January 28, 2022 | Leave a Comment
Type into any search engine ‘Nanny agency near me’ and you will undoubtedly be presented with pages upon pages of local nanny agencies, offering to help you find your perfect nanny in return for a fee.
Which one do you go with? The one with the highest reviews? The one that is closest? The one you have heard of before, or maybe the ones at the top of the page advertising their services? It is incredibly difficult to choose!
Nanny Agencies that introduce you to Nannies, where the family employs the nanny are classed under UK law as ‘Employment Agencies’.
Nanny Agencies who employ the Nannies directly and supply the nanny to you are called ‘Employment Businesses’ (sometimes known as a supply or temping agency).
Contrary to popular belief, both types of Nanny Agencies must abide by the rules and regulations set out on the Government website, which are enforced by the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate (EAS). The full list of rules and regulations can be found here.
The EAS has powers to investigate complaints about nanny agencies and can prohibit them from operating where they have broken the law.
It is important to note that Nanny Agencies do not have industry-specific regulations, only Employment Agency or Employment Business regulations.
So, what should a good Nanny Agency look like if there is no industry-specific regulating body? How do I know that the agency I choose to work with does everything properly?
Here is our definitive checklist of what to look out for when choosing a Nanny Agency to work with:
Our checklist is not exhaustive. It gives you an idea of what should be going on behind the scenes, if in any doubt, use a reputable, established, multi-award-winning, and trusted nanny agency such as Harmony at Home.
Written by Frankie Gray, Harmony at Home Limited. All Rights Reserved, 2022
Frankie Gray is Chair of the Regulation Matters Nanny Agencies Sub-Group. The group is developing a Code of Practice for all Nanny Agencies to follow alongside formal compulsory registration to a Nanny Agency regulatory body. Frankie is passionate about developing a regulation process for all Nanny Agencies, to set a high standard of safer recruitment, safeguarding, and peace of mind for parents.
October 15, 2020 | Leave a Comment
A new three-tiered system for local Covid-19 levels across England will be in force from Wednesday 14 October 2020. The intentions are for educational settings and childcare including Nannies to remain open at all levels. The three levels set out are:
Medium
This level will cover most of country and will consist of current national measures. This includes the current rule of six and closure of hospitality at 10pm.
High
This level will reflect interventions in many local areas now. This level aims to reduce household to household transmission to prevent all mixing between houses. Rule of six only applies outdoors and in private gardens. Many areas already on local restrictions will be at this level.
Very high
This level will apply where transmission rates are rising most rapidly. Government will stop social mixing indoors and outside plus closing bars and pubs. Additions to this closure list may change in local areas, for example in Merseyside closures also include gyms.
Written by Harmony at Home Limited. All Rights Reserved, 2020
June 5, 2020 | Leave a Comment
We suggest that all preliminary interviews take place over video call. Once established that you would like to move forwards, we can arrange a face to face interview which is compliant with the new ‘Stay Alert’ guidelines.
Under the current ‘stay alert’ guidelines, it is possible to conduct an interview in a private garden providing the social distancing requirements are complied with. The details are set out in the Coronavirus outbreak FAQs: what you can and cannot do;
Do keep in mind though that the emphasis is still to stay at home where possible, so video or other virtual interviewing should be considered in the first instance, and an in person interview should only be arranged with both parties agreement to abide to the social distancing rules.
If conducting the interview in a garden, do consider how the parties will travel to interview, e.g. whether it is possible to avoid public transport (if impossible a face mask/covering should be used) and whether the candidate or interviewer fall into the shielding categories. If either party has coronavirus symptoms, they should follow the then current self-isolation guidelines and not attend the interview.
Precautions must be taken regarding sharing a professional portfolio of evidence. If this can be done digitally it is advisable.
Upon entering the family home (some gardens are accessed through the home), shoes must be removed outside, and hands washed immediately.
Candidates ought to wear fresh, clean clothes, and ensure that they have washed their hands, and been to the toilet prior to making their way to an interview. They ought to go straight to the interview from their home, ideally in their own car, and should carry hand sanitiser suitable to eliminate the virus from their hands. Planning ahead is important.
Trials should ideally take place outside. When held inside social distancing rules ought to be abided to and should only take place after both households have self-isolated for 7 days, and 7 days should be left between different in-home trial days with different candidates / families.
These are our suggestions, based on the guidance set out by the government week commencing 1st June 2020.
Need a nanny urgently? Sign up here:
November 11, 2019 | Leave a Comment
Typing into Google a simple search such as ‘Nannies in the UK’ and BOOM! Thousands upon thousands of sites appear advertising nannies from all over the world and you’re left thinking where do I begin?!
