Professional Nannies | ECD Practitioners
There is often confusion over the difference between a domestic and a professional nanny in South Africa, especially for our foreign guests. Sitters4U places strictly professional nannies and does not place domestic nannies. A Professional Nanny or ECD Practitioner is equivalent to a professional UK Nanny. Focusing primarily on the care of children aged 18 months to 5 years old, although capable of caring for children aged from new born, where you have children aged both below 18 months and above, and you would like formal lesson planning in the home for the older children (under 5 years old) or you would like full time care the professional nanny or ECD specialist will be trained to care for and specialize in providing educational care beyond simply childcare at home. They are experienced, with a minimum of 3 years of infant and toddler care experience and we prefer working with ECD qualified staff for these placements who have nursery school teaching experience.
Through their career history as play school teachers and private 'day mom' services they demonstrate a consistent genuine passion for childcare. They will prefer to live out of the home as being more mature they often have their own families to care for. Parents think that having someone lives-in means they will have access to the carer 24 hours a day, however the BCEA and the LRA still apply and anything worked outside of normal working hours, is charged at 1 ½ the normal rate of remuneration. It is in fact off putting to many when live-in is offered as there is a perception that the nannies time will not be respected.
These candidates are mature (normally aged 23 - 54 years old), educated and experienced in caring for infants and /or toddlers. Teachers, professional nurses and special needs practitioners require a degree level education, while professional nannies or ECD practitioner working with infants to toddlers require an ECD qualification at levels 5 to 6, or over the completion of a number of equivalent courses.
Professional nannies are expected to do more than simply supervise the children in their care. While parents are always a child's primary care providers and role models, it is a professional nannies role to support the parents by contributing to theirs and their children’s vital support network and education. They assist in providing adequate stimulation, planning and providing formal lessons as well as assisting the child or children to reach their developmental milestones.
Minimum Requirements for Professional Nannies | ECD Practitioners
Our Professional Nannies| ECD Practitioners have:
- Experience and References: At least 3 year’s of experience working with toddlers with contactable references other than friends or family, most having 5 to 10 years of experience with a large portion of experience preferably in a playschool, pre school or day mother capacity.
- Vehicles: All staff have their own vehicles and driver’s licenses - this translates to less absenteeism and lateness when compared to domestic nannies.
- Education: NQF5 in ECD or equivalent.
- Personality: A passion for working with toddlers, proven through their experience and education, a loving, patient and nurturing personality.
- First Aid: A SETA approved level one first aid course (courses below level 1 are not tested and hence we require a minimum level 1 course) or they must sign up for a course when joining our team.
How do we screen our Professional Nannies | ECD Practitioners ?
- Applicants are personally thoroughly interviewed by a Sitters4U Recruiter.
- Applying applicants submit copies of ID, drivers license, proof of address, first aid, matric or higher certification and criminal clearance which are checked.
- References are checked by a Sitters4U recruiter or representative.
What does a Professional Nanny| ECD Practitioner earn?
Salaries are dependent on the experience and education level of the professional nanny or ECD Practitioner and your families requirements; if traveling is required, the number and age of children requiring care, the duties required and the number of shifts/hours required per week.
- Half day: From 2 to 6 hours per day: R 5 000 to R 25 000 ($250 -$1250 USD) p.m.
- Full day: From 6 hours upwards per day: R 18 000 to R 59 000 ($900 - $2900 USD) p.m.
- From R 140 - R 300 per hour *
($7 - $15 USD per hour)
- Rates may be discounted at agency discretion in the case of TempCARE contracts depending on the number of bookings, hours, number and ages of children and the longevity of contract engaged. This will be quoted on receipt of request.
- Rates will always work out more cheaply when using PremiumCARE than using TempCARE as PremiumCARE is a placement service whereby you as the client becoming the direct employer, and hence rates are negotiable, whereas TempCARE which is a short term recruitment based service whereby the agency manages the role, rates are set and the shorter the role, the higher the rate.
- When requesting domestic nannies who do not have a vehicle, and who have only a basic matric (NQF4) and perhaps a few short nanny courses, available through our CustomCARE vetting services, salaries are reduced when compared to professional nannies by around 20 - 40%.
- Dress children and change diaper's.
- Wash and sterilise bottles and prepare formula.
- Prepare foods and feed the child/children
- Bathing of the child/children.
- Washing babies clothing.
- Organizing and packing away of toys and materials to ensure order in activity areas.
- Washing dishes, changing bedding, sanitizing of toys and play equipment.
- Keeping records of the days activities, meals served, medications administered and milestones, observe and monitor a child’s development.
- Accompany children to group activities and classes, on outings, and to medical appointments.
- Creation, management and implementation of a child’s schedule including planning age appropriate, stimulating recreational activities, eating times and sleeping times.
- Avoiding over stimulation.
- Identifying signs of emotional or developmental problems in children and bringing them to the parents´or guardians´ attention.
- Reading, imaginative play, finger painting, etc.
- Formal lesson planning and delivery to assist the child in reaching their cognitive, emotional, communication, reading, numeracy, social, emotional and physical milestones.
