Caring for your child is without a doubt your number one concern in life. Nothing is more important than the health, happiness, and wellbeing of your child.
Here at London Governess, we understand that choosing an outside professional to work with your child is a huge decision. It’s one that needs to be deliberated carefully, checked, and double checked before a final choice is made. For that reason, we go out of our way to make sure that you have all the information you need to make this vital choice, supporting you every step of the way.
If your child has special needs, identifying the right childcare professional to work alongside your family is vital. Every child is different, whether they have specific needs or not, but a SEN child requires a professional with different training and perhaps even a different approach to care.
We have many SEN governesses, nannies, and tutors on our books, all of which are highly trained and experienced. So, if you’re thinking of hiring a professional to help with your child’s care and educational needs, let us advise you.
What is a Companion Assistant?
A companion assistant is a caregiver who provides emotional support and assistance for a special needs child. In addition, they also carry out general household tasks to support the functioning of the family home.
Of course, this is only part of the process. A companion assistant is, as the name suggests, a special companion for your child. Their role is to help the child through their daily lives, but also to be a trusted and valued part of the family.
This type of bond doesn’t come easily, which is why it’s important to choose the right person for the job. Your child must feel comfortable with their new companion, and be able to connect and bond with them.
A companion assistant becomes a friend, not only a caregiver. This is someone your child can confide in about life’s ups and downs. And as your child grows into a teenager, those concerns that plague every child can be shared and ironed out, helping your child to grow happily and more comfortably. In this case, your child can focus on their education and growth, sure in the knowledge that they are supported from all directions.
In effect, the benefits of a companion assistant are endless. This person will be a constant pillar of support for the child, an ear to listen and someone who will help them to develop independence and resilience, no matter what life throws at them.
What is a SEN Governess, Nanny, or Tutor?
Under the companion assistant umbrella we have SEN governesses, nannies, and tutors. These are childcare professionals in their particular roles who have extensive training in special educational needs.
For example, a SEN governess is a professional who works with slightly older children, so perhaps from ages 6 upwards. In their role, they will help support the child’s education, while helping them to develop their social skills, independence, and resilience. An SEN governess will also become a trusted advisor and companion to the child, covering any particular needs they may have in terms of mobility and general care.
An SEN nanny will work with younger children, from newborns to toddlers. In this case, they will cover their basic care needs, while also accompanying them to social events, such as birthday parties and school events. The SEN side comes in with supporting a child’s special needs, including feeding, changing, mobility, and educational aspects, including helping the child with speech, and hitting their general educational milestones, pertinent to their age and the level of assistance they need.
Finally, an SEN tutor will help with a school age child and boost their academic ability, while supporting them in their general skills, including counting, writing, speech, confidence, math, English, etc.
An SEN tutor is a very positive addition to your child’s life because this person will give your child the confidence, they need in their school life. If your child attends a special educational needs school, the tutor may be able to go into the classroom with your child and support them in their daily lessons. If your child goes to a regular school, this arrangement may still be possible. Either way, a tutor can help your child in their home setting outside of school hours. Of course, if you home school your child, an SEN tutor can be your child’s main teacher, working towards national curriculum Key Stages.
There are governesses, nannies, and tutors who work outside of the SEN sphere. The only difference here is that these professionals have extensive training in special educational needs and can adapt their practice and approach to your child’s specific needs.
Remember, every child is different, whether they have special educational needs or not. In this case, a childcare professional can work with your child and find the best way to support them in their education. As such, your child will feel more confident and independent, safe in the knowledge that they have a trusted supporter alongside them.
The bond of trust your child will build with their governess, nanny, or tutor is invaluable. The longer they work together, the stronger this bond will become, and you will undoubtedly see your child grow and flourish under their guidance.
All of this takes a huge burden off your shoulders and helps you to feel safe in the knowledge that your child is supported.
How Does This Arrangement Work?
