What Are the Responsibilities of a Nanny?

Hiring a nanny can make a huge difference to you and your family. A qualified nanny can supervise your child when you have other responsibilities to attend to, and give them the care, love and attention they need until you return.

For this arrangement to work best, parents should aim to form a collaborative relationship with their nannies, based on a strong understanding of what each party should expect from the other. Hiring a nanny can be more difficult than other household professionals for this reason.

It starts with an understanding of what a nanny does and the responsibilities they can take on. UK nannying and home service experts Nannies Matter are here to help you understand what to expect from your nanny and form a productive working relationship. Here, we have put together a guide to the role and responsibilities of a nanny, and the best ways to keep everyone in the household aligned in their work.

To speak to someone about hiring a nanny and how a nanny can help you, fill in the contact form or call Nannies Matter on 0800 121 4881. Otherwise, read on to find out more.

Nannies, Responsibilities and Schedules

There are many tasks and duties that nannies will be expected to perform over the course of an average day, but all are ultimately in service of the same core responsibility: to provide care for the children of their employer’s family, and support their development and wellbeing.

This can involve a number of different daily duties, including:

• Helping children to prepare for school, picking them up and dropping them off

• Tidying up after the children

• Laundry, changing bedsheets and other household tasks for the children’s benefit

• Supervising and assisting with reading, writing and homework

• Preparing healthy and nutritious meals for the children

• Organising playdates and other family activities

• Caring for children who have fallen ill and administering first aid

• Organising necessary appointments for the children

• Running basic errands

In some cases, nannies can take on multiple roles within your home - they may expand beyond childcare duties to fulfil a housekeeping role, too. You can discuss your needs during your initial interview to find out whether a nanny candidate can meet them.

Nannies generally work for up to 10 hours a day for five days a week, with leeway for weekend or evening babysitting work. Depending on your circumstances, you may choose to hire a live-out nanny who commutes to your home on the days they are required, or a live-in nanny who will stay with you.

By working with an agency such as Nannies Matter, you can simplify this process. Provide us with a list of your requirements and leave us to find ideal candidates who will be happy to accommodate you.

What Can You Reasonably Expect from Your Nanny?

Forming a positive relationship with your nanny depends on knowing what is reasonable to ask from them, and finding someone who is willing and able to deliver on your expectations.

Here are some of key qualities that you should expect from a professional nanny:

• Clear communication and understanding: providing the right care for children is a complex task that requires strong communication. You should be able to set out clear expectations and guidelines for your nanny at the outset, and they should be able to work in a way that suits your needs and those of your whole family.

• Professionalism and enthusiasm: being a nanny is more than just a job; it’s a commitment to working as part of a family and investing love, care and passion into their children’s wellbeing. As such, it is only fair to expect that your nanny will be genuinely committed to caring for your children, and will always give their best.

• Mutual respect: the most positive working relationships with nannies are based on teamwork. That’s why the best nannies are real team players who are willing to go the extra mile to support the family and show respect for your position as the parent and employer.

And here are some of the things you shouldn’t expect from a nanny:

• Someone who will do everything: nannies have specific responsibilities to look after the needs of your children, and should not be mistaken for all-purpose maids or cleaners. As such, nannies will not usually be expected to run an entire household - if you require someone to take on additional domestic duties, consider hiring a specialised nanny housekeeper, or a nanny groom if there are horses and other animals to be cared for.

• Taking on duties that were not agreed upon: although nannies are resourceful and caring, there may be some household tasks they are unable to take on. The exact nature of the responsibilities your nanny will undertake should be set out in their contract, and will need to be clarified and formalised before they start working for you.

• Unpaid overtime: nannies are passionate, dedicated professionals who will often go above and beyond to support your family, but if there is a mismatch between the number of hours they are contracted to work and the amount they are really expected to do, it may be necessary to come to a new agreement.

Find out more

To learn more about hiring a nanny and the responsibilities these staff can be expected to take on, get in touch with Nannies Matter today.

Read more about our nanny and childcare services to find out how we can help you find the right candidate to meet your requirements. You can also call us on 0800 121 4881, or fill in our online enquiry form and we will get back to you.