Interview - writing a job description - for parents

As a future employer and responsible parent you have to think through what you want from your nanny before the interview. It is good to sit down and write a job description for her so you can ask specific questions from your nanny.

How does a job description look like?

It is entirely up to you. You can write down bullet points or paragraphs or both. It is just a brief reminder for you what to ask from the nanny on the interview. It also can help when Nannytax writes your contract. 

The most important things it has to contain are the working hours, the working premises and the chores of the nanny. You also can talk about benefits (if it is a live in job or she can drive your car). You have to make sure the nanny understands what is going to be her job so she can say a responsible yes for your job proposal. 

Bullet points about your nanny:

• young, older, how many years experience, what kind of childcare experience, language preference, religion (if applicable), non smoker (all together or only during the job), papers - qualifications you require (CRB, First Aid Certificate, NI number, Proof of address, ID, Passport, Driving licence, Ofsted registration, etc.), sporty, arty, girly, etc.

• Don't forget to write down everything you want. It doesn't matter if it seems weird or not appropriate. You will leave your children with your nanny for long hours. She is going to be one of the most important role model (after you) for them. So it is your responsibility to choose the right one for your family. If something won't match you will make the nanny leave sooner or later. So for everyone's sake it is better to be crystal clear in the beginning.

Bullet points about your nanny's role:

• live in, live out, working hours, sole charge, shared care, driver or non driver, premises she  has to work in (only in the house, in outside premises such as library, etc.), cooking (if applicable) - important to mention if your family on a diet or the kids have allergy. 
• you have to be clear about cleaning - you employ a nanny and not a cleaner. So don't ask her to clean the whole house or wash the clothes and iron for the whole family. If you want her to do the children's washing and ironing and cleaning up than it is ok as long as you pay the right rate of the salary for it. Of course in the case you ask for additional chores like cleaning you have to make sure your nanny knows about it and agree with it before she accepts the job. If you think these chores are in a nanny's manual than you are highly mistaken. So make sure you tell the nanny about everything she has to do and she agrees with it before signing the contract. Put every chores of her in the contract also as you can refer to it when it comes down to questions later on.
• make sure you mention all of the additional chores she has to do. Taking the children to the doctor, library, taking pictures of the children, writing their development book, planning, etc. These chores are not mandatory. So you have to be sure you organise everything (papers) for them. As your nanny can be uncomfortable with doing these so just make sure she knows about the additional chores. Although these chores are in a higher pay rate. So every additional thing you ask for just make sure you offer a fair rate of salary.  

Salary:

• hourly rate, monthly rate or per year, childcare vouchers (if applicable), pay for sickness, NI, tax, pay for babysitting, additional hours, etc.

Benefits:

• if you want to offer additional benefits for your nanny than this is the time to talk about it. 
• if your nanny will 'live in' you can talk about the computer usage, her room, food allowance, usage of your premises
• if your nanny is 'live out' you can offer food allowance (as long as she eats what the children eats - highly recommended as my children never ate anything until I showed them it is not poisonous:P *joke*), you can offer her to sleep over while she babysits (depends on how far she lives or how dangerous your neighbourhood, etc.), literally you can mention anything here you can think about)
• car usage (if she can use yours), mileage allowance (if she drives her car)
• holidays - how many days, who decide when, how you pay for the holiday, etc.
• mobile phone (if applicable), camera usage, computer usage (always give her different account and password), landline usage, etc.

These are the main points worth to talk about on a nanny interview. When you decide to employ a nanny who will work and might live in your house it's highly recommended to think through what you want from her. Believe me if you don't put a little effort in it in the beginning you might have to do the whole hassle again in some months. So sit down get a pen and a piece of paper and write down everything you require from yourself as a future employer and from your nanny. 

If you do everything right in the beginning you will have a much higher percentage of success rate to find your perfect nanny.

4/4. Ofsted registration - for parents - benefits

Have you ever heard of childcare vouchers? No? Than it's time to get familiar with it. As an employee you are entitled to ask part of your salary in childcare vouchers. Your company needs to have a childcare voucher scheme. If you've never heard about it than it's also time to ask your manager how to register into their scheme.

What is a Childcare Voucher Scheme?

You can ask your employer to put part of your salary in childcare vouchers. You don't have to pay tax and NI after that money on your salary. It can save up to 1000 GBP/per year on childcare. If both of the parents are entitled to receive this kind of compensation it can mean 2390 GBP less in tax and NI per household per year. Sounds like a lot of money.

