Category: nannies

Dressing to impress

Sometimes office workers have it easy. Dressing for an interview is a matter of which suit to wear. Dressing for a nanny interview is a whole different ball game. What you wear says a lot about your personality, and personality is one of the thing you’re being assessed on when you to meet the parents of your (hopefully) future charges.

There are some simple rules:

– keep it modest: limit the amount of leg and cleavage on show and don’t wear a skin tight catsuit
– keep it practical: no heels you can’t run in
– keep it natural: go for fresh-faced and leave the false eyelashes at home

Colour psychology

When we first heard of this it seemed a bit ‘woo’. Does what colour you wear really affect how people see you? Psychology says yes. You can encourage certain feelings by wearing an associated colour. Blue encourages people to trust you, as does white, but orange, brown and red are not seen as trustworthy colours. Blue is also associate with high quality, as is black, and green encourages people to spend money.

To jeans or not to jeans?

Some people don’t like jeans at interview, even if you’re going to be wearing them every day to work. Others say that smart jeans (so no holes!) are fine. If you’re going for a high profile job, or an interview with a formal family, it might be best to avoid them and opt for black trousers instead.

I have an interview straight from work. Help!

Sometimes future employers just have to take you as you come. It’s worth telling them that you’ll be coming directly from your day job so they won’t be too shocked if you’re a little dishevelled or have a stain on your knee. Pack a spare top in case your current charges decide to sabotage you by flinging tomato sauce down your front and remember that at least your interviewers will be seeing how you’ll be turning up to work with them.

Above all be yourself, and good luck!

New qualifications for childcarers

On 1 September 2014 the standard qualifications for new learners within the childcare profession changed from the Certificate and Diploma for the Children and Young People’s Workdforce to the Early Years Educator Qualifications. Previous diplomas, including the BTEC, NNEB and DCE as well as the DCYPW, remain full and relevant and therefore suitable for nannies.

The new qualifications focus on the 0-5 age range, with some knowledge of the 5-7 age group, and require a Grade C pass in GCSE English and Maths. For the academic year 2014/2015 this will be an end of course, rather than an entry, requirement but in following years learners will be expected to obtain these before enrolling on the course if they are accessing funding.

Early Years Educator qualifications can be taken at a college or in a workplace, but the workplace needs to be registered and following the EYFS, meaning that nannies would need to undertake practical placements to complete the course. It will take 12-24 months to complete. The qualification is the same standard as A-levels and can be used to apply for university to study courses such as childhood and early years, primary teaching or nursing.

The criteria for the new EYE qualifications set out by the Government can be found here.

Getting your first nanny job

Landing that first, important nanny job takes more than a love of children. Whether you’ve already worked or trained in childcare or not, you’re going to be competing with experienced nannies so you need to present yourself as professionally as possible. Here are 5 tips to get you started:

 

Find out parents’ expectations…and meet them

Most parents want a nanny to have at least a DBS check and a paediatric First Aid certificate. A lot also want to see some kind of basic training which will allow their nanny to register with OFSTED so they can be paid with childcarer vouchers or under the new tax-free childcare scheme. Parents in your area might also want a nanny to have a driving license, especially if you’re outside a major town. If you see that parents are wanting a qualification and you don’t have one then think about putting your nannying plans on hold and going to college or taking on an apprenticeship in a nursery.

Get experience

It sounds obvious but all experience with children outside caring for your own/family’s/friends’ children helps, whether it’s helping at Brownies, swimming club or babysitting for your neighbour. Experience means references, and it also gives you lots of material to draw on at interview.

Talk to agencies

Nanny agencies may not be able to place you right away if you’ve never had a nanny job before but there’s always a chance they’ll get a mother’s help job or weekend shared charge role in and think of you. They’ll also be a valuable contact and may be able to give you some more specific pointers on how to get started.

Consider compromising

A highly paid, full time, standard hours, sole charge job with separate accommodation is unlikely to fall into your lap. Most first jobs involve compromising somewhere, but do it well and you’re in a great position to move on after a year or so. Work out what you’re happy to accept in terms of pay, hours, parental involvement and accommodation and you’re more likely to get your foot in the door.

