Live-Out Mother's Help

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

Duties of a live-out mother’s help

Live-out mother’s helps work alongside a parent or a senior nanny. They are not necessarily trained. 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.

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-out mother’s helps, communication with the children will often be done in the foreign language requested by the parents. Live-out 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

Live-out mother’s helps tend to work slightly less hours than live-in mother’s helps i.e. typically 10 hours a day (e.g. 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday) with 2 days off per week. A live-out mother’s help may sometimes negotiate working 6 days per week for a higher salary. They may accept some babysitting if agreed in advance and paid in addition to their normal salary.

Accommodation and food

Live-out mother’s helps do not live with the family but should live within 40 minutes of their employers’ home. Lunch should be provided by the employer.

Salary and holiday entitlement

Salaries will depend on age, experience and the duties involved. They are usually paid weekly. Typically, live-out mother’s helps can charge between £350 and £400 net per week for UK placements. 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-out 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.

A minimum of 4 weeks holiday and National Bank holidays are included in the holiday entitlement. Some families require their live-out mother’s help to accompany them on holiday, in which case the live-out mother’s help’s salary as well as travel, food and accommodation expenses should be covered by the employer.