Now you know what an SEN governess, nanny, or tutor does, or a companion assistant as we will call them collectively, how does the arrangement work?
We are flexible to your needs, and we know that when you have a child with special educational needs, it’s not possible to be rigid with an arrangement. You need to be able to move with your child’s needs and moods to a large degree, and that’s something we understand.
Having a companion assistant working with your family will help your child to handle situations as they arise, building confidence and allowing them to overcome problems and specific challenges related to their special needs.
As such, our governesses, nannies, and tutors can work on a live in or live out basis. That means your child will be surrounded by their professional at all times, helping them to build that all-important bond of trust. You can also request a flexible working schedule, e.g., if you need to go out during an evening, you can request for your governess/nanny to work in the evening to ensure your child is cared for at all times.
If you opt for a live in arrangement, your governess, nanny, or tutor will live in your home and have set working hours, with the option to be flexible when needed. As part of this, you can request for them to complete basic and light household duties, to ensure the smooth running of your home and therefore the comfort of your child.
If you choose to opt for a live out arrangement, your governess, nanny, or tutor will attend your home on set days/hours to care for your child, but they will live in their own home. The choice is really up to you, and we can accommodate all requests of this nature.
While many parents choose for a live out option, to maintain some amount of separation and balance, with a child with special educational needs, sometimes a live in option works well too. This means that the continuity of care is always there, and your child doesn’t have to adapt to different situations quickly on a day to day basis.
You know more than anyone else that such situations can be very upsetting for your child and that routine is everything. Having a childcare professional in this guise means that a smooth transition occurs daily, therefore keeping everyone happy and supported.
Putting Your Mind at Rest
Here at London Governess, we appreciate how difficult it is to choose a childcare professional to care for your child, regardless of their age or their special educational needs status. Your child is your pride and joy, the one person you want the best for more than anything else. As such, we put every single ounce of effort into helping you make the right choice.
All of our SEN governesses, nannies, and tutors are highly trained and have the necessary qualifications and experience to do the job, including qualifications in social care and special needs education. All undergo regular updates to ensure their skills are of the highest possible standard.
Many of our professionals have worked overseas and with families of high social standings too, so this is something we can arrange for you. Discretion is of the utmost importance, and we know that when choosing someone to work with your family, you want to be sure that you can trust and confide in this person, without any concerns to the contrary.
You can also rest assured that all of our professionals are extensively vetted prior to signing with our agency. We understand how a big decision this is for your family, and we will do everything we can to ensure that you feel comfortable, every step of the way.
All you need to do is contact us with as much information as you can give. This will help us to match your family with the best companion assistant/SEN professional possible. As we mentioned earlier, every single child is different, so the more you can tell us about your child and their needs, the easier it will be for us to find the perfect match for your family.
Once we have all the information you can give, we will get to work and will be able to give you a shortlist of professionals relatively quickly. From there, it’s up to you to go with the option that you feel the most comfortable with. And take your time; this is a choice that requires careful consideration.
This person is going to be a valuable part of your family, but nonetheless, at this moment, they’re a stranger. That means you need to feel able to build a bond of trust with them, not only your child, but you too. While you’re out of the house, this person is going to be caring for your child and will grow to be a huge influence on them. You need to be 110% sure that you’ve chosen the right person, and we can help you to reach that point with careful thought and attention.
To Sum Up
A companion assistant isn’t just a regular caregiver. This is someone who will be your child’s constant companion and someone they can rely upon. As such, you also need to rely upon them to a very large extent.
This isn’t an easy decision, but allow us to help you reach the point where you feel very deeply that you’ve made the correct choice. If you can do that, you’ll know that your child is not only cared for in terms of their basic needs, but that they can learn, grow, and develop under the careful guidance of their companion assistant.
Whether you opt for a governess, nanny, or tutor, all of our SEN professionals are the best of the best. You have nothing to worry about when opting to choose one of our top-quality professionals.
All you need to do now is reach out and let us do the rest of the hard work.