Spread the word

Get your mum, your best friend, your college tutor, your barman and your driving instructor to help by asking round or mentioning that you’re interested in nannying or babysitting work. It’s even better if you know any nannies (and you can always ask to shadow them) because they’re well placed to hear of nannies who are leaving their jobs or families who might be on the hunt!

 

Above all stay positive and don’t give up – your persistence and perseverance will pay off. Good things come to those who wait!

Nannies and contracts

This post is designed to help nannies understand contracts. You can find a post aimed at parents here!

Why do I need a contract with my nanny family?

A contract or some form of written statement is a legal requirement within 2 months of starting a job. It’s also protection for you because it means the terms of your employment are agreed and written down, and your nanny insurance may need you to have a contract in place before it will cover you.

 

What goes in my nanny contract?

As a minimum:

Your name and your employers’
Place of work
Start date (and end date, if a fixed term position such as covering another nanny’s maternity leave)
Job title
Weekly working hours
Details of the salary – including when and how often you will be paid
Details of the  holiday entitlement
Details of the  sick leave entitlement
Details of the pension (it’s a good idea to list arrangements for the future if your employers have their staging date)
Notice period
Probation/trial period (if there is one)
Information on disciplinary procedures
Details of sackable offences

Many nanny contracts also include:

Job description and duties, benefits, details of live in accommodation (if applicable), arrangements for using your car and mileage payments (if applicable) and a confidentiality clause.

 

Where do I get a contract?

It’s your employer’s job to provide you with your nanny job contract. If they are using a payroll company or an agency they may have a template provided. If not, you can show them the example contracts from the nannyjob.co.uk site.

Filling in the gaps

Sometimes nannies lose touch with their employers, or they may have left under a cloud and not feel comfortable relying on that as a standalone reference. To stop it being a case of their word against hers, nannies will probably give you contact details of someone who can corroborate their story.

If they were placed by a nanny agency the agency should at least have a record of the placement date, and whether they received any complaints about the nanny. Bearing in mind that agencies do have to respect their client’s privacy you may not be able to find out the finer details but it should be enough to help you decide whether the nanny is telling the truth or whether they are trying to cover something up. Equally a nanny will frequently turn to the agency that placed them when they encounter difficulties. Ask the agency direct questions: ‘did this employer ever raise any concerns about this nanny with you?’ or ‘did the nanny ever come to you for advice on dealing with problems with these employers?’. However, the agency is unlikely to have had substantial involvement so they may also only have the nanny’s word to go on.

A private placement is more problematic. The nanny may have kept in touch with friends or teachers from that job, especially if it’s more recent, but again they’re only likely to have heard one side of the story. Where a reference comes back very negative and the nanny insists that their ex-boss is being unfair you might want to know whether they’d complained about it at the time. Your prospective nanny may have consulted external organisations such as their insurance provider or a professional association, or sent emails detailing their side of the story. It’s not foolproof but seeing this kind of evidence may help you make up your mind.

A solid employment history is very important for nannies, and both employers and nannies tend to appreciate that, so will make efforts to maintain contact and at least civil if not cordial relations. At least by offering an explanation a nanny is demonstrating that they understand how important it is and avoiding a large unexplained gap which may set alarm bells ringing.

Preparing for interview

A lot rides on a nanny job interview so it’s worth taking the time to prepare it well. Here are ten tips to help you ace that all-important meeting before you even step in the door.

 

1. Plan your route – as soon as you have a place and a time work out how long it will take you to get there and the most reliable route. You don’t want to get lost on the big day so if it’s an area you don’t know it might be worth doing a dry run.

2. Prep your portfolio – make sure you have all the certificates and references you need in one place, as well as any example routines or activities you want to show the parents. Most parents will also ask to see proof of identity and address so have those handy too.

3. Scout out the area – if you don’t know the area then have a look on the internet for local activities and amenities. This will also give you a feel for whether you want to work there or not.

