Why do Nannies need more then Childcare Training. Lets Talk nanny qualifications
The Australian Nanny Industry has come a long way since I first entered it 5 years ago. I’m proud of the progression made so far but I personally think it still has a long way to go. Nanager started so that I had a platform to implement the positive change required in the industry and one of the biggest problems I face is finding talent. The art of combining home management with an exceptional nanny service can be hard to find so dabbling in training solutions came naturally to The Nanager journey.
For the first time ever last year, the Australian Government required nannies to be holding or working towards a childcare qualification if they were to service a family under the In Home Care Rebate. I have mixed feelings about this because I hold a Diploma in Children’s services and believe that about 40% of the qualification is irrelevant to #nannylife. Right now it’s the best option because there is no accredited nanny training course and for years now I’m struggling to understand why.
Childcare experience is definitely a vital skillset required for a nanny to succeed but the role a nanny plays with a family completely unique to any other role. People often don’t consider the psychology behind what we do. Nannies come in to self manage their own role, having a front row seat to the ups and downs of family life. A childcare qualification trains a nanny in working within a center setting, nanny qualifications should do the same to build the skills needed to deliver a professional domestic service.
There needs to be more training content targeted beyond childcare and targeted towards the unique parts of the role:
- Conflict resolution
- Building routines
- Marketing and branding
- Employment rights
- Building value
- Effective communication
- Self-management
- Financial management
Training days are common within our industry. The Australian Nanny Association brings the ANA Convention to Australia every year seeing Nannies travel for a full day of education. Agencies partner with consultancies like Back on Track Consultancy to target skills nannies can use every day to further support the development of children. The general theme of the topics always stay the same and with it, I often see the same nannies engaging with these events. They should be proud of their passion to grow and evolve as a professional but I can’t help but think, if there was more targeted content to support nannies outside of just childcare, would see the crowd grow/ change?
Nannies often manage their own career. This can include negotiating working arrangements, setting up the working arrangement in writing, conflict resolution with the families when there are grievances, managing finances, building a professional brand and much more. If we equipped more childcare professionals to have confidence in this side of the role, would we see more join our industry?
Families often explore a nanny with no understanding of how it works. Without the right guidance and education, this can result in a break down of the arrangement, creating a bad experience for all involved. These bad experiences can see families exit the industry, never to return. If we trained nannies to properly manage these experiences with correct nanny qualifications, would we see an increase of good roles on the market?
With the focus of organisations like the ATO, FWO and ANA influencing great change in our industry, it’s natural this will see the quality and professional standards lift for both nannies and families. In true Chief Nanager style though, I want to use my platform to start influencing the training within our industry. Boss Nanny is our new sister company where we are creating better training and resources for our industry. Our latest event has just sold out, so I think that’s writing in the sand that nannies want more.