Hiring Guide: Nanny Job Duties and Responsibilities
We’ve previously discussed Nanny Salaries in South Florida. In this section, we will cover typical nanny job duties and responsibilities in South Florida. Let’s start with the most basic qualifications that a Nanny should have.
Typical Qualifications & Requirements
- At minimum, a high school graduate
- Verifiable, non-family-member experience caring for children
- Training in early childhood education
- First aid training and child and infant CPR
- Reliable transportation, Driver’s License, auto insurance, and safe driving history
- Authorization to work in the U.S.
- English proficiency
- Reliable, honest, and trustworthy
- Physical ability to care for a young child
- Ability to plan, organize, and multitask with minimal supervision
These qualifications may seem basic, but at Kensington, we take it a step further. Anyone we refer to a family must meet our stringent requirements and pass our screening process. We require a minimum of 5 years of recent, verifiable professional childcare experience. Our bread and butter is finding the most qualified nannies in South Florida. The great thing about using a nanny agency versus an online database is that you can be assured that candidates not only have the qualifications to be a nanny, but they have a proven track record of succeeding in their nanny duties.
Typical Nanny Job Duties
Below is a list of the typical job duties for a full-time Nanny:
- Create a stimulating, nurturing, and safe environment for the children
- Supervise the children’s activities at all times
- Plan and prepare meals and bottles for, and feed, the children
- Dress the children
- Place the children down for naps and bedtime
- Bathe the children
- Change diapers
- Potty train the children
- Perform housework related to child care, including washing the children’s clothes, cleaning up after meals, tidying play areas, and washing bottles
- Teach the children good social manners
- Play with the children, both indoors and outdoors
- Plan and lead educational activities, including reading, with the children
- Discipline the children, when necessary
- Drive the children to and from activities
- Administer medicine to the children
The nanny job duties listed above are a generalized list. As you can see, nannies handle everything related to the children and child-related cleaning. However, every family is different. Your family may or may not need all of these or your family may need more! That is why having all expectations noted in a Work Contract is so important. And, when you hire an agency to find your perfect Nanny, you have a team making sure that candidates can deliver.
At Kensington, we offer complimentary tools like a family/nanny work contract so you don’t have to draft your own and fear missing an important detail. Our contract is customizable to your family’s needs and follows industry standards.
A note about housekeeping job duties.
Please note that many families may also need house cleaning duties, however, not every nanny is skilled at housekeeping that is not related to the children. Most nannies only provide childcare because the quality of care can be diminished by the distraction of household cleaning such as deep-cleaning bathrooms, vacuuming and mopping floors, ironing, dusting, and organizing storage. We offer services for both nannies and housekeepers. Read about our comprehensive services here.
Custodial v/s Whole Child Care
The distinction between a babysitter and a nanny lies in the level of care provided. While a babysitter primarily supervises a child with limited emphasis on directed stimulation or child development, a nanny job duties are more involved in planning and conducting activities that actively contribute to the child’s social, emotional, and cognitive growth. A professional nanny dedicates time each week to work on various developmental areas, including small and large motor skills, dressing, potty training, reading, counting, artistic activities like finger painting, outdoor walks, and fostering social interactions. The focus of a nanny’s job duties extends beyond mere supervision, encompassing a holistic approach to the child’s overall well-being and development.
Summary
The Hiring Guide for Nanny Job Duties and Responsibilities, focused on South Florida, provides insights into the qualifications and duties expected. Basic qualifications include being a high school graduate, having childcare experience, and training in early childhood education. Kensington goes further, ensuring candidates meet stringent requirements with a 5-step screening process. Typical nanny duties encompass creating a nurturing environment, meal preparation, and various child-related tasks. The guide emphasizes individual family needs, advocating for comprehensive work contracts. Kensington offers a customizable family/nanny work contract. It also delves into the distinction between custodial and whole-child care, underscoring a nanny’s role in actively promoting a child’s overall development.
Key Takeaways
- Most professional nannies have a minimum of 5 years of recent, verifiable, non-family member childcare experience.
- Nannies will typically only handle duties related to the children including child-related meal prep and clean up.
- Nannies do not generally perform housekeeping or deep cleaning duties.
- A nanny, in contrast to a babysitter, actively engages in planning and conducting activities to enhance a child's social, emotional, and cognitive development, dedicating time to various developmental areas.
Ready to find your perfect Nanny?
We conduct a custom search for your family. Start your search today by filling out the family application.