Here's what she has to say.
My name is Sarah Burr and I run the Hampshire branch of Little Angels Nanny and Nursery Agency.
I have and NNEB (diploma in Nursery Nursing) and a Diploma in Home-based Childcare, which is the qualification required for child minding.
I have over 14 years post qualified experience and this has been based in a variety of childcare settings. I have worked in a private Day Nursery as a nursery nurse and a senior room leader , in a private home as a nanny and also in my own home as a child minder. Therefore I feel I can give my unbiased advice to parents who are making that hard discussion – What type of childcare to choose?
I am a Mummy to 2 adorable boys, the eldest of which had a short spell with a child minder then 10 months with a nanny and finally 18 months in a day nursery before I had my second child and he started preschool, I then opened the Hampshire branch of Little Angels NNA and became a stay at home Mummy.
If you aren’t lucky enough to have a family support network locally that are willing to help with childcare a mummy’s return to work presents the following options:
Child minder - This works best if you already know a child minder, depending on the child minder this can be a flexible option for times and shift patterns. This type of childcare offers a home from home type setting but the child will need to fit into the child minders daily routine as she will have found one that works for the children in her charge. They are Ofsted registered and therefore regulated and checked on a regular basis. This is by far the most affordable form of childcare (approx. £3-£4 per child per hour) as the child minder doesn’t need any experience to gain the Diploma in home-based childcare, in my opinion the evening course was very basic and short, this isn’t to say the child minder doesn’t have additional childcare qualifications or a passion for childcare but my advice would be to visit a few and ask questions about their max number of children and their daily routine. The Ofsted registered child minder will have public liability insurance and a valid first aid certificate along with an enhanced CRB (police check).
Day Nursery – Depending on the setting you choose they generally offer childcare between 8am and 6pm with 3 meals, sleep facilities and a keyworker system where 1 nursery nurse will be allocated to your child and be responsible for the record keeping and your child’s routine although the general care of the child will be share amongst the staff members. The staff are generally younger and less experienced but they have the support network of other staff and mentors and this is generally how nursery nurses start to gain their experience before becoming nanny or moving into a more managerial role. The child will be socialising with other similar aged children and they will learn the routine of the nursery and get used to structure. This isn’t a cheap option as most nurseries will charge around £40 a day. The child will have a learning journey filled out for them and parents will have the opportunity to attend parents evenings to talk through the child’s developmental progress with the key worker.
Nanny – this option is by far the most flexible one and would suit families with more than one child, with long or unpredictable working hours, shift patterns or parents with hectic lives and not enough hours in the day!
As the parents you write the job description for your nanny, you interview your nanny and you choose the nanny that fits your family perfectly. Nannies will do childcare, housekeeping, washing, ironing, cooking, cleaning, errands, dog walking, the list is endless and as long as you discuss and agree this then you can potentially just be parents at the weekend and spend quality time with your children.
When you employ a Little Angels Nanny you have the peace of mind that they have valid childcare qualifications, at least 2 years post qualified experience, a current CRB, First aid and at least 2 glowing professional reference that I have thoroughly checked along with identification and authenticity of their documentation and certificates. Little Angels will organise interviews, assist with interview questions where required, assist with contact writing and send the CV’s with photos of the nannies attached so you know who to expect at interview.
The nannies will have public liability insurance and be eligible to become Ofsted registered if they aren’t already. They will be able to accept the childcare vouchers too!
A good nanny will fill her day with outings, routines, social groups, outdoor play, messy play, quiet time and will do all of this to fit your child’s routine thus promoting consistency of care and a easier return to work for the parent in the knowledge that their child is happy and safe at home with a nanny that you regards as a member of your family.
A nannies salary varies depending on the job description, hours, number of children and experience but generally ranges between £6.50 and £12 take home per hour.
For further advice or to register for free go to their website www.littleangelsnna.co.uk
Or contact Sarah on 01489 784471
sarah@littleangelsnna.co.uk
Some great hints and tips from Sarah! Hope it's helped you in your decision making.
Don't forget about Life's A Celebration for all your party needs and definitely don't forget that we have our Baby Shower competition running. Win an entire baby shower partybox for 7 people; just visit our website to enter.
Speak to you soon.
Maxine
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