• A Nanny is a qualified and experienced person in childcare.
• She will be trained at least to National Nursing Examination Board (N.N.E.B.) or similar standard.
• She is capable of sole charge of children and promotes a happy and loving environment.
• A Nanny stimulates the child's physical, intellectual, emotional and social growth.
• Nursery duties include caring for the child, preparing the childs meals, doing their washing and ironing, keeping their rooms clean and tidy.
• Nanny works up to twelve hours a day and usually has every weekend off.
• She may also work longer hours or baby-sit by prior arrangement with her employers.
• Employers are liable for paying income tax and National Insurance for their Nanny.

Attending Interviews - Travelling
The interview with the family normally takes place at their home. If you are unfamiliar to the area, we will provide you with maps and local transport information but you should allow yourself plenty of time to find it. Always try to arrive on time but if you do find that you are running late try to phone the family to let them know. If you live a long way from London we will always try to fit as many interviews into one day as possible, this way you won't be spending every weekend travelling to interviews.

Reasonable travel expenses are usually reimbursed when attending an interview with a family. Please remember that you will always be required to provide receipts for travel to justify your claim (Only VAT receipts are valid when claiming for fuel).

Attending Interviews - Preparation
The first thing you should do is prepare any questions you might want to ask. Try to commit these to memory and introduce them into the conversation at appropriate intervals or write them down and refer to them if you think that you may forget important questions. The more enjoyable and interesting you can make the meeting, the better impression you will make. Most experienced Nannies feel that it is as much a case of the Nanny interviewing the family as the other way round.

It is important to look presentable at the interview as first impressions can make the difference between getting and not getting the job. Many employers have told me that they can tell if the nanny they are interviewing is the right one as soon as they open the door just by what they are wearing and how they introduce themselves. Try to avoid wearing jeans and trainers (even though this will probably be what you wear once you start work) but on the other hand don't go dressed to kill, as the parents will probably find it hard to envisage you cleaning up after their children and subconsciously dismiss you as unsuitable. Most families are looking for someone who projects themselves as tidy and reliable.

Attending Interviews - Sample Questions
Listed below are some questions that could be included in the interview. These are provided as a guideline only.

• What do the children like doing (e.g., going to the park, having friends over, painting etc.).
• Do the children have many friends in the area?
• Do they also have nannies?
• What food do they enjoy eating?
• Are they fussy eaters?
• Do they have any food allergies?
• How do you discipline the children?
• What house rules do you have?
• Would you mind if I have my friends over when I'm off duty?
• What are the rules on using the telephone/car etc.?
• Will you pay my Tax and National insurance contributions? *
• Would you require me to baby-sit on the weekend or do extra baby-sitting?
• Have you had many Nannies and why did they leave?
• How did the children like having them around?

* Some families try to pay their nannies cash in hand to avoid paying their N.I. or Tax which is illegal and may also prevent you claiming benefits in the future. You might also want to discuss travel as some families may ask you to accompany them on holidays and overseas trips.

Attending Interviews - Discussing the Job
At the interview they will normally: - Give you more details of what the job involves, including the hours, duties, baby-sitting requirements, rules etc. (Try to leave with a clear idea of what will be expected of you. Ask about day(s) off, holiday, how much you will be paid and any other benefits, since these may compensate for an otherwise low salary. Remember that if you are live in and have use of a car, you will save money on accommodation, food and bills, not to mention car insurance and running costs).

1. Explain the children's routine (their school times, after school activities, what time they get up and go to sleep etc.).
2. Find out more about you, your views on childcare, past work experience etc. (don't be afraid to talk about your previous experiences, but try to project a positive picture e.g. try not to Slag Off your previous employers.
3. Give you a chance to ask questions (It is always good to ask a few questions as this shows that you are taking an interest in their family).
4. Show you around their home.

Attending Interviews - Meeting the children
If the children are present try to familiarise yourself with them as showing an interest in the children creates a good impression. This will also give you an opportunity to determine whether or not you would enjoy being their Nanny. Do not underestimate the power, which children wield, if they take a shine to you the parents might hire you in spite of a lack of formal qualifications, similarly if you pay them little or no attention, the parents will notice your lack of enthusiasm. If the children aren't present, ask to see photos of them. The parents will be pleased at your interest.

Talking to the current Nanny If the current Nanny is present make a point of chatting to her, for she is a wealth of information.

Try to interpret her attitude towards the family and take note of how they interact with her. Does she seem to enjoy working for them and do they treat her in a friendly manner?.

The Nanny might also be in a position to influence the parents' choice, so don't be lulled into a false sense of security. Keep the conversation fairly business like and don't give anything away that could be interpreted as a negative trait later on.

