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Types of Nannies: How to Choose the Right One

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A family needs to consider many types of nannies when selecting the best fit. For example, the kind of family you have, including the family size, children’s ages, and the conditions of the housing accommodation, are all crucial factors that your family must consider. Based on your family’s needs and expectations, a specific kind of nanny must be evaluated and deemed suitable. An evaluation will assist in the process of choosing the right one.


Au Pair


An au pair differs from a traditional household employee. Your family anticipates them to
become a temporary member of the family. In most cases, a young person (male or female) travelling abroad fulfils the role. They assist with housekeeping or childcare in exchange for room and board and a small payment fee. The individual often does not have much experience. They complete light housekeeping work and simple childcare tasks. Generally, they are not aiming to become a professional nanny. Instead, they are fulfilling this position to receive a unique cultural experience. The au pair typically lives with the host family for a few months to up to a year.


Mother’s Help


A mother’s Help is a care worker who does not possess much experience. Instead, they
are aiming to become a professional nanny. This nanny’s role is to aid the
parents/ guardians with childcare. Mother’s Help is a shared care position where one
parent or guardian is present most of the time. A mother’s Help sometimes requires
provided accommodation. Additionally, they can complete housework alongside their childcare responsibilities and often have a slightly lower payment rate. Usually, a mother’s Help will stay around 2-3 years working with the same family.


Live-In Nanny


A common type of nanny is a live-in nanny. While completing their homecare and childcare duties, the nanny must reside in the family’s home. For instance, they are most popular with families who have younger children. Living in the residence offers greater flexibility to the nanny and the family, often resulting in a lower salary. However, the family will still be required to provide suitable housing and living conditions for the hired nanny.


Live-Out Nanny


A live-in nanny does not require accommodation conditions. Alternatively, they commute to the family residence. Families with older children hire them, as do families that prefer to hire a part-time nanny. Often, these nannies have children and families of their own who need care. Therefore, it best benefits them to live outside the family home. It also helps the family that would rather not or cannot provide proper accommodations. Live-out nannies are common in large busy cities where extra space is not always available. These nannies tend to request a larger salary for their outside-work expenses.


Super Nanny


A super nanny is a remarkably qualified, educated, experienced house
worker and child caregiver. They often have previous experience working in long-term childcare
positions. As a result, they possess excellent references. They speak fluent English and have an exceptionally
professional attitude to handling the tasks. Therefore, they require a much higher salary. Moreover, their higher paid salary reflects their high-performance skills and capabilities.


Maternity Nanny


A maternity nanny is a type of nanny who is an expert in caring for toddlers and babies.
They do not exclusively have to work with families who have children in this age range. But they
often possess significant experience with children within this age group. This makes them
proficient in skills such as breastfeeding support and other childcare techniques.
Consequently, families with younger children generally prefer to hire maternity nannies
due to their high level of expertise in this age group of childcare. This offers the family a greater
sense of support for their younger children. Additionally, families with multiple children, such
as twins, or children under the age of one to two years old, are more inclined to hire a
Maternity Nanny.


Holiday Nanny


A holiday nanny may be the perfect solution during a busy period of a family’s schedule in which they need additional
childcare support. Holiday nannies can live and work with a family for as little as a few days or months. They can
temporarily replace a family’s usual housecare worker who is either away on holiday or
on a short-term leave of absence. A holiday nanny can also serve as a great holiday companion to look over a
family’s children while on vacation. This ensures a complete and relaxing holiday break
without having to deal with the stress of constantly attending to the needs of their children.

In conclusion, now with the provided information on the specific types of nannies and their associated job
responsibilities, one can choose the best nanny to accommodate their family’s needs effectively.