When it comes to childcare, there are many different options to choose from. That’s great news for busy parents who need options to help them fit their busy lives into parenting their precious little ones.
Whether you live in the UK or abroad, here at London Governess, we have a range of childcare choices for you to consider. Of course, much of it depends upon the age of your child and what you actually want to put into place.
For instance, do you want a childcare specialist who can live in with you? In that case, the individual will have their own working hours but they will live in your home with their own room, etc. Or, you can opt for a live-out childcare worker, someone who works set hours but lives elsewhere, with the flexibility to offer extra hours in certain situations, e.g. if you have a work event you need to attend in the evening or when you need to travel.
There are so many choices that it’s good to have an idea of what you want before you start searching for the perfect person for the job.
We offer governess and nannies in the UK and overseas. Our childcare specialists can travel with you and can teach your children specific skills, e.g. foreign languages and musical instruments. However, many families like to choose a rota governess or nanny.
Let’s explore what this type of childcare professional does.
Rota Governess And Rota Nanny Explained
As the name suggests, a rota governess or rota nanny is a professional who works on a rota system with other professionals within the same niche. For instance, you could have two governesses working with your family on a rota system. One governess could work for one week, then have a week off, and the other governess will take over, etc. The same goes for nannies with younger children.
The type of working arrangement you opt for really depends on your needs. During their rota’d hours on duty, rota governesses and nannies will be on duty for 24 hours. Of course, when the governess needs to sleep and eat, they will arrange this around when the child is sleeping. In many ways, it’s the same as a parent would do.
Being on call for 24 hours is obviously very tiring and that is why the rota system is in place, to ensure that the governess or nanny has adequate rest between shifts.
This type of situation usually has two governesses or two nannies working together and that means they need to coordinate their work to ensure proper handover when one goes off duty and the other starts.
All of our rota nannies and rota governesses are highly experienced in working within this rota system. That means you can rest assured that there will be no handover issues and no problems with two professionals working side by side.
Why is a Rota Governess or Nanny a Good Choice?
You might be wondering why employing a governess or nanny on a rota arrangement is a good choice. This may not be the best option for all families but it’s something to consider if you need your childcare specialist to be on duty for a long amount of time.
Many families only want their governess or nanny to work for a few hours in the day or evening when they are out at work or otherwise engaged with whatever responsibilities they need to fulfil. In that case, a rota nanny or rota governess isn’t necessary, because a regular governess or nanny can work their shifted hours and then finish work for the day or evening. Of course, there is still the option to work extra hours on an ad-hoc basis, e.g. if there is a special occasion or a need to travel, but overall, a regular amount of hours per day will only be required.
However, some families have specialist needs which requires extra childcare cover. For instance, a family may have a parent or both parents who are required to work evenings or nights. In that case, a rota nanny could cover the on call during the evening, when the child is sleeping. They would also work during the day, because the parent would probably need to rest at some point.
That’s just one example of why a rota nanny or rota governess may be required and how it can help.
Of course, there are many benefits to choosing this type of arrangement:
- The child gets used to the nanny or governess after spending a lot of time with them
- Having two nannies or governesses on duty means the child learns social skills from two professionals, which helps them in their development
- Parents can rest assured that their child is looked after 24 hours throughout the day and night
- The child benefits from two approaches to childcare. Every single governess or nanny has their own approach to caring for the child and while they need to sync their approaches to ensure no major swings from one side to another, the change can be very useful for helping a child to adapt to different situations and people
- Flexibility to ensure that if any unforeseen circumstances crop up, the child will always be cared for.
What Does a Rota Nanny Do?
A rota nanny will care for a young child or baby, working alongside another nanny and on call for 24 hours during their set days. As before, their particular arrangement will depend upon the family’s needs.
All basic nanny duties will still be carried out by a rota nanny; the only difference is that they are on duty 24 hours per day.
