If you enjoy looking after children and are thinking of a career change, you’ll no doubt have thought of several different choices. If one of those is becoming a nanny, you may be wondering how to get started, how to comply with various laws, and if there’s anything else you need to know.
The purpose of today’s blog post is to give you information on what it’s like to be a nanny. Plus, how much you’re likely to earn and help you make an informed decision. After all, deciding on your future career is a big decision to make! Here is what you need to know:
What does a nanny do?
You might be wondering why such a question is on this web page. After all, you already know what a nanny does: look after children in their care! But, what you may not know is that nannies often carry out other duties as part of their work as well. For instance, nannies are expected to carry out additional work like doing the laundry, cleaning, and even tutoring older children.
The job of a nanny isn’t just to be a childminder. They contribute a big part to the emotional and intellectual development of all children in their care.
How to become a nanny
The first thing you would need to do, and perhaps an obvious point to make is to gain experience in childcare. That might be working for childcare organizations, or even babysitting the children of relatives and friends.
There’s no formal qualification as such to become a nanny. Some nannies find that holding an associate’s degree in childhood education is beneficial to any job application. But, for the most part, it’s experience and excellent references that you’ll need.
It also makes sense to have training and certification in CPR and First Aid so that you can deal with any emergencies should they arise. The minimum age of a nanny is 18 years, and you must be in good health and pass both a medical and any drugs and alcohol tests.
Getting paid
The median average salary of nannies in the United States is around $25,692. Nannies are typically paid monthly by their employers. When it comes to tax affairs, the family of the children you care for will use nanny tax services from accountancy firms. That gives you the advantage of not needing to organize your tax affairs.
Live-in nannies will usually provide food and drink as a benefit to their job, in addition to the accommodation.
Industry certification
Although nannies don’t particularly need formal qualifications, it is possible to get some industry certification. Doing so adds weight to any placement applications, and helps you to stand out as a professional.
One example of industry certification is the Child Development Associate (CDA) program offered by the Council for Professional Recognition. You get tested for competency in various areas, such as health, safety, creativity, teaching, and communication. It’s a nationwide program, and so is recognized everywhere in the United States.
Good luck!