Choosing Herts and Home offers a childcare experience like no other, with a unique perspective that sets us apart. Through the guidance of our founder, Ashley Board, who has over 12 years of experience as a highly-sought London nanny, we deeply understand the needs of both families and nannies. Ashley's dual expertise in nannying and parenting allows us to excel at making perfect matches.

Our commitment to direct employment eliminates payroll and employment hassles and assures financial security for nannies, a unique feature to our agency. Our unique, streamlined approach means no hidden fees for families and a set hourly rate that includes everything. We are reshaping the industry to elevate the professional status of nannies, ensuring they're fairly compensated and provided with unparalleled benefits. Whether you're a nanny seeking a professional career and work-life balance, or a family in need of reliable, high-quality childcare, Herts and Home is committed to exceeding your expectations.

Choosing to work with our agency instead of finding a nanny privately comes with several advantages. First, we offer a comprehensive vetting process that assures you're matched with highly qualified and experienced nannies. We have a wealth of knowledge of the industry and what to look for in applications and screening. Our nannies and you as the client are insured without any additional fees. We have a database of current applicants and regular new registrants to draw from compared to a personal search which may be more limited.

Our professionals undergo rigorous checks, including work history, criminal background, and personal references, providing peace of mind about your child's caregiver. We also handle all administrative aspects, from contracts to payroll, so you don't have to worry about the legalities or paperwork. Our agency offers flexibility; you can find a nanny for short-term needs or a long-term arrangement without the hassle of restarting your own search each time. We also provide ongoing support and resources, including HR services, allowing for a smooth relationship between you and your nanny. Finally, our agency provides a layer of accountability and a formal channel for feedback or complaints, ensuring a high standard of care and professionalism.

Our process for selecting and screening nannies is thorough and comprehensive. We ensure to meet nannies face-to-face to personally get to know each candidate. Whenever feasible, we have candidates participate in workshops and assessments that cover various elements of childcare, ensuring we pick the best of the best.

To register with us, each nanny must have a genuine enthusiasm for childcare and a professional demeanour. They should also be friendly and approachable. It's essential they have the legal right to work in the UK and a minimum of three years of verified experience in the childcare or education field.

Additional requirements include prior experience of working in a family home. We prefer candidates to have at least a Level 3 qualification in Childcare or Teaching, although a Level 2 could be considered if coupled with five or more years of nannying experience. Other essential screenings include ID checks and checking of documents such as a current DBS police check and 12-hour paediatric first aid certificate.

The speed at which we can find you childcare varies depending on the registration option you choose: a contracted nanny or a membership with matched carers.

For contracted nannies, we strive to send you CVs within five business days following your family interview. If everything aligns, we can finalise the paperwork in just a few days after selecting your nanny in person. This means you could have a nanny in as little as two weeks, if you are able to interview quickly, or even sooner if we have suitable candidates already on our books.

As a general rule however, it is prudent to allow 6-8 weeks to find the right candidate as they may be in other roles which require a 4-6 week notice period. If you do require care as an interim we are happy to provide alternative ad-hoc nannies from our membership programme.

If you opt for membership programme, once you're registered and matched, we can often arrange care within a few hours. However, to ensure availability of your matched carers, we recommend giving 48 hours' notice. If you're not yet a member, the matching process will take at least five business days. That said, if you're flexible with your carer choice, we could arrange care within 24 hours after your registration meeting.

We take effective communication seriously and strive to keep our client, candidates and employees updated on their status. If you ever find yourself waiting for an update or dissatisfied with the level of communication, please don't hesitate to contact us. We're always happy to clarify and ensure you're well-informed.

We have a registration fee only for our membership programme for ad-hoc and babysitting services, which amounts to a £19.99 matching fee plus a commitment of three months of membership at £10 per month. This monthly fee is refundable should we be unable to provide you with a carer when requested.

For those looking to hire a permanent nanny, there are no registration fees involved. You will only be charged an hourly rate once we successfully place a nanny with your family.

No! We've eliminated the standard placement fees that you'll find with all other agencies. With us, there are no additional employer registrations, insurances or payroll charges once you've selected your nanny. Everything is covered in a single, transparent hourly rate that varies depending on your nanny's experience level. We handle the nanny's payment, and that's all there is to it—completely hassle-free!

No! You are only charged after a nanny has been successfully matched with your family and you have signed off on the offer letter. At that point, you will pre-pay for the first month's hours. Afterward, you'll only be charged for the hours worked by the nanny. If for any reason those hours aren't fulfilled, you'll be eligible for a refund.

Aside from our in-house inclusive hourly fees, there are a few other expenses you might want to plan for. These can include the cost of day trips, classes, admissions and activities you'd like your nanny to take your child to and resources they may need for home activities. Some families with regular care may opt for setting up a prepaid card as a 'nanny fund' to cover these additional expenses on a weekly or monthly basis.

If your nanny will be using your car, you'll need to add them to your insurance policy. On the other hand, if they use their own vehicle, you'll need to reimburse them via the agency at the national mileage rate of 45p per mile and contribute to regular car cleaning.

Lastly, you may need to budget for additional childcare when your permanent nanny is on holiday, which can be arranged through Herts and Home at our ad-hoc or babysitting rates.

