Useful information for families

On this page is a selection of information you may find helpful, including tips on conducting interviews, some useful websites, details of paying an employee and a model Contract of Employment.

Interviewing

There are no 'rules' for interviewing a potential employee, but parents should supplement the background checks which Hire a Nanny will have carried out with their own carefully-considered questions. Use the Nanny profile, the Nanny's CV and the guide below. To help you find the right nanny for you Hire a Nanny has provided this useful list to help you with your interview. Please click here to obtain a printable copy.

Paying an Employee

Becoming an employer for the first time can be stressful and confusing. Most individuals do not have an intricate knowledge of the UK tax system and employment law. Domestic Employers have the same legal obligations as commercial employers. If you employ a nanny you are legally required to register with HMRC as an employer and operate a PAYE scheme. Hire a Nanny recommends that all families outsource the nanny pay to avoid any unforeseen problems for both you and the nanny. Hire a Nanny works in partnership with Nannytax, the original UK payroll service for employers of Nannies. For further information please click here to download the PDF or contact Hire a Nanny for more information.

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Useful Websites

http://direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/Childcare/DG_071219
There are a number of websites which are full of information for parents and families wishing to employ a nanny to care for their children. These sites are independent of Hire a Nanny and give advice and information on a range of subjects relating to the employment of nannies. The government's own site, directgov is a good general guide and covers such topics as

• Choosing a nanny
• Training and Qualifications
• Contract of Employment and employment rights
• Pay, tax and National Insurance

In choosing Hire a Nanny to assist you in your search for a nanny, a number of the steps recommended in this section are carried out by us on your behalf, leaving you free to focus on the areas specific to you and your family. The Department of Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform website www.berr.gov.uk is a useful guide to the regulations on pay, conditions, hours of work, leave entitlement etc. and all aspects of the relationship between employers and employees.

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Qualifications

These are the websites of the organisations whose courses are taken by nannies, and whose certificates and diplomas are awarded for their successful completion.
CACHE (formerly NNEB)
http://www.cache.org.uk
EDEXCEL (BTEC and NVQ)
www.edexcel.org.uk
QCA (Qualifications and curriculum authority) - monitors teaching and examination organisations and administers NVQs.
www.qca.org.uk

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Pay and Income Tax

http://www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/employers/
Inland Revenue - employers' pages

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Nanny Tax

http://www.nannytax.co.uk
A company specialising in providing taxation services for employers in the field of childcare.

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Criminal Record Checks

http://www.crb.gov.uk
CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) - agency set up by the Home Office to enable employers to check with for criminal backgrounds with a number of government and other agencies

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Model Contract

Click here to view a model contract of employment (Word Document)