Information for Parents

Finding the right person for you, whether it's a professional Nanny, an Au Pair or simply a babysitter, couldn't be easier with our free services here at OnlineNannies.

To find the person you're looking for, all you need to do is register to use our Adverts Board. This gives you complete access to all the Nannies and Agencies that have what you are looking for.

One of the biggest worries for working parents is finding the right childcare. All of the options available to you have different financial and legal implications, so it is important to ensure you make the right choice.

There are three basic types of help and the services they provide, along with the qualifications of the employee, vary between these types. Here we explain the differences between these types and give you some help on chosing the right one.

Nanny

Forget the idea of Mary Poppins and her talking umbrella, a Nanny is simply the term for a fully qualified childminder. A typical qualification is the NNEB - Nursery Nurse Examination Board - which should seen as the minimum requirement to be labelled a Nanny. An NNEB consists of a (usually two-year) college course with coursework and final exams. Areas covered on the course include everything from health and hygene right through to child development, so you can be sure your child will be well looked after.

Obviously the qualifications gained by a Nanny mean that you will be paying more, so expect an experienced Nanny to command from £250 per week depending on both experience and location, with London Nannies commanding upwards of £350 per week - all after tax.

Childminders

A childminder can be seen as an 'unqualified' Nanny, as they may have no formal childcare qualifications but just as much, and often more, experience of looking after children.

A typical childminder will earn between £2-£6 an hour, roughly £100 to £300 per week, again depending upon location and qualifications.

Au Pair

An Au Pair is similar to a childminder, but will also help with other duties such as cleaning, washing and similar household duties. These are often the lowest paid, at around £50 per week, but this falls below the threshold for tax and National Insurance contributions. Again, a contract is important to ensure that both employer and employee are satisfied with what is expected.

Live-In or Live-Out?

Many Nannies may live-in with the family as this can be the most suitable option when looking after the child/children for long periods of time or during unsociable hours. Wages for such Nannies are slightly lower than their live-out equivalent to take into account a 'payment' for rent, but other perks may bring this into balance, such as providing a mobile phone for emergencies or even access to your family car.

Tax Relief and Employment Tax

If you have a low-income, you may be able to claim 70% of your childcare costs under the Working Families Tax Credit scheme. This is applicable upto £135 a week for a single child or £200 for more than one. This only applies to local-authority registered childminders and nurseries, not nannies or au pairs.

For more information on Working Families Tax Credit, visit the Inland Revenue web site or call 0845 609 5000.

Remember that when employing any kind of home help, you must pay their Tax and National Insurance as appropriate. This may be a real headache to not only calculate but also to provide the correct information in the form of a payslip. There are many companies who can provide this service for you at a very low cost, such as NannyPAYE.com.

Safety First

Safety of your children should always be a priority, so when considering any form of childcare it is important that you check the employee history and qualifications to ensure that they are genuine. It's also a good idea to take a photocopy of their passport.

The Metropolitan Police have an excellent guide for parents which should help you ask the right questions with a potential employee. See the Metropolitan Police website for more details.