An increasing number of UK citizens are seeking the help of live-in nannies. Recently, living in a nanny has become a better option due to both parents working very hard. Besides assisting with the raising of children, more often than not they need to know how to cook for example or do a little bit of extra help around the house. It is not reserved for celebrities only anymore, it has spread everywhere in London and UK and UK Governess agencies are eager to help you find your ideal family.
Salary And Working Hours Of A Live-in Nanny?
To be honest, there is no precise and fast answer to this question. It all depends on the family and their needs. However, what we can tell you for sure is that if you hire a London governess agency, you will be provided with the best conditions possible. You will agree that it is a very different story when you are new in the country and have the right company standing behind you and taking care of your needs. Of course, it is also helpful If you have relevant experience and qualifications. No need to explain that, simply you will have greater negotiating power when it comes to salary.
Speaking bluntly, you are expected to work around ten hours per day. You should have in mind though- if you hate waking up early, then this job is really not for you. Often, you will have very early starts, and it will almost always involve evening and weekend work. You are able to negotiate a day off, but you need to communicate it rather in advance.
Your average paycheck as a registered UK nanny will be £300-500 per week, before tax. In addition, you’ll also have accommodation as a must being a crucial part of the job. It maybe does not seem like that in the beginning, but it will save you tons of money. Having a car can be a great perk too, so you should make arrangements with the family about that too.
What Do You Need In Order To Become A Live-In Nanny In UK?
In legal terms, there are no essential qualifications to work as a nanny in the UK. Therefore, you can conclude that for a live-in nanny, we have a pretty much similar situation. If a family considers you suitable, they can offer you the position. You just need to be reliable, honest, and hard-working and you will definitely be standing out. In addition, it is also important to appear like all that of course. A lot of offers will come if you appear self-confident.
So, as we said, you will not be excluded if you don’t have some fancy qualifications. However, you will definitely be included if you have these popular childcare qualifications. In the UK, the next ones are definitely a plus:
- NVQ – very important in Education or Work with Children
- Edexcel BTEC National Certificate
Qualifications and experience are really big help. In addition to being useful and helpful, it is always better for you to learn more and know more. Every new certificate is one step closer to your ideal job.
NVQ – Particularly Important Early Years Care And Education Or Work With Children
Studying for an NVQ is a great way to expand your knowledge and fulfill your career goals as a live-in nanny. In order to become a properly trained British governess, you have to have at least one of these courses and an NVQ will provide you with all the practical skills and knowledge you need to kick-start your career. To help you figure out if NVQs are right for you, we will discuss NVQ levels a bit. Excluding entry-level, there are seven main NVQ levels and each one involves the teaching and application of particular work-based competencies.
These are:
Entry-level that is Ideal for those without any previous qualifications or knowledge and it will teach you some basics of being a nanny. NWQ-s are for different areas of the course, but here we will discuss being a nanny only. Level 1 will cover the routine tasks and how you will implement them. Level 2 covers complex work-based duties and gaining good knowledge and understanding of a subject. Level 3 is all about expanding the range of duties. The special focus is on slowly developing your personal autonomy and responsibility.
NVQ Level 4 provides a specialist and detailed level of learning and it covers a specific area of work. This level is ideal if you are training to manage others or work and for technical roles also. Level 5 Involves learning about an area of work on a deeper level. It can cover senior management.
NVQ Level 6 is specifically intended for senior managers and it will build on the specific knowledge you’ve already acquired. Level 7 is the highest level of the NVQ structure and it means that you are the expert in the field.
There is no set time limit for these qualifications and there is really no pressure since levels you need to meet are based on the national standards of the job you’re in and it will not exclude you from anything, just give you a bonus.
Edexcel BTEC National Certificate
BTECs are one of the top-notch career-focused qualifications and if you want to develop your skills as an educator and a nanny, they can be really helpful. Being grounded in the real world of work, BTEC learners develop and apply the knowledge and skills acquired that employers are looking for.
BTEC certificates have recently become very popular for UK nannies who strive for more. The childcare sector is filled with new people every day and you have to stand out somehow. By learning and achieving more you become better and better and more families will be looking for you. When you develop your own set of signature skills, only the sky is the limit for you.
Speaking in terms of the UK and being a London or British governess, A Btec, or ‘Business and Technology Education Council’ a vocational qualification that can be studied at a college or school. Btec-s give you the opportunity to acquire hands-on experience in a field or subject. It is a relatively new method that represents a great alternative to the old-school theoretical approach. While they are usually an alternative to A-levels, Btec qualifications can actually be studied as a GCSE and even degree-level.
In Conclusion
As we have already mentioned, qualifications are secondary to the set of other important skills. You need to have soft skills and the whole set of desirable personality traits in order to be a successful nanny. Of course, governess agencies are always here to help, but you also need to put in a bit of effort. Therefore, extra courses are always a great idea.
At the moment in the UK, we have the situation that you will be probably educating children who are at the age which the UK sees as ready for formalized teaching, which is five or above. Therefore, early years practitioners actually cater to children who are 0-5. At this particular age, it is especially important that you help a child develop their cognitive and social skills. That is why the courses mentioned above will help you in providing families and their children with what they really need.
