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- Work in private homes taking care of young children for families
- A good way to gain experience before going into childcare or nursery work
- You'll work long hours, and often live in as part of the family
As a nanny, you'll look after babies, very young children, older children or a mix of age groups. You may work as a maternity nanny, helping families care for newborn babies during the first few weeks.
DAY-TO-DAY DUTIES
- Feeding, bathing and dressing children, and changing nappies
- Teaching basic social skills and hygiene
- Providing a safe environment; helping children to learn through play
- Going out with children to widen their experiences
- Transporting the children
- Organising play opportunities to help children mix with others
- Preparing healthy meals and snacks
- Tidying up and cleaning rooms used by the children
- Record-keeping for the family
DAY-TO-DAY ENVIRONMENT
You'll work at a client's home, and may have to travel around.
You'll need
To be a nanny, you'll need patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations, sensitivity and understanding, the ability to work well alone and with others, excellent verbal communication skills, the ability to understand people's reactions, and thinking and reasoning skills.
There are no set entry requirements, but you may find it easier to become a nanny if you have a college qualification in childcare, such as a Level 1 Award in Introduction to Health, Social Care and Children's and Young Person's Settings, or a Level 2 Certificate for the Children and Young People's Workforce.
You could also do an intermediate apprenticeship in playwork or in the children and young people's workforce.
Voluntary experience working with children would be beneficial as it can often lead into paid work.
Direct application might be possible without qualifications, however many employers will prefer you to have some training in playwork or childcare.
CAREER PROSPECTS
With qualifications and experience, you could move into childminding or nursery work. With further training, you could become a children's nurse or early years teacher.