Hours of searching later and you think you have found the perfect nanny, can’t find any problems, everything looks amazing, you contact this nanny, plan to meet and everything is ready, all that’s left is they need to sign the dotted line… But at the last minute they pull out and you’re left back where you started. Deflated, Nanny-less and stressed.
So why go through all the hassle searching alone? When there are nanny agencies available to do all the hunting for you.
Using a nanny agency means that you can give them all your expectations, what you are exactly looking for, and how much you are willing to pay etc. and they then do all the leg work for you. Plus the internet is so big and you don’t know what’s true and what’s false, using a nanny agency means that you’re being presented with a safe Nanny that the agency has made sure references and experience are real and accurate, after conducting a wide variety of background checks. This therefore means you are letting a Nanny into your children’s lives that is safe and trustworthy, meaning you can leave the house happily and not worry about your children’s safety.
Working with a Nanny agency also means you aren’t going through this process alone. You’re able to build a relationship with the agency as you will work with someone who gets to know you and your family and what is important to you with regards to a Nanny. The Nanny agency is representing you on your behalf and therefore contact between yourself and the agency is key.
Once you have gone through the process of finding a nanny and they start working for you, there may be problems or issues that you don’t know how to deal with or you would prefer a different nanny. If you search alone your process of looking for a nanny is back to square one. Whereas searching through an agency means they will be able to find a new one for you in quick time and help with possible child care in the meantime.
Working with a Nanny Agency is like having a safety net around you and your family as they are able to deal with your wants and needs and making your life hassle-free. You have your own guardian angel for child care.
Harmony at Home is a member of several childcare and recruitment associations including REC, the Recruitment and Employment Confederation, PACEY the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years, the International Nanny Association and won the Best UK Nanny Agency Award 2019. We also audit all of our branches and have our own code of practice and complaints policy.
Register today and our highly trained consultants will find your perfect nanny; http://www.harmonyathome.co.uk/childcare-services/
August 13, 2019 | Leave a Comment
Great news for our professional in home childcare industry as daily ‘live out’ nanny wages across 2018 rose by 8% both in London and in the Home Counties and 9% for residential ‘live in’ nannies in London (8% for ‘live in’ nannies in the Home Counties), the Nannytax annual wage survey reported today. In comparison with the mean median UK full time earnings increase of 3.5% (source office of national statistics) the 8% increase is huge!
On reading the recent Nannytax wage review, Norland Nanny Frankie Gray, the founder of Harmony at Home said, “It’s great to see the financial recognition professional nannies receive by way of this increase, along with the recent increase in awards and national recognition days. I hope to see more positive changes for UK nannies in the future”
The Key findings from Nannytax
#inhomechildcare #wages #nannysalary #nannieslondon #uknannies #payrise #professional #recognition #hardwork #howmuchdoyouearn #howmuchdoyoupayyournanny
Source: www.nannytax.co.uk
July 26, 2019 | Leave a Comment
JK Rowling, who knows a thing or two about the magic of children’s books, left no doubt about her feelings towards a good story, when she said:
“I will defend the importance of bedtime stories to my last gasp.”
Books, and the wonderful stories within them, can play a vital role in expanding a child’s imagination, and a huge amount of research suggests that reading to a child at home from when they are a baby onwards is the best way that a parent or carer can influence a child’s long-term educational outcomes.
If academic research doesn’t convince you though, then how about this excerpt from Roald Dahl’s book ‘Matilda’, to illustrate the broadening of horizons that reading can inspire.
He wrote of Matilda that
“the books transported her into new worlds and introduced her to amazing people who lived exciting lives. She went on olden-day sailing ships with Joseph Conrad. She went to Africa with Ernest Hemingway and to India with Rudyard Kipling. She travelled all over the world while sitting in her little room in an English village.”
The English village in question, by the way, is in Buckinghamshire – not so very far away from Bedfordshire!
Children interact with books and stories in different ways, depending on their age and development. What’s certain is that they are constantly learning as they do so. They will observe how to handle a book and how to turn the pages. They will watch as you point out pictures on the pages and talk about them and, in time, will copy these actions and make links between the written and spoken word. They will hear a variety of new sentences and words that they may not hear in everyday conversation. They will concentrate and start to develop an understanding of language.
Younger babies: as their eyesight is still developing in the early months, start them off with books with strong black and white patterns and pictures, which help them to focus and aid their concentration. Textured, interactive and lift-the-flap books are particularly good when babies start to handle books themselves, as they allow babies to explore using all of their senses, and to discover all that the book has to offer.
