A Mother's Help is expected to wash, iron and organise the children's clothes and belongings. She will ensure that toys are clean and safe, organised and tidied away, and the play area kept clean and tidy.
A Mother's Help will ensure the children are active and social; for example she will organise play dates, attend drop-ins, outings to the park, library, zoo, etc.
A Mother's Help will be extending her knowledge and learning skills to further the children's development through play. With guidance, she will provide activities such as creative arts and crafts, construction play, singing, reading and other various learning opportunities.
A Mother's Help is not expected to do any heavy housework, family cooking or any other chores not related to the children, unless otherwise discussed in the interview, agreed and detailed in the contract of employment.
Supporting your Mother's Help
A Mother's Help is not expected to carry out these duties without support and assistance until both the Mother's Help and Employer feel confident that it can be carried out independently with competence.
It is important the employer provides the right support to the Mother's Help so she can develop the necessary skills and awareness of safety and hygiene practices required to perform a certain task.
The employer should give the Mothers Help regular feedback to inform her when you ‘the employer' are satisfied she is able to undertake a certain duty with the right level of skill and awareness of safety and hygiene.
Working Hours
A live-in Mother's Help working day is normally 11 hours per day Monday to Friday with 2-3 nights baby-sitting included in their salary.
A live-out Mother's Help working day is normally10 hours per day Monday to Friday. Most daily Mother's Help will expect to start at around 8am and finish around 6pm. If you would like the Mother's Help to work slightly longer hours this must be discussed and agreed before employment commencement.
Baby-sitting is normally agreed to be taken Monday-Friday. Any additional babysitting should be paid. A baby-sitting rate should be discussed and agreed before employment commencement.
If you require your Nanny to work weekends then a payment of 1 ½ is paid or a day off is given as time in lieu. This arrangement should always be discussed during the interviewing process and agreed before employment commencement, as many nannies like to keep their weekends free.
Salary of Live-in Mother's Help
Salaries will depend upon age, experience, and the duties involved and will range from £200 - £300+ net per week.
Salary of Live-out Mother's Help
Salaries will depend upon age, experience, and the duties involved and will range from £250 - £350+ net per week.
The employer is responsible for paying the nannies tax and national insurance. Most Nannies discuss their salary in terms of net payment. To avoid any misunderstanding it is advisable to ensure the net salary and gross salary is clearly understood and agreed.
Baby-Sitting rates
Baby-sitting rates vary but expect to normally pay around £7 per hour. The baby-sitting rate must be discussed and agreed before employment commencement.
Accommodation and Food
The Live-in Mother's Help will require her own separate bedroom. Most Mother's Help are happy to share a bathroom with the children/family. The room should to be furnished and have a television and DVD player, a desk and good storage space. House rules should be made clear from the start and detailed in the Mother's Help contract.
The Mother's Help food and domestic cleaning products are provided and paid for by the employer. The employer should detail the types of food that the family normally purchase. The Mother's Help should detail the types of food she likes to eat and if she has any special dietary requirements. The Mother's Help is entitled to request certain foods set within a reasonable budget determined by the employer. It should be discussed during the interviewing process when the Mother's Help takes her mealtime times.
Holidays
Under the 1988 Working Time Regulations, Mother's Help are entitled to a minimum of 4-weeks paid holiday. National Bank holidays are given or additional payment is made at time and a half rate or two days off time in lieu. Holiday time is taken at a mutually agreed time. Some families agree holiday time using a combination of 2 weeks the Employer chooses and 2 weeks the Employee chooses.
If the family requires (or may at a later date require) the Mother's Help to come on holiday with them, then this must be discussed and agreed prior to employment commencement. In the contract, it is advisable to detail what is expected of the nanny while away and the salary that will be paid for working longer hours.
