This help centre article has been written for the Koru Kids nanny service
*Last updated - 12th April 2022*
If you're a nanny, read our advice for nannies by clicking here.
Our top priorities are to keep our families and nannies safe and healthy, and to help public health authorities reduce the spread of the virus. It is essential to continue to follow the official Government Guidance.
Although most legal restrictions have been lifted and many people have been vaccinated, it is still possible to catch and spread COVID-19, even if you are fully vaccinated.
The main theme of the current Government Guidance centres on using personal judgement to manage our own risk.
While no situation is risk free, there are actions we can take to protect ourselves and others around us. Following this guidance will help you stay safe and protect others by controlling the spread.
Can a nanny work at the moment?
Yes. Click here for examples of when your nanny can't work in your home and what steps to take if this happens.
How can my nanny travel to work safely?
Wherever possible, nannies should avoid busy public transport and instead walk, cycle or drive to the family's home. When you're searching for a nanny with us, we'll only show you nannies who live within walking or cycling distance of your home.
If public transport is unavoidable, wearing a face covering is recommended.
How can my nanny work safely in my home?
Your nanny should minimise close contact with members of the household they aren’t caring for as much as possible.
Other recommendations to work safely include:
Regularly wash hands, especially on arrival.
Regularly clean touched objects and surfaces, for example door handles, kitchen items and toys. Use your normal household cleaning products.
Keep internal doors open where possible to minimise contact.
Maintain good ventilation, for example keep windows and doors open, or be outside where possible.
It is optional to wear a face covering while working as a nanny, but is it not required by law. The other measures mentioned above are the best ways to manage risk, and you should not rely upon wearing a face covering only.
Please note that face coverings should not be used by children under the age of two, or those who may find it difficult to manage them correctly, for example primary age children unassisted, or those with respiratory conditions. If your nanny is considering wearing a face covering at work, we recommend you both read all of the guidance provided in this article.
It’s important to communicate clearly and regularly with your nanny, to align on expectations about what your nanny must do to manage risk and also what measures you are taking. If either you or your nanny has concerns, it’s important to raise these early.
Advice on interviewing nannies
If you're not working with a nanny right now but are hoping to hire one, we would recommend arranging phone or video interviews in the first instance as we think it is best for nannies to avoid visiting multiple homes for interviews.
If you do conduct interviews at home you should, wherever possible, maintain distance and exercise excellent hygiene:
· Regularly wash hands, especially on arrival.
· Regularly clean touched surfaces, for example door handles, and try to keep internal doors open where possible to minimise contact.
· Maintain good ventilation, for example keep windows and doors open, or be outside where possible.
· Disinfect surfaces when a guest uses shared facilities, like bathrooms.
You may also wish to consider the following discussion points with nannies:
- Adherence in recent weeks and in future to latest social distancing, self-isolation and household-isolation advice.
- The work situation in both households e.g. working from home, working in a healthcare setting, commuting by public transport.
- How the nanny will get to work.
How are Koru Kids supporting its nannies?
We think it's incredibly important to continue supporting our nannies who are working during this uncertain time.
We have three trained, experienced teachers on staff (2 primary, 1 secondary) who are available to support nannies with any individual issues
Our nannies receive a weekly schedule or activity ideas, in addition to any specifics you’ll send their way. You can find them here
We're giving nannies tips on how to navigate childcare while the parents are home (it isn’t always straightforward!)
Nannies have access to a private facebook group of other Koru Kids nannies where they can get ideas and support from each other as well as from us
We are emphasising coronavirus safety to our nannies, including frequent hand washing and keeping social contacts low in their non-nanny lives
How can I update my search requirements to find the right nanny?
To make sure that nannies see exactly what you need, we highly recommend updating your profile and the following key sections:
Update your start date: you can now tell us more clearly when you need care, and how long for. This will display to nannies.
Write a job description: you can add more details about what sort of care you need right now. This will display to nannies.
Make your job visible to nannies: select 'Post my job to nanny job board' on your job details. This will allow local nannies to find your job description, and apply directly.
If you've signed up with us already, you can update your requirements by logging into your account. Just click the icon in the top right-hand corner and click 'Your job details'.
If you haven't yet created an account, click here to sign up.