What to Include in a Nanny Contract

Why Is a Nanny Contract Important?

When you employ a nanny to work in your home, you take on responsibilities as an employer. A written nanny employment contract turns the discussions you have during recruitment into clear employment terms that both you and your nanny can understand.

An effective contract will remove ambiguity. For example, you may assume that occasional evening babysitting is part of the role, while your nanny may understand that their working day always finishes at 6pm. Likewise, a family may use “light housekeeping” to mean children's laundry and tidying play areas, while a nanny may interpret the job as being focused only on nursery duties.

Putting the details in writing allows both sides to start on the same page. Families also have formal employment responsibilities, including a written contract. The official guidance on employing someone to work in your home says employers must give their nanny written details of the main terms of their employment when they start work. If a family does not provide the required written employment details, there is a risk that issues could arise, and in some cases the matter could be taken to an employment tribunal.

What Should Be Included in a Nanny Contract?

It is best to use a checklist rather than a nanny contract template, which may appear to be a finished document but may not address all of your specific requirements. The contract should match your household, children and the role you have agreed with your nanny.

Job title and start date

State the job title, agreed start date and a clear description of the role. Specificity is important because nanny jobs vary considerably. A traditional nanny role is usually centred on childcare and nursery duties, whereas a nanny housekeeper may have wider responsibilities around the home. An SEN nanny will have responsibilities connected with a child's individual support needs and routines.

Place of work

Set out where your nanny will normally work. This will usually be the family home, but the role may also involve school and nursery runs, supervising children's activities or time at another regular location.

For a live-in role, distinguish between the nanny's place of work and the accommodation provided for their private use.

Working hours

Be clear about normal working days, start and finish times and whether the pattern changes during school holidays. If you may need early starts, late finishes or extra hours, agree how these will be requested and handled. Bear in mind that legal limits apply on how many hours per week a nanny can legally work, and that contractual terms cannot increase this maximum.

Boundaries are particularly important for a live-in nanny. Living in the family home does not mean being permanently on duty. By contrast, a live-out nanny will normally commute to your home for agreed working hours.

Salary and whether pay is gross or net

The contract should state the annual salary or hourly rate, how often the nanny will be paid and whether the figure is gross or net.

Gross pay is the amount before deductions such as Income Tax and employee National Insurance, so making this clear during recruitment can prevent a significant misunderstanding when nanny payroll begins.

Our guide to nanny pay explains more about salaries and payroll arrangements.

Overtime, babysitting and weekend work

If additional hours may be needed, explain how they will be agreed and whether an overtime rate applies.

The same principle applies to evening babysitting, weekend work and overnight care. If any of these are a regular part of the job, make that clear before the nanny accepts the position rather than assuming they will be available.

Holiday entitlement and public holidays

Set out the nanny's holiday entitlement, how holiday requests should be made and how much notice you would like them to give.

The contract should also explain how bank or public holidays are treated and what happens when the family chooses to go away. This is worth agreeing in advance, as the family's holiday plans can affect the nanny's normal working week.

Our guide to nanny paid holidays provides more detail on holiday arrangements.

Sick pay and absence

Explain what your nanny should do if they are unwell, including when and how they should notify you.

The contract should also set out any contractual sick pay you have agreed and the position regarding Statutory Sick Pay where the nanny is eligible.

You can find more practical information in our guide to nanny sick pay and maternity leave.

Probationary period

Many families include a probationary period at the start of employment. If you do, record how long it will last, whether a different notice period applies during it and when you will review the arrangement.

Regular check-ins during the first few weeks can also help both sides raise questions before small uncertainties become bigger issues.

Notice period

State how much notice both the family and nanny are expected to give if they want to end the employment. This may differ during a probationary period.

Having the notice terms written down gives both parties more certainty and time to plan if the working relationship ends.

If you are unsure about your legal obligations around termination, take appropriate employment advice rather than relying on a general nanny contract template alone.

Nursery duties

A clear job description is one of the most useful parts of a nanny contract. Alongside general childcare responsibilities, you may ask your nanny to carry out ‘nursery duties’ that relate directly to the children. Depending on your family's needs, agreed duties could include:

• preparing children's meals and snacks
• children's laundry
• keeping bedrooms and play areas tidy
• nursery or school runs
• taking children to clubs and activities
• organising age-appropriate activities and playdates
• homework or learning support
• keeping children's toys and equipment organised.

