Nanny
Nannies work in people's homes caring for their employer's babies and young children.
- Typical hours15 to 40 a week
What you'll do
As a nanny, you could:
- feed, bath and dress children, and change babies' nappies
- teach basic social skills and hygiene
- provide a safe setting for children
- help children to learn through play
- take children on outings to widen their experiences
- do nursery and school runs
- organise play opportunities to help children mix with others
- prepare healthy meals and snacks
- tidy up and clean rooms used by the children
- record children's progress for the family
Working environment
You could work at a client's home.
Skills and knowledge you'll need
You'll need:
- sensitivity and understanding
- the ability to work on your own
- patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
- knowledge of English language
- to be flexible and open to change
- excellent verbal communication skills
- active listening skills
- the ability to understand people's reactions
- to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device
How to become a nanny
You can get into this job through:
- a college course
- an apprenticeship
- volunteering
- applying directly
College
You may find it useful to do a course before looking for work as a nanny. Courses include:
- introduction to health, social care and children's and young people's settings
- awareness of safeguarding
- children and young people's workforce certificate
- preparing to work in home based childcare
Many courses include a work placement.
Entry requirements
Entry requirements for these courses vary.
Apprenticeship
You could apply to do an Early Years Practitioner Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship.
This can take around 1 year to complete and combines on-the-job training and time spent with a learning provider.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship
Volunteering
It will help when looking for jobs if you have voluntary or paid experience of working with children, for example in an after school club or holiday play scheme.
Direct application
You may be able to apply for jobs as a nanny without any qualifications, though employers and employment agencies will usually prefer you to have some training in playwork or childcare.
You will also need a paediatric first aid certificate for most jobs.
Restrictions and requirements
You'll need to:
- pass enhanced background checks
- be over 18 years of age
You could choose to register with Ofsted . This is voluntary for nannies but may help you to get more work.
Career path and progression
With qualifications and experience, you could become a childminder, nursery officer or teaching assistant. You might also work as an au pair, living-in with a family in this country or overseas.
With further training, you could become a children's nurse or early years teacher.
Career tips
Pay and conditions can vary, for example if you work as a live-in nanny, your accommodation and meals may form part of your salary. It's important to check details with any potential employer, so you're clear about what's included in the contract.
Guides for this industry
Related roles
- Job roleChildminder
- Job roleNursery worker
- Job roleNursery manager
- Job rolePlayworker
- Job roleTeaching assistant
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0