Older babies – 3 year olds: spending time reading with them can promote brain development and spark their imagination and curiosity, while starting to help them to distinguish between what is real and what is make believe. Regularly reading books together can help to expand your child’s vocabulary more rapidly and help them to understand the meaning of words and how to use them. Once they start to speak and use short sentences books can also help your child to foster a desire to learn, naturally leading to them ask questions and seek answers.
Preschool children and those in Reception class at school: repetitive stories that rhyme and/or have alliteration are great fun, and titles such as ‘We’re going on a bear hunt’ by Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury , ‘The Gruffalo’ by Julia Donaldson, and ‘Brown Bear, Brown Bear what do you see?’ by Eric Carle are good examples. There is usually a natural rhythm with which to read these stories, and if you pause during the repetitive/rhyming parts your child will enjoy filling in the missing words.
Books can be a useful tool to help any child to make sense of new experiences and changes that are happening in their own lives, such as starting school, a visit to the dentist, a new addition to the family or the loss of a loved one. Reading books about things your child is experiencing will help them to speak about how they are feeling and to make sense of their feelings.
Story time does not have to be limited to sharing books. Children can be fabulous storytellers themselves and there is so much fun to be had in creating stories together. Make use of props such as puppets and figures, or if you are feeling particularly creative make some of your own with your child. You can introduce your child to the concepts of story writing, encouraging them to think about their story having a beginning (introducing the story and characters), a middle (where something happens) and an end (where the story comes to a conclusion).
“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you will go” – Dr Seuss.
Bedfordshire Libraries
The library is obviously an ideal place to get access to a huge variety of books for your child. Bedfordshire also offer a home library service for library users who are unable to get to their local library. Full details of this service can be found here.
There are several libraries across the county where your child can have access to a vast selection of books. Some of the libraries also offer activities sessions for children where they can share stories and take part in art and craft activities. Please see the list below to find your local library;
Ampthill Library
1 Dunstable Street
Ampthill
MK45 2NL
Tel: 0300 300 8053
Barton Library
Bedford Road
Barton
MK45 4PP
Tel: 0300 300 8054
Bedford Central Library
Harpur Street
Bedford
MK40 1PG
Tel: 01234 718178
Biggleswade Library
Chestnut Avenue
Biggleswade
Bedfordshire
SG18 0LL
Tel: 0300 300 8055
Dunstable Library
The Dunstable Centre
Court Drive
Dunstable
LU5 4JD
Tel: 0300 300 8056
Flitwick Library
Coniston Road
Flitwick
MK45 1QJ
Tel: 0300 300 8057
Houghton Regis Library
Bedford Square
Houghton Regis
Bedfordshire
LU5 5ES
Tel: 0300 3008058
Leighton Buzzard Library
Lake Street
Leighton Buzzard
LU7 1RX
Tel: 0300 300 8059
Potton Library
Clock House
Potton
SG19 2NP
Tel: 0300 300 8063
Sandy Library
Market Square
Sandy
SG19 1EH
Tel: 0300 300 8065
Shefford Library
High Street
Shefford
SG17 5DD
Tel: 0300 300 8067
Stotfold Library
Hitchin Road
Stotfold
SG5 4HP
Tel: 0300 300 8068
Toddington Library
9 Market Square
Toddington
LU5 6BP
Tel: 0300 300 8069
Written by Harmony at Home Limited. All Rights Reserved, 2019
June 28, 2019 | Leave a Comment
The pioneer of the treasure basket, Elinor Goldschmied, once said that we can never truly know what it is like to bite into a juicy ripe peach, or what concepts such as cool, smooth, prickly and rough actually mean, until we have experienced them for ourselves.
“Every baby should have a Treasure Basket” Frankie Gray, Norland Nanny and Founder of Harmony at Home
Giving a seated baby a range of natural, household and recycled objects in a basket and allowing them to explore the items using all of their senses, is a great way to stimulate a baby’s brain, keeping them interested and engaged in the world around them.
Left to play in this way, children will begin to develop preferences, make choices and build their attention, concentration and decision-making skills.
Make sure the basket you choose is strong and sturdy and made of natural material such as wicker or willow. It should have a flat bottom and be strong enough not to tip over if the baby leans on it. Bear in mind that handles might get in the baby’s way when they are reaching for objects, so a basket without handles may be best.
A round basket that is approximately 30cm in diameter and 12cm high would be ideal.
