NANNIES

A nanny is a qualified and/or experienced person in childcare. There are a number of childcare qualifications available: NNEB, B-TEC, NVQS and City & Guilds. The nanny is capable of sole charge, and will provide a happy and caring enviroment for children in the parent's home.

Duties & Responsibilities
It is the responsiblity of the nanny to ensure the children are cared for in the chosen practice of the parents. A nanny will provide a good social timetable ensuring that the children interact with other children of a similar age, prepare educational projects and read stories regularly. A nanny stimulates the children's physical, intellectual, emotional and social growth.
A nanny will be responsible for all childcare related household duties including children's washing, ironing, children's bedrooms and playroom etc... and preparing the children's meals.

Conditions
A nanny works up to a maximum of ten hours per day and usually has every weekend free. Live-in nannies can be expected to babysit a couple of times per week, in return for living arrangements. Employers are liable for paying tax and national insurance contributions.

NIGHT NANNIES

A night nanny is a qualified and/or experienced person in childcare/newborns. The night nanny is capable of sole charge of newborn or newborns during the night.

Duties & Responsibilities
A night nanny will be responsible for newborn while parent sleeps. Developing a sleeping routine, change, feed and settle newborn. The night nanny will also help with preparing feeds and sterilizing bottles.

PARENTS HELP

A parents help has had some experience with child care, normally as a babysitter or childminder. They should not be given sole charge of children. however, for parents with older children at school a parents help can be an ideal option. parents help will not have undertaken any formal child care training.

Duties & Responsibilities
A parents help will be responsible for all childcare related household duties including children's washing, ironing, children's bedrooms and playroom etc. They are also prepared to do household duties over and above those associated with the children. Conditions A parents help works up to ten hours per day and has every weekend free. Live-in parents help can be expected to babysit a couple of times per week, in return for living arrangements. employers are liable for paying tax and national insurance contributions.

BABYSITTERS

A babysitter will be someone with experience of children - often a nanny or parents help looking for extra work, a nurse or mother. They will have undergone the same reference checks and procedures as a full time nanny.

Duties & Responsibilities
The duties of a babysitter are to settle the children, read a bedtime story, give a feed and change nappies (if required) not to bathe, cook or do cleaning unless requested as a parents help at the time of booking. Hours of Work These must be stated at time of booking and be confirmed with the sitter. Transport arrangements should be confirmed, most sitters have their own vehicle, if not, they may require a lift or a taxi home. If a driver only is required please be sure to inform us at time of booking. Booking Arrangements We will contact the sitters on your behalf and request that they contact you directly to confirm arrangments. Payments to the Sitter Payment is always paid directly to them at the time of the sitting.

Cancellations
If a client cancels a babysitter with less than 24 hours notice a cancellation fee of 5.00 Pounds is charged. The sitter must also be reimbursed for half the loss of earnings.

AU PAIRS

Au pairs are generally students who come to the UK/Ireland to live as part of an english speaking family in order to improve their language skills, learn about the culture and way of life. Their stay varies from of a minimum of 2 months (during summer) to a maximum of 2 years.

Duties
An aupair helps the host family with childcare and general light housework for up to 5 hours per day, 5 days per week. One or two evenings per week babysitting can be expected. Home office regulations state that the au pair must have two full days off per week so they should not, therefore, be asked to babysit on their days off. Extra babysitting may be arranged by mutual agreement, for extra pocket money. It is important from the beginning to clearly define the au pair's duties. It is a good idea to have a written schedule giving details of tasks expected, times for school pick-ups etc. This may of course change during the course of the au pairs stay but it helps considerably in the early stages.

Conditions
It is important to note that au pairs are not trained nannies nor domestic servants. They should not be expected to take full responsibility for the children or housework and should be treated as part of the family. During school holidays au pairs may be asked to look after the children for longer hours while the parents are working, but they should receive some compensation for this by way of more pocket money and/or more free time. Au pairs appreciate their weekends free to socialize with friends and perhaps go on excursions. If it is not practical for the family to allow them every weekend free they should, at least, receive one free weekend per month.