How can I register for a Childcare Voucher Scheme?

Most of the companies have CVS. Ask your manager how to register. Read more information about this here. When you register with a certain CVS company you have to ask your nanny to open an account with them. She gets a registration number so you can connect with her via your account. And tadam you can send part of her salary from there. You have to set up an automatic payment (per month amount). Talk to an advisor from the CVS company about your options.

How does the payment work?

You don't have to worry too much about it. When you set up the automatic payment it sends the money to your nanny's account. It is a simple bank transfer from your CVS scheme account to her bank account. So no paper vouchers or hassle for you.

Is there any other benefit of using CVS vouchers?

It's entirely up to your CVS Company. There are some who offer plus service for their costumers. If you have EdenRed Account you can have discounts on family day out, vouchers for high street retailer shops and much more. It always worth to ask about the plus benefits when you set up your account with them. Read more about plus benefits on your EdenRed account here. 

For the first part of the Ofsted registration benefits for parents please read 4/3. Ofsted registration - for parents - papers

How to help your nanny to become Ofsted registered

How can I help my nanny to become Ofsted registered?


 It depends on how good  your nanny's English skills (written and verbal) or confidence are you can offer to help her with the registration phone calls and/or papers. It always worth to make sure every paper is in order as failure to fill up the forms properly can cause time delay and/or money loss.

So just to make sure everything is going fine make an effort to call up the office of Osted and ask for all of the details you and your nanny need to become Ofsted registered. It is also what a responsible employer (you) would do.

I highly advise you to fill up the Questionnaire with an Ofsted advisor on the other side of the phone line. They ask questions about the kind of childcare service your nanny will do for you what sometimes can be a bit Chinese for anyone. So just let the nice Ofsted people sort those questions out for you. They are really helpful with this if you ask for it.

You also can help your nanny to find registered childcare courses in your area (ask the Ofsted people they might know some). She doesn't have to go for a Level 2-4 course to become Ofsted registered.  Going for a higher qualification can take up months and she only needs a 2 days Ofsted approved course for the cause. So just ask Ofsted which courses are approved in your area. Your nanny still can go for a higher qualification if she wants but for this paper the two days one is perfect. As the Ofsted registration can take up months you have to go for the best and fast option at times. 

You also can help her to find a First Aid Course. To be honest I usually suggest to the parents to do the course too. Basic First Aid knowledge can save your children's lives in certain situations. As a responsible parent you should take off a weekend and do the course with your nanny. Don't jinx it but you never know...

If your nanny doesn't have Ofsted registration but you need her to do it you can offer to pay for all of the courses and fees or at least half of them. As you will save loads of money on the long run with these papers it is nice to offer some ease for her too. 

When you filled up every form and you have every paper in your hands what the Ofsted people need than call the Ofsted last time to make sure everything is in order. Than post the papers and wait for the registration details.

The registration can take up months but you don't have to wait for the registration papers to be delivered. As you only need the registration number you can ask for it when the Ofsted advisor receive all your papers.  It worth to ask the advisor about this information. As sooner you know the number sooner you can pay your nanny by childcare vouchers. It can be a big help for your purse.

4/3. Ofsted registration - for parents - papers

Why is it so important for your nanny to have Ofsted registration?

Ofsted registration is optional for a nanny in the UK. We can ask than why it is so important to have one. The question is legitimate. Why should we ask for a paper that can mean throwing out our or our nanny's money of the window?

Ofsted registration has two main advantage.

1. Your nanny can prove she has all of the professional papers she needs to be a professional nanny in this country. 

2. You as her employer can get tax ease by sending childcare vouchers to her.

So let me go into these facts a bit deeper.

 1. Your nanny can prove she has all of the professional papers she needs to be a professional nanny in this country. 

Ofsted registration means to become an officially recognised childcare professional. As a professional the nanny needs to possess certain qualifications. These qualifications prove to be able to do her job properly safely and perfectly.

These papers are CRB check, First Aid Course, Childcare course and she needs to have Nanny Insurance.

As CRB check and First Aid Certificate are optional to become a nanny than it is up to you if you ask for them on the interview. Although as an employer you're advised to do a CRB check on your employee. 

As an employee can't ask for her own CRB check it is your (employer) chore to go to an Umbrella body to ask for one. There are different agencies like this one out there who can carry out an Enhanced CRB check for your request. 

