How to Become a Nanny

No matter what industry you’re looking to get into, the prospect of starting or changing your career path can often be confusing and intimidating, particularly when you’re not quite sure where to start.

With more and more parents working full time, there is an increasing demand for families to enlist the help of a nanny for childcare duties, which means nannies are needed now, more than ever.

With decades of experience in childcare and helping nannies around the Home Counties to develop their career, we know exactly what it takes to not only become a nanny but be at the top of your field.

Consider your interests

Before you decide to become a nanny, you’ll have to ensure that your personal interests line up with the role. It’s fair to say that all great nannies have one very crucial thing in common that makes them great at their jobs; a love of children. If you’re the type of person that is compassionate, understanding and patient - particularly when it comes to the younger generation - then you have the building blocks to becoming the best nanny you can be.

As well as a love for children, you must also have a passion for keeping them safe, happy and educated.

Be flexible

As a nanny, your job will be to work from a family home, therefore, you must be happy to work in an environment on your own, without colleagues.

You must then ask yourself what type of nanny you want to be. Live in, live out, night time, full time, part time? No matter which option you choose, you must expect to be flexible. Your job is to make a family’s life easier, and that doesn’t always mean working from 9am-5pm.

Qualifications and training

Legally, to work as a nanny, you do not need any qualifications. That being said, both agencies and families tend to favour nannies that have some or all of the following qualifications:

• Certificate or Diploma in Childcare and Education
• Level 3 Diploma in Home-based Childcare
• Voluntary Ofsted Childcare Register (OCR)
• First aid (paediatric)

As well as this, you may also want to consider you have the following in order:

• DBS check
• Public Liability Insurance

This may seem like a lot of hoops to jump through, and even though they aren’t legally required, these investments will give you a head start when looking for your first nanny job, particularly when potential employers have no references or previous experience to base your skills on.

If you're looking for a role as a nanny, take a look at our current vacancies on our Career page. For more information, please get in touch with us by calling 07736 337065 or fill in the contact form on this page.