In terms of the contents, evidence suggests that children respond more intensely to natural materials and more muted colours, so make sure the items in the basket reflect this. It should contain no plastic items and the contents should not be toys, but a variety of common everyday objects, mixed with natural objects you may find when exploring outside.
It is obviously essential that you assess each of the items in terms of safety. If there is any concern about the hygiene or safety of an object, it is better to omit it from the basket.
Don’t forget that this is your baby’s time to freely explore. Keep yourself available and attentive, yet relatively unobtrusive, so the baby is motivated to investigate the objects for themselves.
Where to find objects for the treasure basket
Some items for your treasure basket can be found when out and about with your baby. Visit local parks and woodland where you can find a variety of natural items all free of charge. Some good places to visit are;
Priory Country Park
Barkers Lane
Bedford
MK41 9DJ
Rushmere Country Park
Linslade Road
Heath and Reach
Leighton Buzzard
LU7 0EB
Harrold-Odell Country Park
Carlton Road
Harrold
Bedford
MK43 7DS
Homeware stores such as The Range, and Dunelm are usually good places to find household items that can be included in your treasure basket. They have the following stores in Bedfordshire:
The Range
Units 4 and 5
Interchange Retail Park
Bedford
Bedfordshire
MK42 7AZ
The Range
Madford Retail Park
Dunstable Road
Luton
Bedfordshire
LU4 8DN
Dunelm
Unit 2
Alban Retail Park
4 London Road
MK42 0NW
Dunelm
Luton Road
Dunstable
Bedfordshire
LU5 4JN
Charity shops can be a good place to find some other, more unusual items for your treasure basket. A number of charity shops can be found across the county including the ones listed here:
Bedford
Sue Ryder
35-37 Ampthill Road
Bedford
Bedfordshire
MK42 9JP
Cancer Research
Bedford 70a
High Street
Bedfordshire
MK40 1NN
Keech Hospice Care
24 Allhallows
Bedford
Bedfordshire
MK40 1LJ
Sandy
Magpas Air Ambulance
Shannon Court
9 High St
Sandy
SG19 1AG
Wood Green
The Animals Charity
Shannon Court
1 High Street
Sandy
SG19 1AG
Barnardo’s
30 Market Square
Sandy
SG19 1JA
Luton
British Heart Foundation
70 George Street
Luton
LU1 2DL
Age Concern
32 George Street
Luton
LU1 2AZ
Keech Hospice Care
58 Birdsfoot Lane
Luton
LU3 2DQ
Dunstable
Age UK
1-3 Queensway
Dunstable
LU5 4ET
Keech Hospice Care
9 Ashton Square
Dunstable
LU6 3SN
YMCA Shop
9-11 Nicholas Way
Dunstable
LU6 1TD
Harmony at Home Nanny Agency Bedfordshire for Harmony at Home Limited. All Rights Reserved, 2019
June 20, 2018 | Leave a Comment
It is important to understand the difference between a Nanny and a Nanny Housekeeper.
If you are looking to employ either a Nanny or a Nanny Housekeeper, discover what their duties would include:
Let’s break it down…
Every family’s needs and requirements will be different.
Whether you are looking for a live in or live out nanny, their duties will include:
As well as carrying out all the duties of a nanny. A housekeeper will also take on additional domestic duties.
If you are looking some help around the house or with childcare, register today and we can help to find the perfect fit for your family. Click HERE now to begin the process
Written by Emily Martin for Harmony at Home Limited. All Rights Reserved, 2018
February 26, 2018 | Leave a Comment
Snow is forecast and more wintry weather is expected! Employers and Nannies, discover what needs to be considered…
If your nanny or housekeeper is unable to travel to work, you should advise and make them aware that unless specified differently in the employment contract:
It is important to be aware that if your nanny asks to leave work earlier than usual due to the weather conditions, the same conditions would apply.
If one of your nanny’s duties is to collect your children from school or drop them off in the mornings, they need to be aware of the places they can check to keep updated with last minute school closures.
For information from the school and nursery, always check:
All schools and nurseries will have a procedure in place for such events. It is worth making sure your nanny is aware of what this is.
Communication is key! Have a snow plan in place in case of any last-minute closures due to the weather. Some nannies are only employed to work before and after school. If this is the case for you, talk to your nanny to see if they can look after your children during the time they should be at school. Factors including additional pay need to be consider and agreed.
It is important to have a plan put in place for such events, as alternative options might need to be considered.
One of the most important things to remember is to only drive in the snow if the journey is crucial! Do not drive unless you have to – check the Met Office website and weather websites for snow warnings and advice. Be sure to call your employer and let them know that it’s unsafe for you to travel, don’t risk having an accident.
