Search through the ad pages or websites for a nanny job and you are sure to see that nannies from New Zealand, Australia or South Africa are still in great demand with British families. But what does it look like from the other side - why do those nannies think they're so popular, and how do they see working in Britain?
'I remember taking my charges to the park,' recalls Sascha, who nannied in London for three years. 'I encouraged them to take their shoes off, just as I had done as a child. There were tut-tuts and gasps of shock from the British nannies around me. I think they thought I was really casual!'
Vicki Kenny, who worked as a nanny in the UK before returning home to launch her own agency, schools her nannies in the cultural differences before they go to the UK. She warns them that they may feel a little neglected at times by their UK employers. The first thing New Zealanders tend to notice is that there is less camaraderie between employer and employee than at home. While British parents don't exactly treat nannies as part of the furniture, she says, 'they can be very much tied up in their own lives and not focus on the nanny's needs.'
Sascha agrees, and adds, 'I was amazed at how poor some of the mothering skills were in the UK. Some mothers were raised by nannies themselves, and have a nanny because that is just what you do. Some mothers seemed to have no clue as to how to run a family, and were in awe of what I thought were very basic skills.'
Vicki says New Zealand nannies are often requested by parents because of the things they automatically do just as part of the job. 'If a baby sicks up over the carpet, we clean it up. We don't mind making the children's meals or doing a few extra things to help out.'
New Zealand and Australian nannies do have a reputation for being more relaxed and being willing to take on tasks that British nannies will not do, which makes them popular with UK employers. But Vicki has another idea why this is so. 'New Zealand nannies tend to be less assertive than their British counterparts. They don't realise that it's OK to negotiate in an interview situation or to speak up when they are unhappy,' she says. 'They usually prefer just to do the job and get on with it. We encourage them to speak up, but New Zealanders are not very good at that.'
Perhaps this tendency not to speak up for themselves is also considered an asset by parents who want a more compliant employee. However, there has been some anecdotal evidence recently that the rise of the au pair has made it more difficult for New Zealand nannies to find work in the UK. 'We get a lot of calls from our nannies in the UK,' says Julie Falvey from the Auckland agency Poppets, 'telling us that many parents are opting for an eastern European au pair because it is cheaper. In the long term, I would be concerned about the ongoing standard of care those children would be receiving. I think a nanny should be there first and foremost to educate and love the children. An au pair may be a great duster, but are they providing a sound educational programme for their charges?'
Julie believes that most parents will change back to using a nanny before too long. On paper, it may make economic sense to hire an au pair, but Julie says it 'may come with more stress, especially if they have little English, are culturally different and are not confident about providing a good environment for the children'.
And this comes round to one more attraction New Zealand and Australian nannies have. Many bring a high standard of childcare training, a minimum of two years full-time but most three or four years. A growing number have degrees in early childhood, and often have worked in early childhood centres at home, learning how to provide an educational programme for the children in their care.
Many of these nannies believe that British nannies could benefit from their approach to the job. 'We are still new to nannying in New Zealand, and there are definitely areas that we still need to develop, but we are generally more flexible than our British counterparts,' says Julie. But most would agree that the New Zealand nanny could learn a little back.
Vicki says, 'We need to become more assertive to communicate effectively with our employers. A New Zealand nanny is more likely to leave than work problems through. That just ends up looking unprofessional. We need to learn to speak up.'
GOING THEIR WAY?
Julie Falvey from Poppets in Auckland offers some advice to British nannies thinking about visiting New Zealand:
* Most nannies can only get a one-year visa. You are not really meant to work for more than three months at a time on this visa. Plan on taking short-term placements, rather than a permanent place and then to leave soon after.
* One of the biggest issues is the lack of good public transport. Most nannies are expected to have a car and driver's license.
* You will be expected to do more than you would in the UK. Most nannies do light housecleaning and often have more autonomy.
* Nannies are paid less in New Zealand. However, if you see it as an opportunity to help finance your holiday, a short-term nanny position can be ideal.