4. List your questions for them – our twenty questions to ask at interview are a good start but if there’s anything particular about the position you want to know be sure to write it down so you remember to ask.

5. Refresh your knowledge – it’s always a good idea to read up on the next developmental stages for your future charges before interview, especially if you haven’t worked with that age group for a while. If it’s an interview with a baby familiarise yourself with the latest weaning guidelines and for a toddler remind yourself about different behaviour management strategies and potty training.

6. Pick your outfit – what to wear for a nanny interview could be a whole separate blog post but your keywords should be comfortable yet smart. You want to create a good impression but still be able to get down on the floor and play if you meet the children.

7. Leave early -it’s better to arrive 20 minutes early and wait in the car or have a coffee than be in a big rush or, worse, late.

8. Go over the details – it creates a good impression if you have the information you’ve been given at your fingertips so you’re able to greet your future boss by names as they open the door and are prepared

9. Scrub up – just before you ring the bell check yourself in the mirror and get rid of any smudges, stains or stray hairs. Its worth keeping a pack of baby wipes in your bag to deal with any last minute emergencies.

10. Shake hands and smile – when the door is opened be smiling and friendly, shake hands confidently and step inside!

Sports day

Thank you, Louise for sending this to us. We’re delighted to share it.

It was my charge’s schools Sports Day today. I think times have changed and not necessarily for the better, and maybe you’ll agree, maybe you won’t but I’d like to share why I’m disappointed.

When I was younger our Sports Day was about friendly competition, about doing our best in races to go really fast and beat our friends. There were three races – the running race, the sack race and the egg and spoon race – for each and every year, with a long race and a short race for the older years, and no-one ever won all of them although we all tried. The best anyone managed was two and that was something to be marvelled at. Whoever was the winner won fair and square, no cheating allowed, and there were points for second and third place. We all tried our best to get points for our house. When you were in year 5 and 6 you got to go to the big athletics ground where we had Sports Day and try long jump, high jump, hurdles and very blunt javelin every fortnight in the summer term and there was a competition that everyone watched on the day itself.

Today there wasn’t a house system so there was no incentive to cheer on other classes. In fact I don’t think they were watching most of the time because each class was busy with their own event. It’s a shame that Sports Day is no longer a time for the whole school community to come together. Everyone got a prize for something, so the value of winning was lost, and the losers didn’t learn to lose gracefully or vow to do better next year because they got a medal for trying. I have nothing against trying but I worry about what children are learning when they get a medal for it!

There were so many events, some traditional and some not, and no consistency across the years, and that made me really think. We liked our simple races. The running races rewarded people who could run, but they often tried to go too fast in the egg and spoon. The sack race was down to luck on the day and not getting tangled in your sack and falling flat on your face. We were all desperate for it to be our turn to be in year 5 to do the Big Events and when we there we felt so special that it didn’t matter who won.

One thing I’m not sorry that they don’t have any more is the Parents Race. I think my charge would have made me run in it, and I like to think I would have lost with grace and shown her how to do that, but it was just too hot.

The six step guide to OFSTED registration for nannies

So the family you’re working for want you to become OFSTED registered? Simple, you think. What do I need and where do I sign up? And then you hit a blank.

Below are 6 steps to OFSTED registration for nannies, au pairs and mother’s helps, which OFSTED groups together and calls ‘home childcarers’.

Continue reading “The six step guide to OFSTED registration for nannies”

Calculating holiday entitlement

Standard holiday entitlement in the UK is 5.6 weeks, which include all Bank Holiday, pro rata for part time workers. But what does this mean? When does it start? What if you work part time or varying days or reduced hours for part of the year or term time only?

 

If you work full time you will get 4 weeks holiday and the 8 ordinary Bank Holidays (New Year’s Day or the following Monday, Good Friday, Easter Monday, the early May Bank Holiday, the Spring Bank Holiday, the August Bank Holiday, Christmas Day or the following Monday and Boxing Day or the following Monday or Tuesday). This give you a total of 28 days holiday.

