the tax years involved. If it is then the case that she has overpaid
tax in a previous year HMRC would then issue a cheque directly to her.
If nanny believes she is paying too much tax for the current tax year, it is advisable that she
first contacts the employers payroll provider, such as us here at payroll4nannies to see if
they can help or she will need to call HMRC direct on 0300 200 3300 and will need to quote
her national insurance number and have other personal information to hand. HMRC will
issue a revised tax code if incorrect to the employer and any tax then previously overpaid in
this tax year would be repaid through the employer.

BAPN

Nannyjob is pleased to partner with BAPN, the No 1 Nanny Membership Association in the UK.

This article is provided by BAPN.

As the No 1 in the UK, we are proud of what we do and will continue to build on our reputation – that of delivering a high standard of services and benefits to our members.  We will continue to work in partnership with highly respected companies within the childcare and early years sector, making sure that nannies are no longer the invisible professionals.

BAPN is a proud partner of Nannyjob.  Learn more about BAPN at www.bapn.org.uk

 The BAPN you see today isn’t a ‘New BAPN’, it’s more a grownup BAPN, changing with the times, developing to meet the needs of a more discerning, sophisticated nanny who quite rightly expects so much more than social get togethers or signposting to help, advice and support.  They’re busier than ever before and they favour having everything in one place; to know where to go to for quick, reliable, trustworthy employment support, advice, discounted products and services they can afford.

BAPN hasn’t changed its remit, set up all those years ago, we’ve always offered high quality support and services.  However, the most significant addition we have introduced, is our personal representation cover for when things go wrong.

Being a nanny can be thrilling and the most rewarding job you’ll ever get to do. However, caring for someone else’s children can leave you extremely vulnerable, you can feel isolated at times and unsure of your facts be it a childcare issue or regarding your employment rights.  A Nanny might find themselves facing an accusation of some kind or with a battle on their hands to recover unpaid salary or wrongful deductions for example.  Whether a Nanny needs a second opinion, some reassuring advice or requires support and personal representation, wherever they are in the UK, BAPN can now act on their behalf.  We can now be there, in person, fighting their corner.  Nannies tell us that it is this addition to the array of member benefits that has made them look again at BAPN and to join us.

It’s been an extremely busy 6 months and I’m delighted with what we’ve been able to achieve recently.  We’ve more than quadrupled the discounted benefits available to members and we’re particularly proud that this includes much needed Health Care Benefits for nannies.

We’re also proud to be offering International Affiliate Membership to British nannies working abroad and we’re hopeful that this will enable us to further develop our overseas community, going some way towards tackling the isolation that often comes with working in a new country.  International Affiliate Membership is also available to overseas nannies who are not from the UK but who want to keep up to date with nanny issues in the Uk, as well as make new friends.  Everyone is welcome and we’re excited to see this membership flourish.

The signs that we are delivering what our members want from us are good.  The feedback we’re getting is extremely encouraging.  Obviously, as we move to add more support, more benefits, and to get out there, holding workshops around the country, we really do need nannies to join us.  We’re a membership Association first and foremost and the only income we receive is from our membership subscriptions.  We aim to keep our fees affordable while offering quality and that can only be achieved by member growth.  So, if there are nannies reading this who haven’t taken a fresh look at BAPN we would urge them to do so.  We’re confident they’ll like what they see www.bapn.org.uk

BAPN membership means your voice is heard and shows your support for the work we do to raise the profile of nannies, the outcome of which can only be beneficial and improve the employment of nannies.

 

​Tricia Pritchard

Managing Director, BAPN