Main duties include:
- Basic care for the child, e.g. changing, washing, and feeding
- Establishing a good quality sleep routine for the child
- Educational play activities
- Supervising during meals and preparing meals
- Teaching the child basic skills, such as tying their shoe laces and table manners
- Focusing on good behaviour and appropriate discipline
- Bathing and dressing the child in the morning and evening, as appropriate
- Taking the child to parties and other social events, as well as necessary appointments, e.g. the doctor or dentist
- In some cases, the nanny will carry out basic housekeeping, according to the family’s needs.
Again, the major difference here between a nanny who lives in or out and works regular hours and a rota nanny is that the rota nanny works in conjunction with another nanny and works for 24 hours a day over a set period. The nanny will live with the family during their working days and away from the family when they’re off work. At that time, the other rota nanny will take over and do exactly the same thing.
What Does a Rota Governess Do?
As with the rota nanny, a rota governess will complete the same duties as a governess who works regular hours. A non-rota governess will usually work for five days a week, with the possibility to work extra hours if there is a need to do so. However, a rota governess is on duty for 24 hours per day, during their working days. They will work alongside another governess and coordinate their handovers properly.
In many ways, coordination between two governesses is a lot more in-depth than with two rota nannies. A governess is focused on the education and development of a child, rather than their basic needs, unlike a nanny. For sure, governesses will cover basic needs during their time working but their focus is far more on education. For that reason, a handover between two governesses needs to include feedback, progress, and plans for the week or days to come. This will ensure no major upheaval for the child and help their education and development run as smoothly as possible.
The main duties of a rota governess include:
- Support the child’s education
- Teach the child outside of the curriculum, e.g. a foreign language, a musical instrument, or another subject the family would like the child to learn
- Help the child become resilient and confident
- Teach a child courage and help them overcome challenges
- Become a trusted guide and help the child to overcome emotional problems
- Help the child to develop into their personality with confidence and ease
- Support the child when transitioning from one school to another/year to year
- Support the child’s basic needs
- Will be on call 24 hours per day during their rota’d days of work.
Finding The Right Professionals For The Job
Even thought two rota nannies or two rota governesses aren’t going to be working together, they need to get along and coordinate their efforts in accordance with the family’s needs. That requires maturity and professionalism, something which all of our childcare professionals have in abundance.
Two professionals needs to blend together to ensure continuity of care for your child. In many ways, it’s a similar situation to when healthcare professionals change shift and hand over to their colleagues. While we’re not talking about healthcare here, but childcare, the same kind of attention to detail and care needs to be employed in this situation too. Our professionals understand this and are well practiced in careful handovers.
Finding the right nanny or governess takes time and effort and that’s why we, here at London Governess, are proud to have helped as many families as we have. The process is a worrisome one if you have no guidance and you will be concerned that you may have chosen the wrong person. However, when we help to match you up with your ideal governess or nanny, you don’t have such concerns.
We have years of experience in matching families with governesses and nannies both here and in the UK. We know what it takes to find the perfect match and we don’t cut corners when doing so. We check every single one of the professionals on our books so you don’t have to worry about background checks or qualifications. We only accept the very best into our agency.
All you need to do is inform us of your needs and tell us a little about your child/children and the family as a whole. What are you looking for? What do you need? What are your extra wants and desires? We will then work to tick every box you give to us. In many cases, we can do this at short notice, as we understand that sometimes you need to find your nanny or governess quickly. This is not a problem for us.
Childcare at Home And Overseas
We have many requests for rota governess and rota nannies both here in the UK and overseas. This is something we can easily arrange for you, as we have countless professionals on our books, ready to jump into action.
Many of our governess and nannies have travelled extensively and have experience of the area you’re in or moving to. That takes a huge load off your mind as you’ll feel more confident that your child is in the very best hands. Of course, it also means you can teach the family about the local area and help with settling in much faster as a result.
If you have recently moved to another country or you’re considering a move in the near future, simply contact us with all the information you have and we can start looking for the best professionals for your needs. If the move is yet to happen, let us know as soon as you can and we can have everything ready for you when you arrive.
It’s true that a rota nanny and rota governess arrangement may not be necessary for all families, but it’s a true blessing for those who need it. If you’re not sure if this is the best fit for you, don’t hesitate to contact us and we can discuss your options and find the best outcome for you.
