Live-In Mother's Help

We place live-in mother’s helps across the UK and worldwide

Duties of a live-in mother’s help

Live-in mother’s helps work alongside a parent or a senior nanny. They assist the mother/father with looking after the children and generally help around the house (e.g. vacuuming, dusting, preparing meals, light washing, ironing, etc). An older and more experienced mother's help may be asked to take sole charge of the children. Typically, they will undertake nursery duties such as bathing, dressing, feeding the children, clearing up the kitchen after meals as well as the children’s washing, ironing and tidying their rooms. Live-in mother’s helps are also required to keep their own bedroom and bathroom clean and tidy.

Other duties include, driving the children to school as well as to sports and other social activities (play groups, baby classes etc.) and ensuring that they complete their homework. In the case of bilingual live-in mother’s helps, communication with the children will often be done in the foreign language requested by the parents. Live-in mother’s helps should stimulate children’s development through play by engaging in activities such as painting, drawing and singing and provide the parents with regular reports on their children’s progress.

Standard working hours

Typically 10-12 hours a day (e.g. 7am to 7pm, Monday to Friday) with 2 days off per week. A live-in mother’s help may sometimes negotiate working 6 days per week for a higher salary. Two or three nights of babysitting per week may also be included in the salary. Any additional babysitting such as at the weekend would normally be paid in addition to the salary.

Accommodation and food

Live-in mother’s help should be provided with their own furnished single or double bedroom and if possible with a television and/or a DVD player. They should be allowed access to the family bathroom. However, some families offer a bedroom with a separate or en-suite bathroom to allow the live-in mother’s help some privacy.

Live-in mother’s help should be allowed to stay in the home at the weekends.

Food is provided and paid for by the employer. Any food likes and dislikes or special dietary requirements should be discussed between the live-in mother’s help and the employer.

Salary and holiday entitlement

Salaries will depend on whether the position is based in the UK or overseas, as well as on age, experience and the duties involved. They are usually paid weekly. Typically, live-in mother’s help can charge between £150 and £250 net per week in the UK and between £250 and £350 net per week overseas. Mother’s helps’ tax and national insurance should be paid by the employer. We will be happy to provide you with more information regarding this. Where the live-in mother’s help is required to provide a 24 hour live-in cover whilst both parents are away, a specific salary should be negotiated prior to employment.

By law, nannies in the UK are entitled to 28 days holiday per year including National Bank holidays. Some families require their live-in mother's help to accompany them on holiday, in which case the mother's help’s salary as well as travel, food and accommodation expenses should be covered by the employer.