If the Nanny isn't present ask the parents about their previous Nannies, since the way they talk about their former employee's could be revealing. You should consider the number of Nannies they have had and for how long.

Attending Interviews - Your Feedback
Closing the Interview - Once questions on both sides have been answered in full and you have looked around the accommodation on offer, don't try to prolong time with them unless otherwise invited to do so. It is likely they will be wanting to see other applicants. Your first interview will normally last between 30 minutes and an hour. Remember to shake their hands, smile brightly and thank them for their time before you leave.

Feedback your Impressions - If you come away from the interview feeling that you are interested in the position, then make a few notes on what has taken place. It's amazing how quickly important details can be forgotten, especially if you are being interviewed by more than one family within a short space of time. It is very important to give feedback to the agency as soon as possible. Let them know your level of interest (if any) in the position.

Are you a Nanny looking to travel? - London is an exciting cosmopolitan city and an excellent destination to base your self as a nanny or maternity nurse. It offers the advantage of being within easy access of Europe and is an excellent place to travel from. There are great nanny and social networks along with numerous activities run for children throughout London. Eden Nannies & Maternity also organizes lunches and drink's evenings for you to meet other nannies and maternity nurses.

Eden Nannies & Maternity has an ever-increasing demand by our clients for candidates from overseas. We have temporary and permanent positions throughout the UK and overseas.

The majority of nannies coming from overseas do tend to take live in positions. If you prefer not to live in with a family, there is also the option of taking a daily position.

Nannies salaries are always stated as the net amount, i.e. what you will receive in your hand. The employer is responsible for paying your tax and national insurance. Maternity Nurses/Nannies are classed as being self-employed, so are therefore responsible for paying their own tax and national insurance.

These are your Nannying position choices in the UK.

Live-In Nanny - Live in nannies generally work between 10-12 hours a day with 1-2 night's baby-sitting per included [week nights only]. Live in nannies are provided with their own bedroom and bathroom [in some cases you may have to share this with the children] and may also be provided with the use of a car. Live in positions can be either sole charge where both parents are working or shared charge, where one or other parent is around. The live in nanny salary range can vary depending on your age, qualifications and experience. Occasionally we have positions with separate accommodation included as part of the package.

Live-Out Nanny - Live out nannies generally work between 10-12 hours a day and may have to do one baby sit per week included [week nights only] and may also be provided with a nanny car. If you wish to work as a daily nanny you will need to live in a 30/40 minute radius of the job. Live out nanny positions can be either sole charge, where both parents are not around or share charge, which is working alongside a parent.

Temporary Nanny - Temporary nanny positions can be either live in or out and be in duration from a few days to a few months in length. These positions can be either sole charge or shared charge. Temporary nannies are classed as being self employed and are responsible for paying their own tax and national insurance.

Experience Required - To work as nanny you should have a genuine interest in childcare and love of children. It is desirable but not essential to have a nanny or teaching qualification. You should have previous experience of working with children, and written references to confirm this. It is useful to have an up to date first aid certificate, international drivers license and a copy of a police check.

Nannies interested in working overseas - So you want to get away from wet and dreary England? How about working in Amsterdam, Paris, Munich, New York or even somewhere like the Cayman Islands, Monaco, Rome or the Greek Islands. Here at Eden Nannies & Maternity, we have your best interests at heart. We want you to find a position that you will be totally happy with and hopefully stay in for at least a year or two. We will only put you forward to positions that meet your requirements and those we have discussed in length with you.

For Nannies going to work overseas for the first time, it can be quite daunting. So the more information you get, the better.

So you'll be pleased to know that we will also obtain reference checks on all families abroad, to give you that extra security. We will guide you through the whole process and help you in every way possible.

We will give you a full description/profile of the positions we have i.e. Children's ages, hours of work, duties, salary and perks. We can also E-mail photos of the family and their home to you.

We will compile a City/Country profile. Inform you of places of interest, culture and introduce you to other Nannies (should we have any in the area). Alternatively, visit www.kasbah.com

There is nothing worse than arriving in a foreign Country and not being able to understand the language. If you would be interested in taking a short course before starting an overseas position, please click www.fourlanguages.org. Where you can find details of courses in French, German, Italian and Spanish.

We will arrange telephone interviews between you and the family. If all goes well, we will then arrange for you to interview here in London or make arrangements for you to travel to the family home, where you can meet the whole family.

We will also make sure that the family will provide full medical insurance for the duration of your employment and return flights.

Eden will also offer full support for the duration of your employment with a family. Should you encounter any difficulties or just wish to stay in contact you can call, E-mail or fax us at any time.

If you need further information, please email info@eden-nannies.co.uk