Find the Perfect Nanny for your Children

Welcome to Pumpkins!

Choosing the right person to care for your children is one of the most important decisions you’ll ever make. We are here to do all the hard work for you so you can concentrate on choosing the very best match for your family from our handpicked selection of experienced and qualified childcare professionals.

Your family’s safety is paramount so be rest assured that each Pumpkins candidate is vetted personally and meticulously by us.
All references, DBS, first aid and driving licences are checked.

As part of our service, we stay in touch to ensure all goes smoothly. We are always in the background should you have further questions down the line. We think outside the box and try to find solutions for all families.

During our conversations with you we will learn your family requirements so that we can ensure we send you a well-matched shortlist of CV's.  We will then arrange a convenient time for to you to meet the nannies.

We recommend an adult only first meeting and then inviting a nanny back to the home for a second interview/playdate with the children. After a job offer is made and accepted, we offer a contract template and can support with payroll and employment details.

Little Girl reading book
What our Families Say

As parents of three young children with no previous experience of hiring nannies (or having been looked after by nannies), we were very nervous about embarking on the recruitment process.  With Pumpkins, every aspect is approached with experience, professionalism, sensitivity and empathy. Jane and Claire took time to understand our individual personalities and situations; in terms of our family, our work, our expectations and our needs.  As a result, they were able to match prospective nannies to us, avoiding wasting time and ensuring a bespoke service.  The nannies they found for us enriched the lives of our children and benefitted the whole family. 

Melanie A

We approached Pumpkins due to their reputation, and they certainly lived up to it. Both Jane and Claire are clearly very experienced and I found them very professional, whilst being honest, friendly and responsive. They prepared us well for the interviewing and it was invaluable to discuss it with them afterwards, to help us choose the right nanny to suit our requirements. The aftercare has also been excellent and it’s so reassuring to know they are there for any additional support.

Sally A

Really pleased with our experience. We were matched with an absolutely wonderful nanny who exactly met our requirements within just a few days of contacting the agency. The agency followed up my calls and emails promptly and supportively.

Ceri W.

Other Useful Information for Parents

Ofsted

Nannies who would like to become registered with Ofsted can join the voluntary part of the Ofsted Childcare Register (OCR), however Nannies are not required to be registered on the Ofsted Childcare Register. Registration is entirely voluntary.

  • The cost of registration is £105
  • DBS check £60 (even if nanny has already had a DBS check done, another one must be carried out (unless the previous check was obtained via Ofsted within the last three years).
  • DBS checks can now be registered on the ‘Update Service’ for £13 per year. This keeps an up to date record and can be checked at any time.
  • Nanny Insurance (public liability insurance) £70 to £90
  • A valid paediatric first-aid certificate (valid for 3 years)£80-£120
  • Nanny needs to confirm that she has the Common Core skills and knowledge in childcare and is therefore suitable to work with children (Level 3 OCN Common Core Skills £138, or a minimum of Cache Level 2)

Any nanny can become Ofsted registered, regardless of experience, providing they meet the above criteria.

You can use childcare vouchers to pay an Ofsted registered nanny.
For more information please visit http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/early-years-and-childcare/for-early-years-and-childcare-providers/caring-for-children-their-own-home.

Job Roles

Daily Nanny
• The average working day for a live-out nanny is 10-12 hours.
• A full-time nanny is entitled to 28 days including bank holidays per year.
• Typical nanny duties include children’s laundry, meals, maintenance of bedrooms, playrooms and communal areas.
• The average salary is £13-15 gross per hour in Hertfordshire.

Nanny/Housekeeper
• The average working day for a Nanny/Housekeeper is 10-12 hours.
• All nanny duties can be expected as well as household chores, family cooking, etc.
• A Nanny/Housekeeper is entitled to 28 days including bank holidays per year.
• The average salary is £13-£15 gross per hour in Hertfordshire.

After School Nanny
Standard duties include school runs, homework support and cooking an evening meal.
The average hours are 12.30pm-6.30pm (a minimum of 6 hours is required) and the average hourly rate is £16 gross.

Please note that the standard rate for a nanny’s petrol allowance for using their own car is 45 pence per mile.

Fees

Our fees for permanent nannies are 3 x the gross weekly salary of the position. Fees become payable 14 days after a position has been confirmed.  For full breakdown please view our fees page.

Please read our terms and conditions for more information.

If you’d like help in finding your new nanny please contact us using our family registration form or contact us

Automatic Enrolment
Parents who employ nannies will have legal duties to automatically enrol their nanny into a workplace pension. Further details can be found here.

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