Back to School: Is an After-School Nanny Right for Your Family?
September brings new classes, new routines, clubs, homework and often a very complicated family diary.
For working parents, the period between the end of the school day and the end of the working day can be particularly difficult to manage.
An after-school nanny can provide consistent, professional childcare in the family home while also helping children settle into their new term-time routine.
What does an after-school nanny do?
An after-school nanny will usually collect children from school and care for them until their parents return home.
Depending on the family’s requirements, their responsibilities might include:
- school collection
- preparing snacks and children’s meals
- helping with homework
- taking children to clubs and activities
- arranging playdates
- preparing school bags and uniforms for the following day
- children’s laundry
- keeping children’s areas organised
- supporting bath and bedtime routines.
The precise role should always be agreed between the nanny and family.
Why choose a nanny rather than an after-school club?
After-school clubs can work extremely well for some families.
However, a nanny offers a different type of childcare.
Children return to their own home and can follow their normal routine. Siblings attending different schools or activities can also be accommodated within one childcare arrangement.
For children who find long school days tiring, having the opportunity to return home can be particularly valuable.
A nanny can also provide continuity during school holidays if additional hours are agreed.
Term-time nanny positions
Some families require childcare predominantly during term time.
This can be attractive to certain nannies, but families should think carefully about how the position is structured.
Providing sufficient and predictable hours will generally make a role more attractive to experienced candidates.
Families might therefore consider incorporating additional duties, longer hours during school holidays or a nanny/housekeeper element where appropriate.
Finding the right personality
After-school nannying requires much more than simply collecting children from school.
The nanny may become the person hearing about the child’s school day, helping them manage homework frustrations or taking them to an important activity each week.
Reliability, warmth, organisation and good communication therefore matter enormously.
Looking for an after-school nanny in Cambridge?
Gingham Nanny Agency has been helping families find professional nannies since 2011.
We recruit permanent, part-time, temporary and specialist nannies throughout Cambridge, Cambridgeshire and across the UK.
If your childcare arrangements have changed for the new school year, contact Gingham Nanny Agency to discuss the type of after-school support that would work best for your family.
Dee Modric
Founder
Gingham Nanny Agency
