V.Long Message - Help Desperately Needed
Dec 13th 2005 | 3:50 am
#16
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,750
Re: V.Long Message - Help Desperately Needed
[QUOTE=Englishmum]Thanks for all the replies.
QUOTE]
Have you considered using craigslist.org for whichever city is closest? You should be able to get some decent replies there and then you just have to get some references from them
QUOTE]
Have you considered using craigslist.org for whichever city is closest? You should be able to get some decent replies there and then you just have to get some references from them
Dec 13th 2005 | 3:52 am
#17
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 6,848
Re: V.Long Message - Help Desperately Needed
Originally Posted by snowbunny
It is very expensive to hire a full-time domestic. Think of just paying the legal minimum wage times the number of hours per week worked plus considerable overtime. A true live-in nanny must give up all other life -- that is, her career must be that of a nanny and she cannot really have her own family.
Another factor is medical care which is extremely expensive to afford for a domestic and would be paid by the state in the UK.
It's true that a university student could not take a three-year-old to university, which is why I asked if the three-year-old was in any sort of day program.
The demand for full-time domestics, especially in prosperous areas like the Northeastern US, outstrips supply considerably. If stability is paramount, then an illegal alien is not an option as that person could be deported at any time and your friend fined.
If the nanny must serve as a sort of de facto parent / legal guardian for the children because the mother is travelling or unreachable for a good deal of the time, then she needs a very responsible adult with a career history. I agree with the recommendation to go with an agency but to check out all accreditations and work history personally and not rely on the agency to do that part.
Another factor is medical care which is extremely expensive to afford for a domestic and would be paid by the state in the UK.
It's true that a university student could not take a three-year-old to university, which is why I asked if the three-year-old was in any sort of day program.
The demand for full-time domestics, especially in prosperous areas like the Northeastern US, outstrips supply considerably. If stability is paramount, then an illegal alien is not an option as that person could be deported at any time and your friend fined.
If the nanny must serve as a sort of de facto parent / legal guardian for the children because the mother is travelling or unreachable for a good deal of the time, then she needs a very responsible adult with a career history. I agree with the recommendation to go with an agency but to check out all accreditations and work history personally and not rely on the agency to do that part.
I do know that some people think it's prestigious to have an English nanny....probably been watching Mary Poppins LOL!
Dec 13th 2005 | 4:15 am
#18
UK & US Citizen
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,276
From: Grand Rapids, MI
Re: V.Long Message - Help Desperately Needed
I don't think Louise Woodward is doing much these days - she might be available 
Dec 13th 2005 | 4:30 am
#19
Lapine Member
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 21,691
From: Austin, Texas in my own little world
Re: V.Long Message - Help Desperately Needed
Originally Posted by Englishmum
I've even considered being a nanny myself but there is no way I would work all of those long hours! Very few women here seem to work part-time hours or do job-sharing....also I guess the vacations would be meagre as well.
I do know that some people think it's prestigious to have an English nanny....probably been watching Mary Poppins LOL!
I do know that some people think it's prestigious to have an English nanny....probably been watching Mary Poppins LOL!
I know about verifying eligibility to work because I have hired a part-time nanny in the past. See:
http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/bab...care/5946.html
There are plenty of women who would LOVE to do job sharing or work part-time if they could support their families AND provide medical benefits. Part-time workers are paid less per hour (not to mention working less hours) and are often ineligible for benefits.
I've struggled for years to work part-time in my field (engineering). A part-time employee costs an employer nearly as much as a full-time employee due to benefits, and it's more difficult to schedule projects. Engineering projects are always needed ASAP and employees are expected to work as many hours as it takes to get the product out the door as quickly as possible.
In other competitive markets I'm sure it's the same.
I wish it weren't so, but short of government intervention, I don't see the private sector embracing part-time work for anything other than unskilled labour.
