Your New Nanny’s First Week
Tips from a Norland Nanny to help you with your first week
If you’re a first time employer you may not be aware that the very first week with a new nanny is important for building the foundations of a positive working relationship. We’ve asked Norland Nanny, Felicity Miles, to share her top tips on how to make the very first week go as smoothly as possible!
“Recently I have been working as more of a temporary nanny, as opposed to having one full time role, so I have been with lots of new families and often they haven’t had a nanny before.”
1. A detailed handover note can be helpful for everyone
Sometimes busy parents won’t have time to do a settling in period as they’re off to work, so a note or message explaining the important things works just as well. Parents can write down everything that would be useful, like a rough schedule of the day, what the child wears for nap/bedtime, whether they use white noise, cuddly toys and read stories before sleep etc. – down to things as small as how they cut their cucumber, or what bowl they prefer to use for breakfast!
2. Be completely clear with your nanny on expectations
This would include duties you expect your nanny to do, e.g. laundry, emptying the dishwasher, etc. This way everyone is on the same page from the start.
3. A group chat on Whatsapp is very useful!
This is so that your new nanny can contact both parents for information or to send photos throughout the day.
4. A handover period can be beneficial
This allows the child to see that the nanny has a relationship with their parents and can help the parents feel comfortable leaving their child. The length of time for this can vary depending on the child. 3-4 days max, but can just be a morning if the child is used to getting to know new people!
5. Specify to your nanny whether you’ll be working from home or out the house
If you will be around, it’s helpful to allow your new nanny time to have bonding time with the child.
P.S. On your nanny’s first day, it’s good to tell them things like what the WIFI code is and (in winter) how to turn on the heating!
Follow Felicity on Instagram @nannyfizz!
Who are Nannytax?
We’re the UK market leader in nanny payroll. We’ve been helping families save valuable time by removing the hassle of the payroll and the legal admin involved in employing a nanny. With over 25 years of experience and the trust of over 10,000 domestic employers, we are the largest Nanny PAYE provider in the country. We’re passionate about what we do and also offer pension management, Employers Liability Insurance, Nanny insurance, and our service Nannytax Payroll Plus is here for all your extra payroll needs!
