What are the Responsibilities of a Nanny?

Hiring a nanny can make a huge difference to you and your family. A qualified nanny can ensure your children are always receiving the care, love and attention they need and deserve, even if you are too busy to be there in person.

However, it is also important to see hiring a nanny as more than just a simple transaction - 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.

To help you form a productive working relationship, we’ve put together a guide to the key responsibilities that your nanny will uphold, and the best ways of ensuring everyone in the household is working from the correct expectations.

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

The key duties of a nanny

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, as well as picking them up and dropping them off
• Tidying up after the children, including doing their laundry and changing their bedsheets
• Supervising and assisting with reading, writing and homework
• Helping to prepare healthy and nutritious meals for the children
• Organising playdates and other fun family activities
• Caring for children who have fallen ill
• Organising necessary appointments for the children, and other related errands

Nannies can generally work for up to 10 hours a day for five days a week, with additional leeway available 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 by providing us with a list of your own requirements, and leaving it to 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 making sure you know 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 assurances that you should be able to expect from a 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 that they 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, willing to go the extra mile to support the family, and showing 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 having to do, it may be necessary to come to a new agreement.

Find out more

If you’d like 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.