New Year’s Resolutions: The Great Debate

Making ambitious New Year’s Resolutions (and promptly breaking them) is a bit of a tradition. What can be a meaningful exercise in self-improvement all too often turns into a farce, a series of guilty failures or a self-fulfilling prophecy where we know we won’t succeed so we never even try.

There’s nothing wrong with adults making sensible resolutions if they want to. Let’s just get that straight. In theory it’s a good idea to make lifestyle changes and gather support from those around us by publicly declaring our intentions. The problem comes when we over-reach ourselves. Then we’re sending out a message about the whole process to the most vulnerable around us: children.

If a child sees adults saying one thing and promptly doing another, or giving up at the first hurdle, that undermines both the credibility of the adult and the meaning attached to making a declaration. Worse is when children make resolutions alongside their parents or carers and are then castigated for breaking them while the adult gets off scot-free. Most children don’t have the capacity to understand the social ritual surrounding resolutions, or the cynicism which afflicts most adults!

The tradition of making resolutions is deeply ingrained in many of us, in some cases the same resolution is too, but this year take a moment to think about how your resolutions affect those around you and what the real consequences of giving up are. Here are our top 3 tips for managing your resolutions in a child-friendly way.

1. Keep your charges out of it

Children shouldn’t be encouraged to make resolutions, especially not the kind around exercise or healthy eating, and you shouldn’t make resolutions which centre on their behaviour. Instead try to incorporate target behaviours on a daily basis without making a big fuss – don’t announce it’s their/your resolution to eat a piece of fruit after dinner, just offer it to them systematically.

2. Keep calm if you fall off the wagon

If you accidentally eat a biscuit instead of a rice cake one day, it’s not the end of the world. You might feel like crying or beating yourself up but don’t mention that to your charges. If they’re the ones who point it out to you, tell them you promise to try harder in future. On no account should you tell them you’ve broken the resolution so you may as well have another biscuit or six!

3. Admit it if you get it wrong

While it’s probably better never to mention what your resolutions are, little pitchers have big ears. If you do decide to stop even trying to keep your resolution and your charges know about it then face up to the fact you were too ambitious and turn it into a valuable lesson for them about knowing your limits and setting realistic goals.

Good luck and Happy New Year!

The Importance of Being Thorough

When recruiting a nanny parents are increasingly opting to save money by using introduction websites instead of a reputable nanny agency. Many childcarers have responded to this trend by both registering with agencies and posting profiles of their own on the web. Unfortunately, as the recent chilling news story about a babysitter recruited on Gumtree shows, this is a risky way to recruit as it enables people to pretend to be someone or something else.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2237486/Red-Saunders-Chilling-words-paedophile-advertised-babysitter-Gumtree.html

We are not going to tell you not to recruit or find a job online because that probably won’t stop you putting an ad out there ‘just in case’. What we are going to tell you is how to minimise the risks associated with online recruitment.

1. Insisist on seeing ID and proof of address which corresponds exactly to a CRB check and other documentation – a form of ID showing full name and photo plus recent proof of address such as a bank statement or a utility bill will ensure that the person in front of you is the person in the photo, that the name on the ID corresponds to the name on any proof of address, checks and certificates and that the current address matches the name on any check. For a non-UK or non-EU national it is a good opportunity to check their passport for visas or leave to remain indicating their right to work in the UK. If someone has changed their name either by marriage or deed poll insist on seeing documented proof of the change and verify that one of the names corresponds to the names given.

2. Insist on seeing original documents e.g. CRB (soon to be the DBS) check and certificates – photocopies may have been doctored. If you are in any way unsure make a note of the appearance of the document and any unique references and call the issuing body.

3. Don’t accept documents which are out of date – this is a useful maxim not just for CRB checks but also First Aid certificates and insurance documents. It’s all very well a candidate saying that they have a check being processed, a course booked or they’ll get insurance before they start work. Don’t leave them unattended with your children until you are completely satisfied.

4. Probe any gaps in the CV which may indicate an attempt to cover up a job – nannies take time out of work for various reasons: unexpected redundancy, a job falling through, a career break to raise a family or travelling the world. These are all perfectly valid reason for a gap on the CV. What you want to avoid is someone who is covering up an incident in their past. If the candidate seems uncomfortable with this line of questioning you should be cautious.