It seems like hassle isn't it? So just ask your nanny to become Ofsted registered. Ofsted carries out an Enhanced CRB check with the registration application. Your responsibility as an employer is taken off your shoulder then.

I've already discussed the advantage of the papers a nanny needs to become Ofsted registered in my previous posts. Please click on the blue quotes in this article and read more about them.

If your nanny has an Ofsted registration it means she has all of the papers above. You don't have to worry about them too much. Although I always say it worth to check the expiry dates on the certifications. A First Aid Certificate is valid for 3 years, a CRB is valid for 2. So if  the date seems too close just ask your nanny to renew her papers when it comes to the time to do so.


For more information and personalised help please contact me here.

 





 

4/2. Ofsted registration - for nannies - childcare vouchers

This is the second part of the series about Ofsted registration. You can read the first part about how to register in my previous blogpost in this theme.

In this article I will talk about the second advantage why Ofsted registration is good for nannies.

2. Your family can get tax ease by sending childcare vouchers for you. Eg. they are more likely to employ you if there is a competition on the interview.

As a nanny you always have to think about what is the best for yourself and for your family. If you can do something to help to become the best nanny out there than you should do it.

Ofsted registration is good not only for your reputation but for your financial accessibility. As your family gets tax ease after an Ofsted registered nanny they more likely to choose you in a competitive situation on  the interview.

 How can the family get tax ease after your Ofsted registration?

As an Ofsted registered nanny you become officially recognised childcare professional. As it is you can accept childcare vouchers. It means you can register to Childcare voucher companies and accept money through them. 

It doesn't really mean too much for you other than you will get your money via bank transfer through the company. BUT your family can benefit a lot from this kind of paying option. 

As the family where the parents work for a company (eg. not self employed) can ask their company to put some of their salary into childcare vouchers. They don't have to pay tax and NI after those money in Childcare vouchers. They only can use this money for paying registered childcare facilities as nurseries, childminders or Ofsted registered nannies.

It worth to read more about the benefits for the parents because you can tell them this advantage in the case you are already registered and they don't know about the benefits. As it can mean your future success of getting the job you've been interviewed for.

How to register for childcare vouchers companies? 

 Finding a childcare voucher company is not your problem. It's your family's employer (company) who usually already have a childcare voucher scheme. The parent(s) can ask their companies to register them into the company scheme. Your only job is to register with the same childcare voucher company so the parents can send your salary through bank transfer via the childcare voucher's website. 

It's the same for you if you have more than one family. The only difference you might have to register with more than one childcare companies. Registration is really easy. You have to go to their website, give them the information they ask for and tadam you are illegible to receive money via the company.

Never forget to tell your family about your Ofsted registration and the childcare voucher's benefit.  There is always a chance they don't know anything about it. So believe me it can mean you get the high paying job instead of your competition:)

4/1. Ofsted registration - for nannies - papers

The Ofsted Registration is one of the biggest hip and mystery today in the Nanny world. Why do we need it? What does it mean? What kind of papers do we need for it? Where to register? And so on, and so on.

So why is it so important for a nanny to be Ofsted registered?

There are two main benefits of becoming Ofsted registered.

1. You can prove you have all of the professional papers you need to be a professional nanny in this country. 

2. Your family can get tax ease by sending childcare vouchers for you. Eg. they are more likely to employ you if there is a competition on the interview.

Let me see the first benefit first.

1. You can prove you have all of the professional papers you need to be a professional nanny in this country. 

 1/a Childcare qualification

When you decide to be Ofsted registered you need to have proof that you are a skilled childcare worker. First of all you have to have either College or University degree or you have to prove to Ofsted you've attended to a professional childcare course in this country.

 This proves your English skills can match the challenge to look after children. It also proves you have the (at least) minimal academic knowledge to name yourself a professional. If you don't have NVQ or NCFE Level 2-4 qualifications you still can attend a two days professional course. There are many Ofsted approved courses all around the country. These courses are usually between 100-200 GBP. If your family asks you to become Ofsted registered you can ask them to pay for all of the course fees or at least half of them. 

1/b CRB check

When you become Ofsted registered you have to fill up a CRB form for them. You don't have to worry about it. Just fill up the form and they do the rest. If you haven't been in the country for 5 years they might ask you for a CRB check from the country you previously lived in. 

