Working with your nanny

Think carefully about how your nanny will spend their first weeks and how you can help your children get used to their new childcarer.

Make time for a review meeting after a few days, away from the children, to discuss with your nanny how they're settling in.

Concerns may arise in the first few days, and the sooner they’re aired and sorted out, the less likely they are to develop into anything serious. Don’t forget to ask your children how they’re getting on, as well!

It’s good to talk!

Make time for regular chats with your nanny – daily or weekly. It’s a great opportunity to find out how your child is getting on and to ensure that everyone's still happy with the arrangement.

Share information about your child. Talk about:

  • their likes and dislikes
  • favourite songs, games and activities
  • what they do and don’t like to eat
  • other special people in their life, such as grandparents
  • special words that they use
  • whether they have any additional needs or medical conditions and how these should be managed.

Behaviour management

It’s important to discuss with your nanny and come to an agreement about what you think are acceptable and appropriate ways for them to manage the behaviour of your children.

Think about and discuss what you consider acceptable and unacceptable behaviour. It can be helpful to have a written policy about managing behaviour to reduce the potential for misunderstandings. Work closely together to ensure consistency and continuity for your child.

Best business

Your nanny is a childcare professional – even if they feel like a member of the family. They need to be supported and developed in their role. They will probably have had some childcare training but may wish to continue with their professional development. You might want to help them with this, maybe by part-funding a course or allowing them study leave. After all, your child will benefit from their increased expertise!

Being an employer

When employing someone to look after your children, you have certain employer responsibilities. Discover more about employing a nanny.

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