When I interview nannies looking for work or write articles about it, I always emphasise the fact that they are professionals and should be aware of their worth. However, in some areas of the country there is not a great demand for nannies, and wages for everybody are lower than in London.
Sometimes an excellent nanny will register with the agency and be quite shocked to discover that she may not get exactly what she wants at once.
When Liz Monaf joined the agency she had 16 years of experience as a nanny, working in Denmark, Luxembourg and Germany as well as London. She had cared for children from newborn to 12 years old, and she had her own 17-month-old baby. Her references were superb. She wanted a part-time nanny job to which she could bring her daughter. Now she works in Casterton Childcare Centre in Rutland.
Liz says, 'I got work as a nanny as soon as I left school and never wanted to do anything else. I had always said that when I had my own children I would look after them myself. I spent 17 months at home after Leah was born, but when we moved to Peterborough I felt I should take on a part-time job, as long as I could take her with me. In London I would have found work straightaway, but actually it was quite a while before an agency got me a temporary job caring for a one-year-old baby. Then another agency asked me if I would do two emergency sessions at a childcare centre where I could take my daughter. I agreed, although I had never wanted to work in a nursery setting. I loved the independence of being a nanny and I really didn't want to hand Leah over to someone else.
'But as soon as I arrived I hit it off with the other staff. The centre runs in two rooms, so I was able to glance in at Leah and saw how happy she was playing with the other children and being fed and changed by another nursery nurse. I really enjoyed my two sessions. Not only have I agreed to work there on a supply basis for the rest of the summer, but I am hoping to get permanent part-time work there from September and start my NVQ, so by the time Leah goes to school I'll have a formal qualification and will have broadened my range of experience.
'If someone had told me a year before that this is what I'd be doing, I wouldn't have believed them, since I'd been so determined only to get a nanny job. I would advise anyone who moves from London to a rural area not to be blinkered in your job search - there are lots of different opportunities in childcare. Be prepared to try them.'
Claire Godfrey joined the agency as soon as she gained her NNEB in 2001.
She lived in a small village in East Anglia and did not drive a car, but she was adamant about working as a nanny. Claire says, 'At college I enjoyed my home placement so much that I absolutely knew that I wanted to be a nanny. But I didn't want to move away from home to a live-in job. The agency told me I would need a driving licence to get local work, so in order to pay for my lessons and get more experience I took a job in a day nursery. When I passed my test, a nanny job came up in a nearby village. I was in sole charge of two boys aged four and three, and a one-year-old girl. The agency said this was quite challenging for a first nanny post, but I loved it. The employer's reference told everybody that I was an excellent nanny. Unfortunately, the job only covered a maternity leave, so it finished after six months and once more I was unemployed.
'This time I didn't want to plod along in a local nursery waiting for another nanny job, so I decided to do something completely different. I spent the summer as a nursery nurse working at a Mark Warner resort at Paleros in Greece. It was quite something for me to go abroad on my own to a place where I didn't know anybody. But after a couple of days all my homesickness vanished. I worked hard and had a great time. The atmosphere among the staff was fantastic. I made lots of friends, learned to water ski, went scuba diving and came back with a great sense of confidence and well-being.
'I think it was this glow of self-assurance that got me the next local nanny job that came up. The mother had a new baby but her two-year-old son had been diagnosed with severe epilepsy and needed to be stabilised. After many hospital visits it was decided to put him on a special diet and wean him off medication. Now he is seizure-free and ready to start school. Once again I find I'm looking for work. But with the experience I've had, I know I'm a strong candidate for any local job. I would say to nannies who might be having difficulty finding the work they want, that they shouldn't sit around waiting for the perfect job to come along. Have the courage to try something else, because every job gives you a different level of experience.'
Helen Kewley is the owner of Nice Nannies Now in Huntingdon