You can download the CRB papers from the Ofsted website or you can request all of the papers from them by phone. They can post the whole application pack to your house if you ask for it. 

More about CRB checks here.

1/c Questionaire

You have to fill up a survey (15 pages or so) about what kind of childcare service you wish to offer. I highly suggest to fill up this form with an Ofsted Customer Support Assistant on the phone. As they ask questions you might not be sure about. (I wasn't.) If your English skills are not the best you can ask the family to help you through with the paperwork. When I got registered my family (bless them) offered me to do all of the paperwork and pay for everything. So believe me it is not unheard that the family helps you with the application if you ask for it.

Ofsted phone number: 03001231231

1/d First Aid Certificate

As a nanny the children's health and welfare must be the number one priority. As it is Ofsted requires every Home Childcarer to have a Pediatrics  First Aid Certificate. You can read about this topic in my previous blog post here.

1/e Nanny Insurance

This is really important for you and for your family too. As this insurance covers you if something happens during your supervision. Eg. the children or you break something, personal damage, the kids gets injured and you have to pay for the doctors/hospital, etc. You can check out the Nannytax page. This page is also good for your family to do the tax through. I've been with Nannytax for a long time and they give you good quality and cheap service all the time.

If for a reason you don't want to go with them than you can google 'nanny insurance' and there are many other possibilities to get. 

These are all the papers you need to become Ofsted registered. When you decide to go for it call up the number above and talk to an advisor on the phone. They are really nice and helpful. I highly advise everyone to get registered sooner than later. It helps your professional reputation, your family's budget and last but not least I think it will become mandatory in the next some years.

If you need personalised help or more information please don't hesitate to contact me for a free quotation.

First Aid Courses

Why is it important to go to a First Aid Course?

Please read my old blog post about my first First Aid Course.


Honestly I went to my First Aid Course with a big “bah, it is Sunday and I am out of the house ewwww…” feeling. It was cold, morning and Sunday. And it was not the first weekend course I’ve been testing in the last some weeks. So I felt like ok, I finished with this one and no more weekend hassle anymore. I turned up at Thurleigh road and was waiting for the miracle = a course that can tell me something exciting, new…


And there we went the miracle happened. I’ve met one of the most interesting and charismatic person I’ve met for a long time. Susan Patterson-Smith is one of those people who you have to meet at least once in your lifetime:) She has more qualifications in Childcare, First Aid, Beauty training, Parenting, Massage, etc. than 100 average people all together.  But all those papers wouldn’t worth anything without her personality.



I’ve been working with children and families for 10 years and in this weekend I’ve realised how important to have First Aid Qualification under your belt. No one usually like to think about “what if something wrong happens…”. So we usually choose not to look at those directions. Because if we look at there it would happen… And OMG how bad is that!!! But the sad thing that accidents happen time after time. And when they are here we have no idea what to do except to pray for God.


Have you ever thought what to do if your baby swallow a tiny piece of something and choke on it? Do you know how to remove that piece without harm him or her further more? Do you know what to say to an ambulance when something happens with your beloved ones? It can save their lives! Do you know what CPR is and when do you have to use it? Do you know what is in your First Aid Kit and how to put them on? Do you know how you can safeguard your children if they show certain signs of being harmed?


If you have at least one answer: NO, than you certainly need a First Aid Training. Because it can save your children’s or husband/wife’s life. You don’t have to wait for something bad happens but when it does you can step up and do something useful until the Ambulance comes. And many times that ‘doing something’ is the difference between life and death.
Susan has First Aid Courses for families, nannies, anyone who would like to learn how to save lives. She has courses from 4-hour-long to 12-hour-long (for OFSTED registration). She also holds baby massages and different kind of courses all about pre and post natal treatments and First Aid. And last but not least she has one of the best humour under the sun:) She holds her private sessions any places (in your home) in South London or her organized sessions at 88a Thurleigh road, London, SW12 8TT.



I highly recommend to work with her and send your nanny and the whole family to a First Aid Course because children always climb, fall, swallow, choke. It makes a big difference if you know what to do!!!
If you want to contact her:
- Susan Patterson-Smith (The Baby Lady)
- website: www.thebalm.co.uk/
- Phone: 07932761312



If you don’t live in London or would like to have different kind of courses:
www.google.com - type in: First Aid Course and choose one close to your home:)

Yours sincerely,

Adrienn Faklya-Schmitz