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Before we go into the different kinds of nanny positions and titles, it is important to understand what a nanny does.
For this blog post, I will refer to a Nanny as she, but in reality, it is an interchangeable adjective (he/them, etc.). Also, for clarity, we are talking about the Nanny classification within the USA and the UK; I know there may be different classifications elsewhere and would LOVE to hear them, so please comment below!
Throughout history, nannies have been part of the household staff of wealthier families. Nowadays, nannies are seen more as part of a family, and many families have resorted to hiring nannies, especially over the past few years.
What does a Nanny do?
A Nanny looks after children; her role is caring for the child or children in someone's home. Please do not confuse this with a childminder who looks after children in her home.
Generally, a Nanny is hired to ensure the child/ren is taken care of in the absence of the parents. The Nanny, therefore, would need to be responsible for the well-being, the emotional, social, physical, and psychological development of the child/ren in their care.
To do so, the Nanny should, in my opinion, have a lot more than basic First-Aid and CPR as the minimum qualification.
What kinds of Nanny titles are there, and what does each mean?
Nanny - share
When two or more families get together and share the same nanny. These positions are becoming quite popular with parents as it reduces the cost of caring for their child. Typically, one family will offer their home as the base, and the nanny will simultaneously look after the children for the two families. Families typically pay 2/3 of the hourly rate they would have paid if they were not sharing the nanny with another family.
Weekend Nanny
As the name suggests, a weekend nanny is a nanny who is hired for weekend work, and this could be live-in or live-out, depending on the situation. When parents work shifts or if parents are busy, having a weekend Nanny is helpful.
Live-in and Live-out
A live-in Nanny is a nanny who lives with the family, including on her days off. Families who hire a live-in nanny need to consider the boundaries they and the Nanny might want to set before hiring. In live-in situations, great communication must exist so neither party feels taken advantage of.
Alive-out Nanny is a Nanny who commutes to and from work daily. The nanny lives in her own home.
Travel Nanny
A travel Nanny is someone who travels with families to destinations. Sometimes families who don't generally employ a nanny want to go on vacation and decide to take a nanny with them. Maybe a family's nanny needs a break, and the family chooses to travel with a different nanny. The possibilities are endless.
Travel Nanny positions are typically temporary positions.
Night Nanny
This position is generally temporary unless the family requires 24-hour care for their child. Families employ night Nannies to cover the child's care during the nighttime. Some parents choose this option early in their child's life to get some sleep. Others choose to have a night nanny if they work shifts. Night nannies may be asked to do awake care, this is compensated at a much higher rate because the nanny does not sleep.
Manny
A Manny is the male equivalent of a Nanny. Most families and agencies like to refer to male nannies as Mannies. I may be unpopular here, but I think male nannies should be called, Nannies. We don't make a distinction between a male and female doctor, so...
Rota or Rotational Nanny
A rota Nanny is a nanny who works shifts. Many High Profile or High Net Worth families choose this option of care for their children.
What does this mean in reality? It means that a nanny works for any combination of days and then has the same amount of time off. For example, a nanny works seven days and then gets seven days off.
Many nannies are looking for this kind of position. However, as someone who has worked these jobs, I recommend treading cautiously. Do you have time off? Yes! Does it take a toll on your mental health, family life, and your body in general? YES!
Rota positions are great when boundaries are respected, AND you get along with your team members. It requires a LOT of patience, a LOT of superb communication skills, and conflict resolution management skills.
We hope to have given you an insight into each title. We could write a lot more!
Author: Candi VajanaAward-winning Nanny with over 30 years of experience working with High-Profile, High-Net-Worth, and Ultra-high-Net-Worth Clients