We at Little Ones have compiled FAQs that parents most ask us. We understand how overwhelming the situation can be that the country is going through, which is why Little Ones will remain open and working for each of the families & candidates who have contacted us and will contact us.
One of the main Little Ones pillars is the health and safety of families & candidates. Which is why we are taking extra precautions and making sure that each of our candidates follows government guidelines.
Our specialist consultants are just a call-way to answer any of your questions and help you with anything that you need about childcare, you can call us on 02071834098 or send us an email to c.sousa@littleoneslondon.co.uk
The COVID-19 guidance from 19th March 2020 classified as a key worker those people who work in ʻchildcare, support and teaching staffʼ under the category Education and Childcare. The latest update on the ʻCOVID-19: Guidance on social distancing for everyone in the UK, 24th March 2020ʼ advice to ʻWork from home, where possibleʼ.
People who are working as a private childcare provider and deliver essential care to children who are otherwise vulnerable, since it is a role that cannot be performed at home, are allowed to travel to and from work. So, the answer is Yes, people who work in childcare are key workers.
We are providing a letter to each of our candidates that should be accepted as proof of key worker status that needs to be used in combination with a valid photo ID. If you are interested to have this letter, we will be more than happy to send it over to you by email, you can contact us on c.sousa@littleoneslondon.co.uk .
Yes, the Government has advised that only those workers who can work from home should not leave the house to travel to work. As nannies cannot work from home then they are allowed to travel to and from work. The Government has said that childcare providers must remain active during the COVID-19 response. Furthermore those nannies who are looking after vulnerable children, or children of key worker parents are counted as key workers themselves according to the ‘COVID-19 guidance from 19th March 2020’.
Yes you can. If it is essential for you to have a childcare provider in your house then Little Ones can help you with either a Temporary or Permanent Nanny. We would recommend that your nanny avoid public transport where possible. Ideally they should walk or cycle to work. Another option is that you can drive them to and from work or if they are a driver and your family has a second car then you allow them access to this during this period.
Yes, for so many people having a Nanny or Nanny-Housekeepers at home during the day is essential for them to be able to fully focus on their work. Our Nannies are here to support you and your family and in many cases help with the teaching and education of your children so you can have peace of mind and get a full day's work done.
If you already have a live-in Nanny or Housekeeper then it is reasonable to ask them to self isolate with your family in accordance with the Government guidelines. If your employee works for you in a live-out capacity and you have a guest room or appropriate accommodation to offer them, asking them to self isolate with you and your family is a good option. However, please bear in mind they might have commitments to a family member or friend that might not make this option feasible for them. If this is the case please follow HMRC’s guidelines on staff remuneration during the Covid-19 outbreak. Many of our families who have just hired a new live-out Nanny or Nanny-Housekeeper are offering them to be live-in with them while the UK is in lockdown and then go live-out when lockdown ends.
Little Ones is up and running as normal, but we are taking extra precautions to make sure you, your family and your Nanny/ Housekeeper is safe. We are able to provide you with temporary live-in or live-out Nannies. Short term Governess Tutors who can continue to educate your children for as little as a few hours per day, so they don’t miss out on essential education because of school closures. Or if you believe a longer term option would be best for your family then we can provide you with a permanent Nanny or Housekeeper, many of which are prepared to live-in with families until the UK returns to normality. When you call us one of our experienced Consultants will give you a personalised consultation to work out what will be the best option for you and your family.
You and your family's safety and security is our top priority. Our Consultants are fully briefing each of their candidates at the initial interview stage and before they interview with a family about safety measures and the Government guidelines regarding COVID-19. Each candidate is also provided with a Coronavirus guide outlining the safety measures they must take. We are constantly sending out up to date health advice to our team so they can give the best training to our candidates. On top of this our candidates have Ofsted compliant Paediatric first aid certificates that are renewed regularly, so they know how to react in an emergency situation.
During this Covid - 19 stage, we have temporarily put a pause on all our temporary nanny recruitment as we feel it is essential to meet our nannies in person before placing them into positions. That being said, we have a very successful and dedicated temporary department who already have a large quantity of experienced and professional nannies who work on a weekly and monthly basis for many families across the UK, representing Little Ones UK, so we are confident we can supply you with a friendly face, someone we trust and has all the require background checks , qualifications and references.
Some of our dedicated temporary nannies are from a teaching background so we always turn to them first. As Covid-19 had an impact with schools closing we have had to recruit additional teachers within the last few weeks. We ensure these teachers have a video call interview, Right to work within the UK, DBS certificate and their teaching qualification. Our teachers are available for both online and in home sessions.
When you call Little Ones you will be put through to either James or Chloe, our experienced temporary team. They will listen to your requirements and understand your exact specification, we want to ensure we are matching the best possible nanny for your exact needs. The team will discuss each stage of the process, compliance checks, full fees in advance and provide an estimate of the nannies wages as well. From this, once you have authorised us to make a search we will send you profiles of available qualified nannies for your role, you can line up a quick telephone interview and have them confirmed in a few hours for your booking if you are happy to proceed. Any additional questions you may have we can happily answer them for you.
Public Health is advising people who fall into the following categories to self isolate to help flatten the spread of coronavirus:
If your nanny falls into one of these categories, they are eligible for Statutory Sick Pay, which is currently at £94.25 per week.
However, if your nanny chooses to self-isolate and does not fall into one of those categories, they are able to take the time as annual leave or as unpaid leave and as their employer, you are not liable to pay them Statutory Sick Pay.
However, if you request that your nanny stays home because you need to self-isolate or as a precaution, it is advised you still pay your nanny their full salary for the duration you are isolating for.
As Little Ones remains open and working for each of our clients and candidates, parents are asking what will happen with their nanny, nanny-housekeeper, housekeeper or au pair search. We strongly recommend to our clients to contact their consultants to go through a list of options about how to proceed and which is the best option for them. Since we offer different services, these are the different scenarios that can be presented:
If you are looking for someone to start as soon as everything goes back to normal, we have staff that are happy to have interviews with families now via video call and wait until the social restrictions have ended to start their job.
If your nanny cannot come to work due to self-isolation, they are eligible for SSP. However if your nanny is pregnant, the Government has advised pregnant women to self-isolate and minimise social contact for at least 12 weeks, starting from the 20th of March. If your nanny is pregnant and not able to come to work due to this, and is not able to work from home, it is advised that you pay your nanny their regular salary.
If your nanny has decided to not to come to work as a precaution and does not need to self-isolate, as their employer you are not required to pay them. They can either take this as unpaid leave or annual leave.
As a nanny is considered a key worker and is not able to work from home, they are allowed to travel to and from work each day. This means that other than needing to self-isolate for two weeks, your nanny should still continue to come to work. If your nanny does not feel comfortable commuting on public transport, discuss with them alternative commuting options that work for both you and your nanny. This could be either walking or cycling to and from work each day otherwise you could pick them up and drive them home each day. Alternatively, If the country is to go into a stricter lockdown it may be a possibility for them to move in with you temporarily so that they are able to continue their employment for you.
In this ever changing climate it is recommended that you speak with your employee about the short and long term plan for them and discuss any concerns they might have. This will ensure that you are both on the same page as to what is expected of each other, plan for changes in environment and discuss solutions ahead of time.
---The information provided in this article is advice for your consideration and should not be used for legal purposes
