This summer at Little Masters and Misses nanny and babysitting agency, I've been celebrating 20 years in business.
It's been a very big year in any case. I've moved the shop from Thornton Heath in Surrey to Beckenham in Kent, computerised the agency and set up a website. But that still seems a long way from when, after eight years working as a nanny, I first launched the agency from a rented bedsitter in 1985.
It's been rewarding to see steady progress. But at the end of last year it became evident that I had a decision to make. I could either carry on as I was, running a successful business and operating within my 'comfort zone'.
Or I could stick my neck out and take the agency to the next level. I chose the second option.
Computer classes, the rollercoaster ride of a property move, speeches to college students, meetings with my web designer and anniversary celebrations - not things I'd ever expected to see on my expenses sheet!
I'd rarely even used a computer before, so that decision alone was a brave one! I'd always prided myself on taking time and care in placing the right nannies and I was anxious not to lose this personal touch. Nine months on, though, I'm very enthusiastic about the benefits of my new electronic friend! For one thing, computerising labour-intensive and repetitive tasks has given me more time to devote to filling placements and communicating with my customers.
I've now explored the possibilities of technology even further by launching a website at www.littlemastersandmisses.com. I had very little knowledge of the internet when I commissioned this - and I think that was an advantage.
I canvassed opinion among friends, family and clients as to what sort of information they would want to find on a nanny agency's site and took it from there. I'm extremely pleased with the result.
I'm also delighted with the response from customers and nannies to the move in July to Beckenham High Street, which has taken the agency nearer to its client base. Lots of nanny agencies are run from home and that can work very well, but being centrally located in an office environment makes me more accessible. It's been lovely to have parents coming in to register in person. I've got around 800 families and 600 nannies and babysitters on the books.
When I first started up I had to apply to the Department of Employment for a license and an inspector visited me once a year to review my business practices. My own experience as a nanny using agencies had shown this didn't make for a foolproof system, but at least there was some sort of supervision in place.
Unfortunately, the license system was scrapped in 1995. This has led to a huge increase in the number of agencies being set up by individuals with little or no experience of recruitment or nannying. The business of a nanny agency is to arrange care for the most vulnerable members of our community, the children - yet anyone can start one up, and there is almost no industry regulation in place. My advice to parents and nannies is to check the credentials of the agency owner.
I take the responsibility of introducing nannies very seriously, and the parents I deal with recognise and appreciate this. Extensive face-to-face interviews are carried out with every nanny or babysitter before they can be taken on to the books. References and career history are checked thoroughly and nannies are not put forward for a job unless I believe they are a strong and viable candidate.
It's also vital that nannies are able to keep up to date with current thinking. That's why I have introduced a number of initiatives such as regular nanny-morning talks by a doctor about meningitis, a Saturday first aid course designed and run specifically for the agency by the British Red Cross, and quarterly newsletters for nannies and parents.
On top of that, there's been the 20th anniversary celebrations! In July I organised a teddy bears picnic for nannies past and present in a local park. Later this year I'm planning an evening buffet event for clients, nannies and babysitters together.
So how has the nanny industry changed in the past 20 years? Well, the clients have changed. The vast majority are now working professionals looking for quality childcare. And the jobs have certainly changed. With the trend towards flexible working, more than 70 per cent of the positions I fill now are part-time. Naturally this means things have changed for the nannies, with many now working for two families each week to make up a full-time salary. And nanny agencies have also changed. Over the past few years I've seen an increasing number of agencies branch out into placing au pairs, mothers' helps and also staff in nurseries. I can understand why they've done this, but I've decided to concentrate my efforts on filling daily nanny placements. It seems to be paying off. This year I've seen an increase in the number of nannies registering and a rise in the number of vacancies I've taken on.
The changes have involved a great deal of hard work for me, but I'm now in the very strong position of having a 21st century agency with the added credibility of 20 years of experience behind me.