5. Check references thoroughly – professional nannies will be happy to provide references although it is possible that over time they will have lost touch with families, particularly if the nanny has had a long career or a spell of temporary jobs. If this is the case ask whether they were placed by an agency as the agency may have a record of the employment or whether they can provide payslips or other evidence that they were employed. Also be aware that many nannies will not be happy for their current employer to be contacted until they have handed in their notice. For this reason we recommend that any offer of employment be conditional upon a satisfactory reference. A nanny with more than one or two uncontactable referees may not be what they seem, especially if they are very recent jobs. If you find that you can’t contact any of the referees don’t be afraid to ask previous employers whether they personally verified the references presented and whether they were all in order.

Even if you are using an agency you should still insist on seeing ID to verify that the candidate on your doorstep is the person sent by the agency and check documentation and references thoroughly.

Nannies, you can help too. Be proactive in offering proof of identity and don’t be offended when parents want to know what you did in that 3 month gap and whether you can prove it. It doesn’t automatically mean that they distrust you – they are simply protecting their children.

Regulation matters – why?

The launch of the Regulation Matters campaign is a landmark step in the movement to register childcarers in the UK. You may have read our previous blog post questioning the need for nannies to be registered (here) in which we openly questioned the workability of forcing nannies to comply with existing requirements. In this blog post we want to look at what regulation is, some of the reasons why regulation matters and why, given a suitable framework, we are supporting this.

Regulation means that all individuals will be appropriately checked, have received training in First Aid and the common core skills for childcare and hold liability insurance. It does not mean that nannies will be required to change the way that they work, deliver the EYFS, be inspected or, in short, become childminders in a child’s home. We are passionate about preserving the unique, tailored service a nanny can provide and that is why we are taking an active part in this campaign.

The answer to why it matters could be summed up in a single word. Safeguarding. Regulation helps to keep children safe. Detractors will say that regulation is interfering in people’s lives and restricting parental choice, and on one level they are right. Regulation will remove from the workforce those who are found to be unsuitable to care for children, or those who do not have the right to work in the UK, thus removing those candidates as choices. Unfortunately in some cases parents are not aware of how to carry out appropriate checks, or are unwilling to do so, and in those cases society has a duty to protect its most vulnerable members.

Children cared for by nannies are at home, alone, often for extended periods of time. Many parents will attest that this period of transition can be unsettling and most simply attribute any changes in behaviour to a new person but you only need to do a little reading of parenting discussion boards to find a handful for parents who are concerned that these changes are the result of something more sinister. A robust regulatory system would help to put those parents’ minds at ease.

It is important, however, to mention that these systems are not foolproof. When we talk about high profile cases, such as that of the nursery worker Vanessa George convicted of abusing children in her care, we blame the regulators for not doing their job. It is important to remember that in that case it was the responsibility of the nursery management to carry out checks and ensure policies were followed, and it would remain the responsibility of parents to verify their chosen carer’s background. Whilst regulation may have failed to stop one case, it has potentially stopped hundreds more.

It isn’t just from rogue childcarers that children need protection. Nannies have an important role to play in safeguarding too. It is currently not compulsory for a nanny to have received, let alone kept up to date, any form if safeguarding training. If regulation included compulsory training on safeguarding and the associated procedures nannies would be well equipped to recognise any child protection problems, deal with disclosures appropriately and report where necessary.

At BAPN we want all nannies to be seen as professionals, and meet professional standards. We believe that the current, opt-in, light-touch system is not enough. We want to go further but we want it to work. This is why we are launching a consultation into the effectiveness of the vOCR and asking for your help to improve it. You can find the form on our website or share your experiences informally by emailing us on info@bapn.org.uk

Why when you’re looking for a job ISN’T the time to dust of your CV

Moving on happens to us all eventually, and it’s traditionally associated with the panicked search for where you saved your CV on your computer (or worse, the discovery that you lost it when your old laptop died a sudden death) and trying to describe your most recent job as accurately as possible so you can send it off to agencies and prospective employers. So it might seem counter-intuitive for us to say that the best time to work on your CV is when you’re settled in a job. Why, when you have no intention to leave?

