R1.7 million to be a nanny?

If you are looking at taking a gap year and want to explore the world and earn some cash along the way, then being an au pair may be the ideal job.

New research from UK based Direct Line reveals high-end nannies and au-pairs can take home wages as high as £104,000 (R1.76 million) – more than four times the national median annual salary of £23,474 (R397,760).

In addition to generous wages, some nannies can also expect to see extravagant benefits including their own flat/house, holidays, car allowances, cash bonuses, free gym memberships, private health insurance, and travel expenses, the survey found.

The wages of high-end nannies are often counterbalanced by their hours of work, with their demanding schedules often exceeding the median 37-hour working week.

Nannies can be expected to work as many as 84 hours a week and some employers expect them to be on call 24/7. Nannies can earn the highest wages by working internationally in the Middle East, Asia and Russia, where British nannies are in high demand.

Some nanny positions were found to have more obscure criteria to secure the hire. These included possessing ski instructor qualifications, agreeing to feed the pet donkey and working alongside your other half on the job.

One agency even reported parents demanding more than just couples, requesting pairs that spoke specific languages, such as Russian.

One of the families interviewed in the research commissioned by Select Premier Insurance, would only recruit a British nanny that could cook vegan meals and speak fluent Mandarin. Some family requests were more aesthetically focused, asking for “ugly nannies only”, and others asking for “size six nannies only”.

Besides the exceptional salary, generous employers sometimes reward their staff with highly costly and unexpected items as gifts alongside their other perks. One nanny interviewed by the insurer described how she was given a home by a family after spending ten years looking after their children.

Another childminder was given a Rolex watch with the children’s names engraved on it for her 40th birthday.

Nick Brabham, head of SELECT Premier Insurance, said: “Making sure that your children have the best possible care is a top priority for all parents. As a result, families are spending more and more to ensure that their child is safe and looked after by someone that is reliable, responsible and a good role model.

“Whilst ensuring that a nanny can provide the best level of care for your children, and will be able to meet their needs and demands, parents should also ensure they can trust the nanny being in their home unsupervised. Householders with a live-in childminder should always remember to protect both their own and their nanny’s belongings by registering them both on their insurance policy.”

To become a high-end nanny you are expected to have at least three to five years of previous experience, which rises to over ten years’ experience for those who want to become a governess (a nanny who also has teaching qualifications).

Additionally, a governess is also required to have a full DBS enhanced check and at least a Level 3 childcare qualification.

By way of comparison, online au pair community Au Pair SA, says that salaries locally are between R45 and R80 per hour, depending on the experience and qualifications of the au pair, as well as the number of hours per week you require them to work.

“On average, a full-time au pair working around 40 hours per week would expect a monthly salary in the range R7,000 – R11,000 if you require them to have their own car, and around R5,000 – R7,000 if you don’t. Live-in au pairs are usually paid slightly less than this as they are receiving free accommodation from the family in addition to their basic salary.”

Travelling expenses should be remunerated at roughly R3.00 to R4.00 per kilometre for all travelling done for the family in the au pair’s own car during their working hours, it said.

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