Employing a Nanny
When you employ a nanny to look after your children it is a very big step and there are many aspects and responsibilities that you will need to be aware of before you employ a nanny.
Many parents look at various childcare options for their children including nurseries and child minders along with the option of employing a nanny. Employing a nanny is the preferred option for many parents and some of the reasons for this include the following:
- One to one care for your child
- A nanny works around and adapts to your child’s routine rather than your child having to adapt to the routine of a nursery or childminder.
- There is greater flexibility for you and your child e.g. if you are running late home you haven’t got the panic of thinking the nursery closes at 6pm and I’m not going to be back until 6.30pm.
- A nanny can work hours that a childminder and nursery cannot accommodate. Also if your child is sick then you do not have to take time off work to look after them.
- Your child is in the familiar surroundings of their home.
- Your child will be able to attend activities such as the local playgroup, swimming, after school activities, have friends around to play etc. Along with this a nanny will stimulate your child with activities such as walks, trips to the park, arts & crafts etc.
Choosing the right person to be your child’s nanny is an important step. You should interview all nannies that have been put forward to you. It is very important that you get along with your nanny as much as your child does. It may seem that you have found the perfect nanny on paper but if you don’t get along with them when you meet then the relationship is not going to work. You need to find a nanny that will become a welcomed extra member of your child’s family.
Once you have decided that employing a nanny is the right option for you and your child you need to be aware that this means you will become an employer and with that comes all the responsibilities of an employer.
If you employ a nanny you will need to register with the Inland Revenue as a small employer. This means that you will be responsible for ensuring that your nanny’s tax and National Insurance contributions are paid and they receive a payslip on their payday. To help you overcome the legalities and pressures of this we recommend that you register with a payroll service who will take all this responsibility from you. We particularly recommend a company called Way2paye who offer an exceptional service. They can be contacted on 01604 743346 or payroll@way2paye.co.uk.
Your nanny will be entitled to Statutory Sick Pay and Maternity Pay/Leave as stipulated by government legislation. They are also entitled to 4.8 weeks paid holiday per year if they work for you on a full time basis (5 days per week). If they work for you on a part time basis then it should be worked out on a pro rata basis.
When a nanny starts work for you, you need to provide them with a contract of employment (legally you will have to supply this within the first 8 weeks of your nanny starting employment with you). This allows your nanny to know exactly what you expect from them and what they will be responsible for. The main areas you should cover in the contract are salary, hours of work, holiday, sickness, maternity pay/leave, responsibilities (job description) and notice period.
It is the nanny’s responsibility to make their way to and from their work place (your home) however if they have to do any child related travelling e.g. the school run, taking your child to activities or playgroups etc then you should be reimbursing your nanny the cost of her petrol plus wear and tear on her car. Most families agree a weekly amount to be covering this cost, but if you prefer to pay per mile you should be looking at between £0.30 - £0.40 per mile. If your nanny is using her car to transport your child then you need to make sure that they have business class 1 insurance. Most insurance companies do not charge any extra for upgrading from fully comprehensive to business class 1 and all nannies registered with Holly’s House are advised of this.
When a nanny commences work with you it is a good idea to sit down and discuss the routine that your child currently has. Also discuss aspects such as your expectations on discipline, diet, TV etc as your child needs to have consistency and therefore both you and your nanny needs to be adhering to the same aims.
Ensure that your nanny has all contact details for you during the day e.g. your mobile and work numbers and also the contact details of the family doctor.
We advise all our child carers to take out insurance to protect themselves as they have the same legal responsibilities as other childcare professionals. We advise that they take out public liability insurance which will cover them in the event of an accident to a child in their care for which they can be held legally liable. We recommend that they take this insurance out through Morton Michel who are childcare insurance specialists.
When you employ a nanny you are obliged by law to take out employers’ liability insurance. Not all insurance companies include this in their policies so we recommend you check with your insurance to ensure you are covered. If you do need to take out a new policy we recommend Morton Michel who provide household insurance designed for households that employ a nanny. They can be contacted on 0208 768 6700.