The most important reason is that jobs evolve over time. Unless you keep detailed notes you may lost sight of important aspects that you no longer carry out, especially if you’re in a job long term. Refreshing your CV on a regular basis, or even better keeping a long version of your CV where you can note down exactly what new responsibilities you’ve taken on, means you’re always up to date and you’ve retained all the relevant information.

Another good reason is that it’s better to identify any gaps in your knowledge and experience, and act to correct them, while you have the flexibility to do so. Job-hunting makes it difficult to schedule attendance at courses – after all your prospective employer may not relish the idea of their new nanny having a day off two weeks after settling in – but your existing employer should be more accommodating in terms of arranging holiday. It makes good financial sense too, because if you don’t have a source of income you probably won’t be willing to pay out for a course even if it might improve your chances in the long run but saving up for a course is realistic if you budget your salary accordingly. This is doubly important if you know that your job will be coming to an end, for example your charges are starting at full time school, and you have some free time in your day. Check with your employers whether they mind you refreshing your experience with young babies by volunteering to help a local mum while your charges are at nursery or extending your skills with older children by going in to school and listening to them read.

Finally you can rest assured that when the moment comes you know that your CV is ready because you’ve had time to perfect it. This actually means your CV will be better as you won’t be doing it in a hurry, and it’s less likely to contain off-putting spelling or grammar mistakes. Creating a good nanny CV requires a substantial investment of your time to find a format and balance that works for you so use the time while you have it!

There’s a lot of generic guidance out there, which is excellent if you want an office job but nanny requires a more personal touch and parents often aren’t professional recruiters who are used to looking at CVs. Even when they are they may not know what a typical nanny does, so it’s important to make all the relevant information accessible. Here are some top tips from our professional development and CV advice service to get you started on your perfect nanny CV:

Make sure all the standard information is on there: name, contact details, education and training, professional experience

Take time to create a good personal profile which sets out your childcare style and what makes you unique as a nanny

Include a section on your interests because you never know which potential employers or charges might share one of your hobbies

Don’t over-complicate or use jargon. First time parents will be reassured by you spelling out exactly what nursery duties are and what you did on a day to day basis but….

Don’t be repetitive, because that may give parents the impression that you’re boring or stuck in a rut, even if many nanny jobs do have similar requirements

Emphasise your experience of caring for children as individuals. If you’re coming from a nursery or teaching background talk less about policies and paperwork and more about relationships with key children and their parents, supporting children’s individual development and times you’ve worked independently.

Remember that this is your CV and it needs to showcase your strengths. If you’re the kind of nanny who always does creative activities with your charges, talk about it!

BAPN’s professional development service is free to members, and because they tell us it’s so great we’re opening it up to non-members to. You just send in your CV – no need for personal data but do indicate where your name and address would go – and it will be looked over by someone who knows what nannies do and what parents want to know. For more information, including the details of the different services on offer, pricing and credentials, e-mail info@bapn.org.uk

Should nannies be registered?

Should nannies be registered ?

It would be very easy to simply say “yes, of course” to this question. The benefits of registration are clear to many:

• Standards would be consistent across the industry and nannies, parents and agencies would be clear on the minimum standards a nanny must reach and currently anyone can call themselves a nanny, so registration would ideally clearly define what being a nanny means
• Nannies would be accountable and it would make it harder for bad apples to remain caring for children
• Nannies could access support and training provided by local authorities in the same way that childminders can
• Registration on the Early Years register could potentially enable nannies delivering the EYFS to access funding, as some childminders can

Yet one of the biggest advantages of a nanny is the flexibility that they can provide, not purely in terms of hours worked but also in the style of care. Some parents don’t want a carer who is obliged to deliver the EYFS and deal with copious amounts of paperwork, ready for inspection at any moment. Registering all home-based childcare without thinking it through risks turning us into a “nanny-state” (if you’ll forgive the pun, it was irresistible!).