To calculate your holiday entitlement for part time work, where you work the same days and hours each week you simply divide those 28 days by 5 to get a figure for 1 day per week and multiply by the number of days you work – so for 3 days it would be (28 days / 5 x 3 days)

1 day = 5.6 days or 1.12 weeks

2 days = 11.2 days or 2.24 weeks

3 days = 16.8 or 3.36 weeks

4 days = 22.4 or 4.48 weeks

Holdiay can be rounded up, but not down.

 

If you work term time only then you can use a similar calculation substituting weeks for days. In this example we’ll assume that there are 39 school weeks, so you get 4.2 weeks holiday (5.6 weeks / 52 x 39 weeks). If you have to take your holiday outside of term time then you may have an arrangement that you are paid in lieu of holiday. Alternatively you may be employed for 44 weeks of the year to allow for the holiday to be taken during your period of employment.

 

If you work different hours on different days but still work a fixed number of days per week you may find it more useful to calculate your holiday in terms of hours. For example Monday and Tuesday are 10 hour days but Wednesday, Thursday and Friday are 5 hour days. Taking 5 Mondays off would give double the amount of time not worked but still use the same amount of holiday. To calculate holiday in hours just add up the number of hours over a week, in this case 35, and multiply that by the number of weeks holiday entitlement, in this case 5.6, giving 196 hours (35 x 5.6).

 

The same principle applies if you work part-time in term time and full time in school holidays. In this case you need to calculate the number of hours worked over a year, for example 4 hours per day, 5 days per week for 39 weeks per year ( 4 x 5 x 39,) which is 780 hours, and 10 hours per day, 5 days per week for 13 weeks per year (10 x 5 x 13), which is 650 hours, giving a total of 1430 hours per year. This is then divided ny 52 to get the average weekly hours (1430 / 52) which is 27.5 hours and mulitplied by the weekly allowance for a full week, 5.6, to give 154 hours holiday a year. That means 15.4 days if taken in school holidays or 38.5 days if taken in term time – quite a difference!

 

If  you work varying hours and can’ establish a weekly average then it may be best to calculate holiday using the accrual method, so for every hour you work you earn 12.07% of an hour as holiday.

 

Holiday is distributed according to a leave year. This is usually specified in the contract, and many run from 1st January to 31st December, with a pro rata allowance for the first and final years. That means if you leave a job after working 10 weeks you will get 1.1 weeks holiday (5.6 weeks / 52 x 10 weeks).

 

We hope this helps you to make sense of your holiday entitlement, and remember you can always post on our messageboards to  get advice from other nannies specific to you.

 

 

5 ways with pom-poms

 

Pom-poms are a great tool for promoting all kinds of development. Here are 5 activities you can do with a muffin tray, a small jar or cup, a pair of tweezers or tongs and a load of pom-poms.

 

Pick them up and drop them. This simple activity for younger children promotes the pincer grip, which is vital for holding a pencil later on. Picking up and dropping the pom-poms promotes hand eye coordination and provides a sensory experience too.

Sort the pom-poms acording to colour. Not only is this promoting fine motor development and hand-eye coordination but it’s also working on matching and colour recognition.

 

Extend the activity by using tweezers. If you put the pom-poms into a narrow necked jar they won’t be able to get their hand in their to pick the pom-poms up so they’ll need to use tongs or tweezers. The pinching motions strengthens the muscles in the hand and the added challenge will develop problem solving abilities.

 

Count. It sounds simple but you have a lot of pom-poms so you can at least count to twenty with all of them, count how many of different colours, work on concepts such as more and fewer, and add up by transferring pom-poms from one part of the tray to another. It’s ideal for explaining tens and units if you have different sized pom-poms. The smaller ones are units and when you put the tenth smaller one in you can exchange 10 small pom-poms for a bigger one. Top tip from a primary maths specialist – always start to count from zero. The quantity ‘one’ doesn’t make sense unless there is nothing there in the first place so make it obvious and associate zero with nothing from the start.

 

Blow them. Pom-poms are light and they roll so get down and blow them in a straight line or round a course you’ve drawn out on paper. As well as encouraging children to fill their lungs this also develops the muscles of the face and jaw which is great for speech development.