It is also a good idea to consider the possibility of staying over at your employer’s house. Think ahead, check the weather forecast and plan for adverse weather conditions.
Remember to ensure you keep safe and warm in the snow. The impacts of the cold weather are worse for young children, babies and those with pre-existing medical conditions.
Make sure you:
Written by Emily Martin for Harmony at Home Limited. All Rights Reserved, 2018
January 2, 2018 | Leave a Comment
Get set in time for Winter this year with these top tips.
Nannies and parents, with the weather as unpredictable as it it, it is important to be prepared for bad weather conditions that could strike at anytime! Winter often brings with it cold and severe weather conditions so it is always recommended to take precautions.
Nannies and parents, if bad weather is predicted it is vital you know what to do to ensure the safety of yourself and your children and charges.
Written by Emily Martin for Harmony at Home Limited. All Rights Reserved, 2017
October 26, 2017 | Leave a Comment
Bedtime reading. An activity that many families share as part of their child’s daily bedtime routine.
But why? Why is it important to read to our children before turning the light out?
Whether it’s a short story, an educational or a chapter book, lots of fun can be had with reading.
Bedtime reading is an excellent habit to have, and here’s why:
It’s true, children can learn so many different aspects from reading. A number of different life skills can be taught through books. Not only this, but it allows children’s imaginations to be opened up to a number of different things. Most children will become passionate about reading a book and will grow to love a certain character wanting to act them out or recreate a certain scene in the book.
Reading can also help children to build up and establish life values and morals. Books that are age appropriate are usually aimed to teach children different life skills. For example; how to treat others, what is important in life, and daily life events. Stories and books bring easily explain life expectations, in a way that children can grasp and understand.
For many children, reading before bed, sparks a passion for books. With so many distractions in society today, from devices and tablets to television and gaming, it is important to encourage children to spend time away from the screen and get involved with reading.
Bedtime reading can also help to sustain a suitable nighttime routine for your child. For some children, ‘story time’ before bed is their favourite part of the day. If you are finding that your child or charge is reluctant to go to bed, you can use this as a bribe.
For many parents, bedtime reading with their child is a special time that is treasured. This is especially true for working parents, they are given the opportunity to spend time one to one with their child.
Reading with your child before bed is a precious moment that should not be taken for granted. Many children enjoy snuggling up in bed with their parent taking time out to read a story. Over time, an invaluable bond is built up.
Spending time reading before bed, relaxes the mind and gives children the ability to switch off their brain from the day.
Not only is reading good for relaxing and teaching life skills, it can also help to stimulate your child’s emotion and development. Reading can help to prepare your child for their time at school, having the ability to read will give them a head start when the time comes. It is also great to continue reading throughout the duration of your child’s time at school. Children should spend around 15 – 20 minutes reading per day.
When you child is able to, encourage them to read to you. Not only does this build up their confidence with reading, but it also improves their speech development skills.
Don’t take reading with your children for granted. Enjoy these precious moments with them, watching them develop and grow. Spending time reading together before switching off the light, relaxes the mind and helps children to drift off to sleep.
Written by Emily Martin for Harmony at Home Limited. All Rights Reserved, 2017
October 13, 2017 | Leave a Comment
Climate change is happening and lots of environmental issues surround us each day; rubbish on the streets, shortages of water, and a rise in pollution. Unfortunately it is more or less impossible to solve the issue of global warming and climate change. However, by implementing small changes into your day to day routine and trying to live as Eco-friendly as you can, can help to result in a global change.
Our world is full of harmful chemicals and toxins, so it can be helpful to know the changes that you can make to try and implement a greener lifestyle. We are able to offer advice and guidance on this through a number of different areas enabling natural parenting.
To find out more about our natural parenting service, click here. You will also be able to book a consultation with a qualified Norland Nanny.
Children are the next generation, so it is important that they are aware how they can care for the planet. Encourage you children to have a go at:
Many schools are now trying to be Eco-Friendly and are encouraging children to get involved. Children like to share what they are doing at school, at home. This is hugely important as it allows the message to spread around. Passionate children are able to make a difference.
A great tool you can use with your children is an Ecological Footprint Calculator. This tool is hugely beneficial and can help them to gain a greater understanding about the impact of global emissions. Once you have filled out all the questions you are able to see your results. Talk them through your results and see if they are able to understand.
By making small changes we are able to help contribute to a more Eco – Friendly planet and a greener lifestyle. Encourage children to get involved and inspire the next generation.
Written by Emily Martin for Harmony at Home Limited. All Rights Reserved, 2017