When people think of childcare options, it is not uncommon for peoples’ minds to first go to the likes of a babysitter or a nanny. But there are in fact a number of different options available beyond these two roles that may better suit your family’s specific needs and lifestyle.
Every family of course has different needs and a different set of skills they’re looking for when hiring someone to help care for their children and as a result, hourly rates and salaries can vary. So, to give families a helpful starting point, we’re outlining the various options available, what different childcare providers can offer and what you might expect to pay for these services in London.
Some childcare providers may ask for gross salaries while others may ask for net salaries. The latter will be dependent on an individual’s tax code, pension contributions and things like student loan repayments so, for ease, we have outlined base salaries as gross figures but net salaries can be easily calculated via platforms like nanny tax.
What are the different options available and what should I expect to pay for each?
Live-in Nanny
Live-in nannies often have a level of housekeeping involved within their role but are primarily childcare providers who reside with your family, either in accommodation provided by the host family or within the family's home. In this instance, nannies may have a slightly lower take-home pay as what would typically be spent on rent would be covered as part of their live-in setup.
What should I expect to pay for a live-out nanny?
A live-in nanny could expect to be paid anything from £895 p/w (gross) for a 5-day week, as well as a weekly food allowance of £50-70 if they are expected to buy and prepare their own groceries separate from the family’s.
For junior nannies who have less experience or work fewer hours, you could expect to pay from £698 p/w (gross) excluding weekly food allowances.
Live-out nanny
Live-out nannies provide extra help and work as a full-time nanny, without living in your house. This is an excellent arrangement if you require nanny assistance, but do not need someone living on the spot. Live-out nannies typically work 10 to 12 hours per day, 5 days per week.
A live-out nanny’s fees may be higher to accommodate the cost of travel to reach you during the week and to account for their rent or accommodation and broader living expenses outside of work.
What should I expect to pay for a live-out nanny?
Live-out nanny salaries will vary depending on the number of hours worked:
For a 50-hour week, you can expect to pay from £1,053 (gross) which equates to £15 p/h net.
For a 40-hour week, you can expect to pay from £879 (gross) which equates to £16 p/h net.
For 30-hours or less each week, you can expect to pay from £721 (gross; based on a 30-hour week) which equates to £18 p/h net.
Mother’s Help
A Mother's Help is someone who assists parents with the day-to-day tasks associated with caring for their children and running a household. While they are similar to a nanny, a Mother's Help typically works alongside parents and helps with tasks such as laundry, meal preparation or light housekeeping. They may also provide assistance with childcare duties such as bathing and feeding the children but are typically less involved than a nanny would be as they don't live-in and may come less frequently depending on the arrangement you have in place.
Hiring a Mother's Help can be a cost-effective option compared to hiring a full-time nanny as you can work out an arrangement that works best for all parties, such as paying them by the hour or employing them on a part-time basis.
What should I expect to pay for a Mother’s Help? Rates for a Mother’s Help are not dissimilar to that of a live-in nanny so you could typically expect to pay them anything from £654 p/w (gross) for a 5-day week, as well as a weekly food allowance of £50-70.
Maternity Nurse
A maternity nurse is a specialist in newborn care who can provide support to new parents during the first few weeks or months after birth. They are able to assist parents with feeding, establishing routines and ensuring the overall well-being of both mother and baby.
What should I expect to pay for a maternity nurse?
Maternity nurse rates will also vary dependent on the arrangement and frequency at which you need their support but you could expect to pay:
From £263 (gross) for a 24-hour period
From £911 (gross; based on £22p/h net for 30hrs p/w)
Babysitting
A babysitter is someone you’d hire for ad hoc childcare support and is usually paid hourly. Some people choose to work with registered professionals while others may opt for family members or close acquaintances to support babysitting needs.
What should I expect to pay for a sitter? Babysitting fees vary and start at around £8 per hour and can go up to £15+ per hour or more depending on location and other criteria. Equally, if the person is a close relative or family friend, they may be willing to charge a smaller fee.
Child-minding
A childminder will look after your children or child in their own setting. They will also look after other peoples’ children alongside your own so your child won’t be their sole responsibility. This is a good option if you are keen for your child to socialise with other children that they’re not related to but feel like a nursery might be too daunting.
What should I expect to pay for a child-minder? Typically, for a minder you might expect to pay anything from £30 per-day for after school childcare.
Do note that additional hours and responsibilities that go beyond those contracted for the roles above may incur additional costs. To ensure both parents and nannies are on the same page with expectations for additional asks and time, it’s important to discuss this during the interview process or with the agency supporting you with the hiring process.
Checklist for hiring
Whichever of the options you feel is best suited to you, there’s a checklist of things to consider before interviewing or hiring someone:
Determine the exact duties of the role.
Do you want someone who’s live-in, live-out or just ad hoc support?
What are the hours you want support?
What level of flexibility do you expect them to have if shift patterns change or you’re running late and need them to work beyond their contracted hours?
When are their days off?
What sort of personality would you like your nanny, sitter, maternity nurse or Mother’s Help to have?
How much are you able and willing to pay your nanny, sitter, maternity nurse or Mother’s Help?
By considering these factors, you’ll be better placed to identify and hire the right individual as you’ll have a clearer picture of roles, responsibilities and expectations from the outset.
We cover the hiring essentials in greater depth in the following post and our downloadable ebook, but if you have questions or want help in finding the right person for your family’s needs then don’t hesitate to contact us as we can support you in getting this process started.