Questions Families Frequently Ask
Q: What type of childcarers do you provide?
A: We find qualified & experienced live-in and live-out nannies, English and foreign nannies & maternity nurses from all over Europe. We will provide you with the (to our knowledge) most suited people available and keen on the role with you.
We also offer a wide range of aupairs from all over Europe as well as au pair plus, Au pair couples, maternity nurses, babysitters in London and mother’s helps
Q: What’s The Difference between a nanny and au pair?
A: An au pair is a foreign person who comes to the UK to work in exchange for housing under a prescribed set of guidelines and weekly au pair pocket money. She or he has a little bit (sometimes alot) of childcare experience but not a lot usually and is not qualified.
A nanny is a broader term to refer to anyone a family employs to look after a child or children in the household. All our nannies are experienced and/or qualified. The Peek-a-boo childcare Agency has a large selection of both options for you and your family and we will advise you as to what type of childcare that suits your needs best
Q: How do I find a nanny, mother’s help or maternity nurse?
A: You can phone 0207 6009880 to speak to a consultant or send an email to info@peekaboochildcare.com and we will be in touch with you shortly to discuss your needs.
Q: How much does a nanny cost and how much cheaper is an aupair? What hours do they work?
A: Live in nannies range from £250 and up. Most London families pay £350 or more per week. They usually work approx 10-12 hours a day, Mon-fri plus baby sitting and with regular breaks of course. Live out nannies are on £8-10 per hour net and sometimes more if they have specific skills such as French or tutor experience. She will work PT or FT as per your request.
An Au-pair will cost anything from £75 for 25 hours and up to £150 for 35 hours and £200 plus for a mothers help from overseas who does 40-45 hours. We will help advise you what to pay your carer.
Q: Where do you advertise?
A: We do not advertise anywhere. All our business is either from referrals and recommendations or the internet. We rely sole on a good reputation.
Q: What is the cost of the agency to find me an au-pair or nanny?
A: We charge a registration fee of £50 plus VAT that can be deducted of the total fee. We charge this fee in order to know that you are serious about the search and as committed to us as we are to you. After we successfully confirm a placement with you we will charge another fee which is called a placement fee. The amount ranges from £400+ for aupairs and 15% of the annual net salary for a nanny. We also have temp fees available for short term nannies and emergency nannies and sitters. Please note that we will help you with contracts, employment tips, advice during the placement and reviews so if you feel that the fee is high, please note that there is alot of work involved in what we do. We also have a nanny payroll service available as an add on
Q: Experienced/vs qualified nannies?
A: We train nannies in house at our maternity and baby academy and encourage all nannies without formal qualifications to come and gain this certificate. However, we also place nannies that are just experienced. Our nannies should have at least 2 years’ experience, love children and be of a good nature. We know most of our nannies and can often tell you alot about their experience and/or qualifications.
Q: What if the nanny or Aupair placement doesn’t work out? Do I get my money back?
A: We will do our very best to ensure things will work out between you and your nanny or aupair and we offer a guarantee period for all families. It is in our interest to keep you happy so we will work alongside you to make the procedure as smooth as possible. For further details and terms and conditions, please call or email us. 0207 6009880 or info@peekaboochildcare.com
Q: Do you do CRBs?
A: YES The Criminal Records Bureau record check should be obtained by EVERY nanny in the UK. The agency runs an in-house CRB check for all our nannies. You should ideally have a new one done every 2 years or more often. We charge £100 for this service
Q: Do you have Ofsted registered nannies so I can get tax credits?
A: If you and your household qualify for childcare vouchers, Peek-a-boo offers Ofsted registered au pairs, nannies. We also do the Ofsted core skills courses here as well as registration in-house which means that you can send your aupair or nanny along to become registered and therefore save 100s and even 1000s this year.
Q: What living accommodations must I provide for my nanny or Aupair if she lives with us?
A: The nanny must have 7 day live-in accommodations including her own bedroom and bathroom. Most families provide food or give a food allowance to their nannies.
Q: How do you find your nannies?
A: We are a fully staffed Nanny and Aupair placement agency and employ full-time professional nanny and aupair consultants who search the nation and Europe to find the most qualified child caregivers but most our nannies and aupairs come to us from word of mouth, ie they were recommended to us by their friends. We look for career nannies, college graduates with education degrees or degrees in a child related field, governesses, as well as empty nesters and mother’s helpers. We work alongside several reputable aupair and nanny agencies overseas that supply us with aupairs & nannies from overseas.
Q: How do I know that the nannies you provide are properly screened?
A: Peek-a-boo provides the most thorough nanny screening process in the nanny & Aupair placement industry. We take up written references as well as verbal refernces and we meet with each nanny in person or via skype. All our aupairs are interviewed over the phone or in person by us or their local rep in their home country. When looking for nannies, we perform CRB checks as well as train them in house is they need any help
Q: How long does it take to find the right nanny or Au-pair?
A: When looking for a nanny or au-pair, it is best to give yourself 2-3 months advance notice. However, should you require an immediate start, The Nanny Agency has vast resources in the nanny & aupair placement field and is always prepared to present you with pre-screened nannies & aupairs who are available for immediate placement. Peek-a-boo has access to the most qualified caregivers whether you need a nanny today or three months or even a year from now!
Q: What are the typical nanny or au pair duties?
A: The nanny’s primary responsibility is caring for the children, but sometimes she is also required to perform light housekeeping duties. Make sure you discuss all duties beforehand. Most nannies prefer to focus on the children.
An Au-pair is meant to do childcare and also light housework, ie, simple meals, laundry , ironing, straightening up their rooms, driving the children, helping with homework, and some family and household errands.
Q: Should I expect my nanny or Au-pair to do full housekeeping?
A: Only light housekeeping is required of the nanny and focused on the needs of the children – no full housekeeping. However, Au-pairs may be required to do full housekeeping/cleaning (often paid extra)
Q: Must I provide a vehicle for my nanny?
A: Yes, families hiring nannies through our nanny placement services are required to provide a vehicle for the nanny if driving is required, although in rare instances, a nanny may bring her own car for personal use.
Q: Who pays for the car insurance for my nanny?
A: If your nanny is required to drive as part of her job, you would pay for the insurance.
Q: Do you do CRBs?
A: YES The Criminal Records Bureau record check should be obtained by EVERY nanny in the UK. The agency runs an in-house CRB check for all our nannies. You should ideally have a new one done every 2 years or more often.
Q: Is it customary for a family to provide health insurance for their nanny?
A: No, not in the UK. The vast majority of nannies are covered under the NHS and medical care is free of charge.
Q: How do I pay nanny tax? What are my responsibilities.
A: If you employ a nanny in the UK you have the same legal responsibilities as a commercial employer and the law requires you to:
• Register as an employer
• Set up and operate a PAYE scheme on your nanny’s behalf
• Keep tax records on her behalf
• Provide your nanny with regular payslips
• Provide her with an employment contract (The Agency can supply you with an example contract)
• Pay regular income tax and National Insurance Contributions
• Pay employer’s National Insurance Contributions
• File an employer’s annual tax return
The agency runs a full nanny payroll service which includes free employment law advice. Call Sara or Monica on 02076009880 to find out more.
Q: What areas of the country does Peekaboo Nanny & Aupair Agency serve?
A: We place nannies in London and throughout the entire UK and overseas as well. The Peek-a-boo London Nanny and Au pair Agency is a full service nanny placement agency.
