While a Nanny and a Governess seem to be quite similar, there are a few distinct aspects that define one from the other. The most distinctive difference is that a Governess will focus on the children’s educational development and their etiquette. A governess is focused on making sure children are reaching educational milestones and whilst they ensure that children are safe and cared for, their main focus will be the child’s education and etiquette. On the other hand, a Nanny will also ensure that the children are cared for, they will also help with nursery duties such as sterilising bottles, organising the children laundry and preparing meals for the children.
Because a Governess is significantly more educationally focused, parents tend to hire a Nanny for the first few years of the child’s life and once they start school, then the family may hire a Governess. Having a Nanny and a Governess is not mutually exclusive, some families may decide to hire both to help care for their children.
Hiring a Governess for your family is similar to hiring full time private tutor for your children, The Governess will have full responsibility for overseeing both the formal and informal education of the children in their care. As well as teaching all aspects of the curriculum, the Governess will also help with the social and cultural development of the child, encourage self-awareness and creativity. While there is no minimum experience requirement to become a Governess, typically a Governess will have at least 5 years of professional childcare experience as well as having either a teaching background or higher childcare education qualification. Because of their increased experience and significant qualifications, a Governess is the most expensive childcare option available. While Nannies may or may not have an advanced degree, Governesses have a teaching certification and are able to design a personalised curriculum for each child in the house. Some children who work with a governess are home-schooled, while others attend a traditional school in addition to governess work.
A Governess is similar to hiring a full time private tutor for your children, however, instead of specialising in a particular subject, a Governess will provide a full range of education. A Governess will work alongside the educational system in place in your region. A Governess functions as an educator and is not usually employed to perform domestic tasks or to meet the physical needs of the family’s children such as preparing meals for the children, organising the children’s laundry or tidying the children’s bedrooms. Because of the educational focus a Governess has, their responsibilities will differ from a Nanny.
A Governess’s responsibilities can include:
The reason a family chooses the services of a Governess differs from family to family. If you require flexibility for your family travel throughout the year without affecting the quality of your child’s education or you are in a position where you feel the standard schooling system is not an option for you, then a Governess is the perfect option for your family. However, some families hire Governesses in addition to regular schooling and these Governesses are often seen as specialised tutors, who provide extra instruction in both a child’s regular academic subjects as well as extracurricular learning. This could include activities such as a second language or a musical instrument. It is also common for families who enlist the help of Governesses to require a tailored curriculum for their children, and or a level of personal security and privacy that outside schooling is unable to provide. A Governess privatises and personalises your child’s education. A Governess is able to start working with children as young as 3 years old and can work with a family up until their children have finished their school years.
As with any position, the salary range of a Governess will depend on the experience, languages spoken and qualifications of the candidate as well as the requirements of the positions. A live out Governess can ask for between £13 to £17 net per hour whereas a live in Governess can ask for between £550 to £800 net per week. However, these are the current market rates, and depending on the experience and qualifications of the Governess and the type of position you are looking to fill, the Governess is able to negotiate a salary that is outside of these examples. For example, if a Governess speaks a second language, especially a second language that is in high demand, the Governess is able to request a higher salary than those who are not bilingual.
As the Governess’s employer, you will also be responsible for any tax contributions that are required on behalf of the Governess. The experience and qualifications that the Governesses possess make them the most elite childcare and educational option available to families. This also means Governesses are in high demand and are able to be particular about the positions they decide to commit to. Once you have found a Governess that you would like to hire, speed is the key to ensuring you do not miss out. An agency that specialises in Governess placements, such as Little Ones, streamlines this process for you.
Our years of experience within the childcare industry has meant that our vetting procedure has been honed down to a fine art. When you use an agency like Little Ones that specialises in Governesses you can rest assured that the Governess you are being presented with has had a thorough background check, verbal references have been verified by our consultants and their experience compliments your requirements perfectly.
Our consultants believe that you should feel supported the very moment you contact us, and will not stop once you have found your Governess that perfectly compliments your needs. Our consultants are always on hand to assist at any point during your search and even after you have found the Governess for you.
Private Governess agencies such as Little Ones take the hassle of resourcing potential Governess from you and will only present you with the best of the best that we meet. We bring them into the office for a face to face interview where their experience and qualifications are discussed at length and we are able to obtain verbal references which we then personally check ourselves.
All of our private Governesses will have the following:
From the very first call, your expert Governess consultant will guide you through what your options are, what would suit your requirements most closely and put your mind to rest with any concerns you might have regarding your private Governess search. Our consultants are also on hand to help and answer any questions you might have along the way, using an agency that specialises in private Governesses like Little Ones means you have a direct line to the experts. No matter what stage you are at with your private Governess search, our consultants are on hand to assist.
Our years of experience within the Governess industry means we know what it takes to be an exceptional private Governess, which is why all the private Governesses we work with are the best of the best that are available. We pride ourselves on providing a premium level of service and care for our clients because we expect the same from our Governesses. We maintain the highest standards and expect the best from our Governesses because we know you expect the best for yourself.
Here at Little Ones, we pride ourselves on being able to delicately align a premium, luxury service for an aspect of your life that is so personal.
Using an agency that specialises in private Governesses for your home like Little Ones means you can be sure you will receive support from every side, we will take the stress of finding a private Governess from you and present you with private Governess options that perfectly aligns with your Governess needs and your schedule.
We work with your family to find solutions, whatever your needs. To make perfect and seamless placements is Little Ones ethos.