The first and most obvious consideration is what form this registration would take. Would it be modeled on the current approach, with the same requirements for the voluntary register? Would the checks that are carried out be the same? And would this prevent cases such as this failure to carry out proper checks? Or the anecdotal evidence of many nannies who say they have been allowed to register without holding a common core qualification or insurance? If registration were implemented without these problems being addressed, we believe this would seriously undermine the credibility of a compulsory register.

Alternatively, if the voluntary register were abolished and all nannies were required to register on the compulsory register would they be required to deliver the EYFS and inspected on their ability to do so? Where does this leave parental choice? What happens to nannies who work for families who only have older children? Nannies and childminders offer different types of childcare – a nanny is an employee of the family and contracted to do as the parents wish, whereas a childminder as a self-employed person can set their own agenda. A one-size-fits-all approach would risk losing the distinction between these fundamentally different types of care.

Secondly how far would this compulsory register extend? What about young people who are working in an ‘au pair’ role? In the absence of an official immigration category (with the exception of A2 nationals) when is the distinction made between an au pair and a nanny for purposes of registration? Some au pairs are registered with OFSTED, having taken the necessary steps, so they can be paid with childcare vouchers. Tightening registration may mean removing this financial assistance from parents who need wraparound childcare, remembering that accessing childcare vouchers is the principle reason many nannies are registered with OFSTED.

Thirdly what would happen about inspections? Inspection for a nanny is currently very different from inspection for a childminder. Crucially it does not take place until after the nanny has registered and only a fraction of nannies are inspected annually.The quality of inspection also varies from a cursory check of documentation to an in depth interview covering grey areas of record keeping, as OFSTED are yet to publish detailed guidelines of what exactly nannies do and do not need to have in writing. Should nannies be inspected to the same level as childminders? Would parents be happy to have an inspector entering their private property when they are not present? How would a nanny store confidential information safely? How would this be handled where a nanny works in different homes for different families throughout the week, who each have different expectations and requirements? Thorough and consistent inspections by appropriately trained, specialist inspectors would be a positive step but these need to take place at the time of registration, following a similar format to the childminder pre-registration inspection, to ensure that every nanny is of a suitable standard before they work in the door. This does not preclude spot checks/inspections to ensure that all nannies do indeed have a valid First Aid certificate and appropriate insurance at all times

Finally the question of ratios rears its head. At the moment a family with 4 children under 5 would find it impossible to find a childminder, and in any case a nanny would be a more economical option. If nannies were required to register, large families would find it impossible to find childcare for their needs and could be forced to employ 2 nannies simultaneously to fit in with Government guidelines.

Treating nannies like childminders, and nurseries, by forcing everyone into the same framework is not the answer. One workable option could be to create a system where home based childcarers wishing to deliver the EYFS could register one one part and those childminders and nannies who don’t want to, or who don’t need to, could register on a different part. Another solution would be to create a register for nannies similar to the current register with clearly defined requirements, stringent checks and consistent inspections. Forcing every childcare provider into the same framework is not the way forward.

Registration should result in workforce recognized as being competent and professional, and it is worth doing right.

End-Of-September-itis

Nannies and charges alike can suffer from a terrible affliction at the end of September: end-of-September-itis. Maybe your charge is finding school hard-going, maybe your new job is starting to seem less perfect, maybe you’ve caught that playground cold, maybe it’s just that mornings and evenings are darker….

Most children have returned to school by now and even new starters should have completed their settling in period. At this point reality can hit like a ton of bricks. The novelty of a new experience or the excitement of catching up with friends has worn off, work has started in earnest (and some children may already be struggling) and half term seems a long time away.

• Reassure children, especially little ones, that they do get holidays and that it isn’t too far off. Make a countdown chart and start planning fun things to do during half term, but don’t be too ambitious – they may well be tired.

• Encourage your charges to talk about their day at school and find out if they feel that they’re having any problems. You can make a big difference by supporting them at home, but only if you know what they’re feeling. Help your charges make friends by doing imaginative play with stuffed toys or acting out scenarios so they can learn some good opening lines. Make an extra effort to incorporate counting and basic arithmetic skills into daily routines and encourage them to show off their new literacy skills not just while doing homework but by reading recipes to you or writing down a message in the nanny communication diary. If you don’t feel confident in your own skills investigate adult education courses to give you a boost.

