COVID FAQ

COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions

No. We have moved all recruitment interviews online to protect our staff, nannies and clients.

When regular childcare has been affected by COVID-19 we can introduce you to nannies that work in the home setting on a short-term or long terms basis. Nannies in the home setting provide dedicated childcare and a lower risk to your family during social distancing.

Tell us what you need by completing our registration form, and we will do the rest. We are experts at finding the right nanny for each individual family. We work hard to quickly find you the best fit.

We suggest that all preliminary interviews take place over video call. Once established that you would like to move forwards, we can arrange a face to face interview which is compliant with the new ‘Stay Alert’ guidelines.

Under the current ‘stay alert’ guidelines, it is possible to conduct an interview in a private garden providing the social distancing requirements are complied with. The details are set out in the Coronavirus outbreak FAQs: what you can and cannot do;

www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do

Do keep in mind though that the emphasis is still to stay at home where possible, so video or other virtual interviewing should be considered in the first instance, and an in person interview should only be arranged with both parties agreement to abide to the social distancing rules.

If conducting the interview in a garden, do consider how the parties will travel to interview, e.g. whether it is possible to avoid public transport (if impossible a face mask/covering should be used) and whether the candidate or interviewer fall into the shielding categories. If either party has coronavirus symptoms, they should follow the then current self-isolation guidelines and not attend the interview.

Precautions must be taken regarding sharing a professional portfolio of evidence. If this can be done digitally it is advisable.

Upon entering the family home (some gardens are accessed through the home), shoes must be removed outside, and hands washed immediately.

Candidates ought to wear fresh, clean clothes, and ensure that they have washed their hands, and been to the toilet prior to making their way to an interview. They ought to go straight to the interview from their home, ideally in their own car, and should carry hand sanitiser suitable to eliminate the virus from their hands. Planning ahead is important.

Trials should ideally take place outside. When held inside social distancing rules ought to be abided to and should only take place after both households have self-isolated for 7 days, and 7 days should be left between different in-home trial days with different candidates / families.

These are our suggestions, based on the guidance set out by the government week commencing 1st June 2020.

Our Top Tips for Nannies and Families on Staying Safe during COVID-19 are suggestions, based on the guidance set out by the UK Government.

Cleaning

  • It is important to clean resources, toys, light switches, door handles and all high touch point areas thoroughly and regularly. Make a resource, toy, and touch point cleaning rota.
  • Cleaning products should be provided for the Nanny to use. Products such as Milton and Dettol, should be kept out of reach of all babies and children.
  • Tissues and wipes should be readily available to the Nanny.

Handwashing

  • Ensure that Nannies, Children and Family members in the home wash hands regularly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, throughout the day, and upon leaving and entering the house, before and after every meal, snack, or drink.
  • Soap and Hand sanitiser should be provided and made readily available in the home setting.
  • A separate bathroom area should be made available for the nanny and children where possible.
  • Children should be supervised to ensure that they wash their hands correctly.

Health and Safety

  • The home setting is the workplace, and so ensure that a risk assessment has been performed and is regularly updated – at least once a month or whenever government policy significantly changes. Contact your local Harmony at Home branch for a free risk assessment template.

Environment

  • Ensure that the home setting is decluttered and put away any unnecessary soft toys or furnishings.
  • Ensure that where possible the nanny and child have a dedicated toilet, and where possible a dedicated desk or workspace.
  • Other members of the household should where possible keep socially distanced from the nanny.
  • Bins in the home setting should be regularly emptied and sanitised each day.
  • Doors that can safely be left open should be, so as to limit door handle use.

Well being

  • The nanny should only bring to work a water bottle, lunch box, spare clothes, and handbag from home. No other nonessential items should be brought into work. The nanny should have their own set of pencils / pens / notepad at work, and these should be separate to others.
  • The Nanny and the children ought to wear fresh clean clothes each day, and bathroom towels ought to be washed after each use.
  • Tissues and or the elbow should be used to catch coughs and sneezes.
  • Games and songs can be used to help children feel safe and learn new routines.

Visitors to the home

  • Visitors should be limited to essential only (e.g. essential property repairs). Social distancing must take place when an essential visitor enters the home. The visitor should wear a mask and use hand sanitiser. Try to stand side to side and not face to face where possible, and limit the time spent with outsiders.

Mealtimes

  • The nanny and child should eat their lunch in an allocated area, and where possible outside.

Outside and Ventilation

  • Nannies and children should be outside as much as possible. When inside, windows should be opened to ventilate rooms.
  • The Nanny should be provided with and must wear a mask on public transport and in shops, along with hand sanitiser. The Nanny should avoid using public transport, shops, and playgrounds during peak periods.

The Government released their ‘PLAN TO REBUILD: The UK Government’s COVID-19 recovery strategy’ on the 11th May 2020 which outlines a recovery strategy in response to COVID 19.

Nannies are cited within page 26. It says:

“The Government is also amending its guidance to clarify that paid childcare, for example nannies and childminders, can take place subject to being able to meet the public health principles at Annex A, because these are roles where working from home is not possible. This should enable more working parents to return to work”. 

You can read the full document including Annex A here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/our-plan-to-rebuild-the-uk-governments-covid-19-recovery-strategy

The government released Social distancing in the workplace during coronavirus (COVID-19): sector guidance on the 1st May 2020

“Working in people’s homes as a tradesperson, cleaner or nanny

You are a tradesperson carrying out essential repairs and maintenance in people’s homes, or are carrying out other work in a home such as cleaning or paid-for childcare in a child’s home. You can continue work, providing that you are well and have no symptoms. No work should be carried out by a tradesperson, cleaner or nanny who has coronavirus symptoms, however mild, or when someone in their own household has symptoms.”

The Government asked a question in their FAQs “Can I travel to someone’s house to look after children?” The answer given by the Government was:

“If you provide paid-for childcare in a child’s home, you can go to your place of work – this is in line with Government guidance that you can travel to work if working from home is not possible. However, it is important that you take as many precautions as possible in line with Public Health England guidance, including:

  • if you or someone in your own home has symptoms, you should not go to work, but self-isolate in accordance with Government advice
  • you should not work in any household which is isolating or where an individual is being shielded, unless it is to remedy a direct risk to the safety of the household
  • wash your hands more often than usual, for 20 seconds using soap and hot water, particularly after coughing, sneezing and blowing your nose, including when you arrive at work and when you return home
  • to reduce the spread of germs when you cough or sneeze, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue, or your sleeve (not your hands) if you don’t have a tissue, and throw the tissue in a bin immediately. Then wash your hands
  • clean and disinfect regularly touched objects and surfaces using your regular cleaning products to reduce the risk of passing the infection on to other people
  • maintain social distance as far as possible with family members and others that you are not directly caring for

Your employers are responsible for informing you and supporting you in how to maintain these measures.”