Beth

My Requirements

In September, the nanny we have been working with for 4 years will be sadly leaving us due to health issues.  She has become more than a nanny and is a friend and part of our family and we are all devastated that this is happening.  My children have had a difficult year, their father moved out and hasn't been present in their lives much since, after an unsettling period beforehand, and they have found our nanny as a source of consistently and comfort throughout the time she has been with us, but more so lately.  We are an incredibly strong family unit, and our nanny has been pivotal to that.

I have 2 girls (turning 6 and 8 in September) who are full of energy and love.  Both girls are suspected ADHD and ASD, which shows up differently in each of them.  Processes are ongoing for diagnosis and they are on the SEN register at school.  They generally manage well, and neurodiversity might not immediately be obvious to people who interact with them, but I need a nanny who is gentle whilst being able to give boundaries, and who is experienced with children who can sometimes suffer from the negative sides of neurodiversity.  Meltdowns are rare and we are in a good place regarding how to manage them, but they can happen and it's important that the person we work with is familiar with how to handle these, if they do.  

Otherwise, my girls are fun and caring - always playing together (they are like best friends), being creative (we generally don't do screens) and will give so much to people in their network.  We are not looking for just a nanny, but someone who can slot into our family and keep that fun and creativity alive.

I work full time, and am in the office up to 3 times a week, so my life is busy and I need someone who can be supportive of that, keeping the girls in good routines and allowing me to work around them.  That said, when I am working from home, I will often come out my home office and see the girls and have a chat when I can.  We try to work together and our nanny is very supportive of schedules and wider things going on in the children's lives e.g. planning what to wear for a dress up day at school (this can be a big anxiety!) - this is a huge help when I am working.  I would also like someone who can keep the house tidy and in order so that it's calm for the children, but also doesn't create work for me to do when I have been working all day.  I know it's not always possible though and the children always come first.

With my current nanny, we pay a monthly salary but the hours will change in term time vs. the school holidays - total hours are split across the year for pay , so the pay is the same each month.  I would need 2 x drop offs (usually Tue and Thu) to school each week (7:30-9am - the girls go into school at 8:45am), then 4 x after school (pick up is 3:25pm and I would take over at 6:30pm).  During the school holidays it works out as roughly 3 x full days per week (7:30am-6:30pm), plus odd inset days etc.  Occasionally, I may ask for a tweak due to a work commitment (like an event I need to leave early for) but I usually have lots of notice and have alternative options if our nanny can't do it.  I am generally on time, but am at the mercy of the London transport system - it's rare that I am more than a few minutes late and I keep in touch if things are looking dodgy.  I do need to leave just after 7:30am, so arriving on time is also very important.

I know the hours for at least a year in advance, and would be able to send a schedule - generally I take the 3 x half terms off (Feb, May, Oct), and a week in Aug and Dec, so wouldn't need cover then.  The hours for this year were 807 - I expect it to be similar for 2027, but can work out and share.

I would be looking for someone who is kind, fun and supportive.  Asides from the SEN piece, I would like someone who can support the girls with their development - socially, with their school work, and general growing up.  Due to the school holiday piece, someone who can drive would be ideal, so they can take the girls on more interesting trips.  There is a network of nannies who hang out together in the holidays and often they plan excursions together.  The children all get on well, and it would be nice to continue this too.  The girls love being outdoors and I appreciate someone who will get them out being active in all weathers.  The girls will happily play dens and make potions for hours, and don't need glossy experiences - we try to encourage them to use their imaginations over needing constant "stuff" to do.

There is opportunity to bump up earnings, if wanted - on Mondays, our current nanny collects 2 other children from school (same ages) and all 4 come back to our house after school.  All 4 girls have known each other since they were born and they are more like family.  This would be great to continue for the girls' sake as well.  The children all play nicely, and the other 2 are collected at 5:45pm.  The walk to and from school is less than 10 minutes.  Sometimes all 4 girls are together on inset days too.

The plan would be to do a decant handover with our current nanny to make it as seamless for everyone, and ensure the children feel safe with the change.  Our nanny intends to leave in September, but can be flexible to ensure the handover can be done, and could leave sooner if the new nanny was settled before then.  

I hope this is helpful information, but happy to provide more.  I would suggest a call initially, then a meet with me and our current nanny, followed by some meets with the children (happy to pay for these), before a handover took place.  I will also ask for a couple of references and ideally speak to a family on the phone.  All the usual checks also need to be in place.  I am looking for someone who will make a long term commitment to our family, so I want to make sure the process is thorough for all of us.  It's also imperative that you are reliable - I appreciate sickness does happen, but I need someone who is committed and consistent.

We are (I think) a nice family to work with - we are fun and warm, straightforward, and pretty easy going - our current nanny will give you any dirt (although I hope minimal), and we will welcome you in as part of the gang.  Please reach out if this is of interest, or you have any questions.