If you are using our membership programme, you're only required to pay for the hours your nanny actually works, or for the hours you've booked according to our terms of service.

For those hiring a permanent nanny, statutory benefits like sick pay, paid leave, and holidays still apply, consistent with employment law governing recruitment businesses. For a comprehensive explanation, please refer to our Terms of Service, which closely mirrors the standard nanny employment process.

For safety and legal reasons our ratios are 6:1, meaning that one nanny can care for a maximum of six children at any time. If you have an extensive family or many children at an event you will need multiple nannies to ensure everyone is safe and legal.

For permanent nanny care it is usual for a full-time nanny to work between 45-60 hours weekly. A part-time nanny can work anywhere from 4-40 hours per week.

For ad-hoc nanny care we have a minimum of a 4 hour booking and allow up to a 12 hour booking unless the booking is for proxy care (sole charge over-night care) and sleeping provisions are provided.

Yes our minimum booking is for 4 hours.

Whilst our business model is such that we aim for this to never be the case we cannot confirm that your choice of carers will always be available. If the carers we've matched for you are unavailable, we'll do our best to provide an alternative. However, if the alternative isn't suitable for you, we'll refund your monthly fee for that specific month, even if you use our services again within the same month.

A nanny's primary role is to focus on childcare responsibilities, which include tasks like bathing, dressing, and cooking nutritious meals for the children. Alongside this, the nanny will manage the children's wardrobe, ensuring their clothes are washed, ironed, and organized. Toy cleanliness and safety are also a priority; at the end of each day, the play area will be neat and orderly.

Our nannies go beyond basic care; they actively enrich the children's lives through social and developmental activities. This could mean arranging playdates, attending classes, or outings to enriching environments like parks, libraries, or swimming pools. Utilising their expertise in childcare, nannies also engage children in developmental play, offering a range of activities from creative arts and crafts to singing and reading to promote learning and growth.

If you encounter any challenges or conflicts with your nanny or family, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. We offer HR support aimed at resolving any issues and maintaining a successful placement. If it becomes clear that the match is no longer suitable, inform us as soon as you can.

If the nanny has been assigned through our membership programme then the match will be dissolved and other nannies will be placed with the family.

If the nanny is a permanent placement dependent on the contract point, a paid notice period may be required, during which the family can choose whether or not the nanny continues to work for this period.

Rest assured, we can start the process of finding replacement nannies and placements immediately. Family’s will only incur charges once a new nanny starts work. Nannies may work as a membership programme employee whilst we are finding a new placement.

We take great pride in our highly-trained, exceptional nannies who specialise in childcare. While they are more than willing to manage traditional nursery duties like tidying and cleaning children's areas, preparing meals for the children and handling children's laundry, they are not housekeepers or there as deep cleaners.

Additional tasks such as cooking for the family, pet care, family laundry and grocery shopping may be considered but are dependent on the individual nanny. Our focus is on ensuring they can devote their time to quality childcare. To achieve a harmonious relationship, we make it a point to match families and nannies based on their preferences for cleanliness and order in the home.

Absolutely, we're here to support you throughout the entire interview process. Our goal is to make the experience as seamless as possible, ensuring that you find a nanny who fits well with your family's specific needs.

From providing interview questions to offering tips on what to look for in a candidate to helping guide you through a household manual to get off to the best start- we assist you every step of the way from the moment you are registered. Your confidence in your selection is important to us, and we strive to facilitate interviews that help you make an informed decision.

When choosing a live-in nanny, it is essential to think about your family's privacy and how to set clear boundaries between work and personal life. You'll also need to make sure you have sufficient living space to accommodate a comfortable and appropriate private bedroom for the nanny and a bathroom. As well as ensuring the is space to allow her to cook her own meals when appropriate.

A live-in nanny should be provided with food for all meals and snacks with an element of choice. It is up to you how this is achieved. Some families ask the nanny to do the family shopping and allow her to add to this. Other families allocate a set amount weekly for the nanny to purchase food. It is usual to ask the nanny to eat the same food as the children during their working hours providing they have a say in what to cook. You should provide meats and fish (if required), other proteins, carbohydrates, a variety of fruits and vegetables and the occasional other foods to allow your nanny to be fuelled nutritionally.

It is important to clarify work hours as living on-site doesn't mean the nanny is available around the clock. Live-in nannies usually work between 50 and 70 hours per week which may include babysitting on set days. Be explicit about their duties and responsibilities, including any housework or errands they'll be expected to manage to care for the home.

Finally, make sure they are the right fit for your family's dynamics and routines as everyone needs to feel comfortable in their home and living environment.

When your nanny is on holiday many families choose to take time away at the same time or try to coordinate some of the nanny’s holiday at a convenient time. If this is not the case and you need childcare we are happy to supply you with a cover nanny for only the hourly fee.

Families that employ their nannies via Herts and Home can directly join our membership programme without any additional sign-up costs. Just inform your agent and you'll be charged the nominal £10 monthly membership fee. For any additional childcare services, such as ad-hoc babysitting, you'll be charged at the standard ad-hoc and babysitting rates.