SureStart Approved Nannies & Nanny  Childcare Vouchers (The Childcare Approval Scheme)

The Childcare Voucher Scheme was created to help parents pay for their children’s nursery, childminder, nanny or after-school activities/programmes.  You are only able to obtain childcare vouchers through your employers who may or may not be registered with one of the voucher issuing bodies such as Accor Services.  

How the vouchers work: each week you are able to redeem up to £5 in childcare vouchers.  The money is taken directly from your monthly salary before taxes and National Insurance deductions are made.  Not only does it help in making childcare a bit more affordable, it saves you as much as £100 per year in income that would have paid towards taxes and National Insurance.

However, it is not as easy as simply applying for the voucher scheme.  Your nanny needs to become approved by the government-based institution, SureStart (http://www.childcareapprovalscheme.co.uk).  In order to become qualified, your nanny must have an up-to-date (issued in the last three years) paediatric first aid certificate as well as a UK childcare qualification (click here to view our Guide to UK Nanny Childcare Qualifications).

There is also a two-day “Nanny Induction” course that is offered by MNT Training (www.mnttraining.co.uk) that your nanny can take in order to have a UK qualification.  The course costs just over £100.  If you require your nanny to take this course, it is standard practise for parents to finance this.  The course is held once per month spread across each Friday and Saturday for six hours per day.  Each course only enrolls around 20 students, so please be sure to register your nanny far in advance. 

The last step to getting your nanny ‘SureStart Approved’ is for her to schedule an interview and register with SureStart.  This registration and interview process must be done each year in order for your nanny to remain ‘approved’.  Registration with SureStart costs approximately ?00 per year.

Registration generally requires your nanny to complete a 30-minute interview about his/her childcare experience, verify that his/her qualifications are valid and to complete an Enhanced CRB Disclosure to ensure (s)he has no criminal background (click here to read more about Nanny CRB checks).  Once this disclosure comes back clear (this can take up to eight weeks), SureStart will issue a document stating that your nanny has been approved and is registered for a specific one-year period.  The final step to claiming childcare vouchers for your nanny job is to show this SureStart registration document to your employers and you’ll be on your way to great savings!

Click here for details on recommended nanny agencies in your area. All our recommended nanny agencies have confirmed that they conform to our  strict nanny welfare and child welfare Code of Practise.

NANNY NANNY PAGE LINKS

Back to Nanny Nanny home page.
Nanny Jobs
Nanny Agencies
Live in Nanny
Live out Nanny