• Talk about the future and help them see how a love of learning is important.. Encourage them to be ambitious and be enthusiastic yourself about learning. If you’re positive about school, chances are they will be too.

September is prime transition time in the nanny world. A new job is exciting but after a couple of weeks dissatisfaction can set it. While bumps in the first month or so are to be expected , it can be disheartening to be corrected on a daily basis, and if your employers have been late home five times already you might be wondering just how frequently that will happen in the future.

• If you feel unhappy it’s important to talk to your employers sooner rather than later. If you don’t raise issues with them now it’s easy for something you aren’t happy with to become part of the routine.

• It’s a good idea to suggest a quick review of how things are going, that both parties can prepare for, and talk about the positive and less positive aspects of this new employment relationship. Try to come to the table with strategies and solutions. If parents are consistently late home you could suggest that the contract be amended to reflect what is actually happening. If you’re finding the job description too much, or at least for the time being, suggest that you decide together what areas to focus on and what can wait until you settle into the role.

• Focus on the good bits. It can be easy to get bogged down in what’s going wrong so think about the things you enjoy and how you can develop those aspects of your new job.

A new job may mean a new area, new activities and nanny friends. If you’re a shy person, and some nannies are, it can  be difficult to meet people. Even a confident person can feel overwhelmed.

• Ask your employers for recommendations! Hopefully you’ll have had a bit of a handover and during that time either seen or been told about the best places to go in the area. Maybe your employers have an activity they’d love your charge to do that you could find and go to.

• Get out and about to explore, taking particular note of child-friendly indoor spaces for a change of scenery in bad weather! Be proactive about looking for free activities online and try to introduce yourself to parents and carers at groups. It’s important for both your charges and you to have social interaction during the workday because children learn not only by doing but also by watching you model social skills. If you’re taking over from another nanny you may have some good contacts so don’t be afraid to call them. The children will probably know each other and that’s a great way to break the ice.

• Remember that parents may be wary of you taking their children to new activities or people’s houses straight away.This is perfectly natural, just try to reassure them that you have the children’s best interests at heart and won’t be putting them in any danger. Offer to send them a quick text to check in if it makes them feel more comfortable and look ahead – as time goes on they’ll trust your judgement more.

Germs are an unfortunate fact of life and September is often the start of the ‘cold season’. 

• Encourage good hygiene. Remind children to wash their hands frequently, blow their nose into a tissue and cover their mouths when they cough. These simple measures can drastically reduce transmission of colds and other bugs.

• Learn how to bust colds naturally. Eating lots of fresh fruit and veg may seem less appetizing when it’s cold and damp but it’s super-important. Learn more about nutrition for nannies

• Know when to ease off. A cold can make you feel really miserable and it’s okay to have a chilled out day or afternoon if everyone’s feeling a bit under the weather.

Finally wrap up warm and turn those dark evenings into something fun with these glow stick activities!

New school year…..new blog!

BAPN is the membership organisation for professional nannies, dedicated to raising the profile of nannies and promoting quality childcare. We provide information, support and training to members, set industry standards which employers and recruitment agencies can refer to and represent nannies to the Government and the media on issues affecting the profession.

Nannies working in the UK and qualified to level 2 or above, who hold a Paediatric First Aid certificate, Enhanced CRB and public liability insurance are welcome to join as Full Members. For students studying a recognised childcare qualification or qualified nannies working overseas we have specialised memberships.

Members are able to access  exclusive discounts with insurance and training providers, including industry leaders such as Morton Michel, MNT Training and Educare NSPCC, regular newsletters, a members only area on the website (including a forum), local networks headed by a coordinator, specialist workshops and events, and a free CV and professional development service. We are constantly expanding the range of services available to members and appreciate any feedback on how we can make the organisation more beneficial to nannies.

BAPN also provides free factsheets and information to parents on recruiting and employing a nanny. We will be expanding the range of information available to employers and agencies in the near future.

We’ll be using this blog to keep you up to date with our new initiatives, comment on issues related to nannying and childcare/early years education in general and inform you of our work with other organisations and the Government.