Childcare> Nanny Shares

Nanny Shares

A nanny share scheme is where you share a nanny with another family, splitting the cost. But remember that a nanny will not be attracted to the post unless there is something about it that makes it better than a one-family nanny job - for example, a higher salary, or if she only ever has a small number of children and works from one home at a time!

This is great if you have a friend with whom you can share the nanny's time, if, for example, you work mornings and your friend works afternoons, or if you work three days and she only works the other two. If you split up the day or week, do make sure that the nanny is not expected to run about town swapping houses, and let her have a whole day in one house or allow her an hour between jobs to get there.

To avoid confusion be clear about what will happen from the start. Some nannies like to nanny share because it gives them a bit of variety. If you are combining the two families all the time, or there is any overlap at all, or if the nanny will have more than four children at once (really it's best if both families have only one child), remember that she will be tired and should not be expected to work more than ten hours per day - shorter if possible. Her salary must also reflect the amount of work she has to do, and it is best to stick to one house where she works from. This parent can pay a slightly higher amount for the privilege of not having to take her children to the other parent's house. Nanny must not be given many household chores, as she will not have time to play with the kids, or take them anywhere.