What is a Rota Nanny?
When a nanny takes time off, parents can be left feeling anxious about who will care for their children, this is why some families employ Rota Nannies to work within a rota system.
What is a Rota Nanny?
A Rota Nanny provides childcare for their employer, typically working 1 week on, 1 week off. During the weeks off, a second nanny will provide the childcare, and this continues to rotate.
“Many nannies prefer this type of schedule, as it provides a better work-life balance despite its intensity, leading to greater job satisfaction and longevity in the role.” – Signature Staff, Household Staff Agency
What hours can my Rota Nanny work?
A Rota Nanny must have a minimum of 24 hours uninterrupted rest in every 7 day period or 48 hours in 14 days.
This means that they are able to work for 7 days without a day off, because their rest would be in the following 7 day period when they aren’t working. Should you decide to employ a Rota Nanny on a two week shift system, they would be required to have at least 2 full days off during the 14 day work period.
A Rota Nanny is required to have an 11 hour break between shifts, for example they could work 7am to 8pm, but would then need to have an 11 hour break before starting work at 7am again the next day.
What are a Rota Nanny’s duties?
A Rota Nanny’s duties are very similar to that of a typical nanny. Nanny and Household Staff Agency, Harmony at Home, outline the key duties as follows:
- Providing nursery duties
- Organising fun and educational activities for the children
- Supervising meal times
- Bath and bed-time routine
- And ensuring to meet the children’s needs
Which families employ Rota Nannies?
Families who employ nannies on a rota are usually high-profile professionals with demanding schedules, such as royal families and celebrities. However, rota nannies may also be employed by very busy families who require childcare seven days a week.
What are the benefits of employing a Rota Nanny?
Employing nannies to work on a rota schedule offers several benefits, particularly for families who have busy schedules. These benefits include:
- Flexibility
- Childcare seven days a week
- Reduced burn out for nannies
“Rota nannies are becoming increasingly popular in the nanny market. As more employers have the flexibility to work from anywhere in the world, the need for adaptable childcare has grown. This arrangement minimises disruptions to family life, as the children become familiar with a consistent team, allowing for smooth transitions during shift changes.” – Signature Staff, Household Staff Agency
How does a Rota Nanny’s holiday allowance work?
The holiday entitlement for a Rota Nanny varies depending on the type of employment contract. There are two options available:
Fixed Worker
This type of Nanny usually works consistent hours each month, with occasional overtime possible. They are generally paid a fixed annual salary, spread evenly over twelve months. Under this arrangement, the nanny is entitled to take statutory holiday during their working hours. Fixed workers do not receive holiday pay as a separate payment; instead, they are expected to take their holiday leave throughout the year. For this contract type, a full-time employee working five days a week is entitled to 5.6 weeks (or 28 days) of annual leave per year, as they work throughout the entire year.
Part-year Worker
A part-year worker is someone who works only during specific periods, such as term time, school holidays, or on a rota basis. This type of employee works only part of the year and has periods of at least one week without work or pay. Part-year workers are paid only for the hours they work in each pay period. Employers can choose to apply ‘rolled-up’ holiday pay for these workers, meaning holiday pay is included with each payment and detailed separately on the contract of employment and payslip. This way, the employee is paid for their holiday entitlement without needing to take time off during their working periods.
How can Nannytax help?
At Nannytax, our friendly team of nanny payroll experts have seen every scenario and no problem is too big. So whether you employ a Rota Nanny, Full-time Nanny, Part-time Nanny, After-School Nanny, or Nanny Share, we’re on hand 7 days a week to help. We’ll take care of everything, from setting up the right contract to handling your nanny’s payslips and dealing with HMRC. We can also provide you with Employers Liability Insurance and manage your nanny’s pension scheme.