Some nannies can also take care of additional requirements, such as general household cleaning.

If you need regular housekeeping as well as childcare, make that clear from the beginning; a nanny housekeeper may be a better fit. Read more about typical nanny duties and responsibilities.

House rules and family expectations

A nanny works closely with your children and inside your home, so it is sensible to have them agree to the house rules that genuinely matter to your family.

These might cover children's routines, food, screen time, approaches to discipline, visitors, personal phone use, photographs and social media, pets, smoking or home security.

The purpose is not to create a rule for every possible situation, but to make sure your nanny understands the family values and boundaries that affect day-to-day childcare.

Confidentiality and privacy

Your nanny may become aware of private information about your children, home, work and family life, and a confidentiality clause can set expectations around how that information is treated.

You may also want to agree to practical boundaries around photographs of the children, social media and information about the household.

Use of the family car

If driving forms part of the job, record whether the nanny will use a family car or their own vehicle, what journeys they may make and how fuel, mileage, parking or other expenses will be handled.

Make sure the relevant driving and insurance arrangements are suitable for the way the car will be used. Our guide to insurance for nannies explains some of the points families should consider.

Travel with the family

If you expect your nanny to travel with you, make this clear.

The agreement can cover how trips will be arranged and how additional working hours, overnight stays, accommodation, expenses and time off will be dealt with.

If travel is only occasional, explain how each trip will be agreed rather than treating the nanny as automatically available.

Expenses

Finally, set out which reasonable work-related expenses you will reimburse and how the nanny should claim them.

These may include children's activity costs, parking, mileage, public transport or agreed purchases for the children. Even a simple process for keeping receipts can avoid confusion.

Your Nanny Contract Should Match the Actual Role

No two nanny jobs are identical, which is why simply filling in a generic nanny contract template can leave important gaps.

For a live-in nanny, the contract should deal with accommodation, privacy and the boundary between working hours and personal time. Our guide to live-in nanny requirements explains what families should consider.

For a live-out or part-time nanny, the emphasis may be on precise working days and hours, arrival and finish times and how additional childcare will be arranged.

For a nanny housekeeper, it is especially important to define where nursery duties end and wider housekeeping begins. Responsibilities should be agreed rather than gradually added after the nanny starts.

For an SEN nanny, the contract should reflect the support your child actually needs and the responsibilities agreed with the candidate. This may include following established routines or working alongside teachers, therapists or other professionals.

The best contract is not necessarily the most detailed. It is the one that accurately describes the employment you and your nanny have agreed to.

What Happens if Your Nanny's Role Changes?

Family life changes. Your nanny’s role may need to change if you have another baby, a child starts school, your working patterns change or you simply need more support around the house.

If you want to make a significant change to your nanny's hours, duties, place of work, pay or another employment term, you should discuss it rather than allowing the new responsibility to become part of the job through habit.

Government guidance states that employers and employees will need to agree contract changes, with relevant changes to written employment particulars recorded appropriately.

Regular check-ins will help you spot these changes early. If you agree to a new arrangement, make sure the written contract or employment documentation continues to reflect the actual role.

Remember Your Responsibilities as a Nanny Employer

A nanny contract is only one part of employing a childcare professional in your home.

If you hire and pay a nanny directly, you will usually be their employer. Depending on the circumstances, your responsibilities may include payroll, Income Tax and National Insurance contributions, payslips, holiday and statutory payments, pension duties and other employment documentation.

Our tax guide for parents employing a nanny explains these practical considerations in more detail.

This article is intended as practical guidance rather than legal advice. Employment arrangements vary, so seek specialist payroll, tax or employment advice where you need it.

Let Nannies Matter Help You Get the Details Right

Getting the contract right starts before the document is written. You need a clear understanding of the role, hours, duties and flexibility your family needs, and the type of nanny who will fit comfortably into your home.

Nannies Matter takes the time to understand those requirements before matching families with suitable candidates. You can find out more about how we work and our wider nanny and childcare services.

Once you have found the right nanny, we can also help you think through the practical arrangements before the placement begins, including employment terms, contracts, pay schedules and holidays, and point you towards specialist support where you need it.

If you are considering hiring a nanny and would like to talk through your family's requirements, call Nannies Matter on 07736 337065 or use our contact form. We will help you find a nanny who suits your family and understand the practical steps involved before their first day.