UK-wide Campaign Set-up to Guarantee Safe and High-quality Childcare for Everyone
UK-wide Campaign Set-up to Guarantee Safe and High-quality Childcare for Everyone
A grassroots campaign - Road to Nanny Regulation is advocating for the regulation of Nannies. It aims to ensure the safety, well-being and development of children across the UK.
Road to Nanny Regulation was founded by Nannies Maria Culley and Allie Bell in 2022, after the duo noticed a huge increase in the number of families relying on childcare.
The campaign today aims to push for further regulation across the nanny industry, preventing those who are unsafe, untrained or qualified from caring for children.
The Road to Nanny Regulation Campaign would encourage a reform of the Ofsted Register, which requires nannies to be officially registered and undergone background checks, as well as mandating that they receive a minimum amount of training and knowledge in childcare safety and knowledge. We would propose a 6 week minimum course, which would include training on the Early Years Framework, and the importance of play in learning.
“With little to no oversight or regulation, there is literally no guarantee that all nannies right now are qualified or properly trained to care for children,” says Maria Culley, co-founder of the Road to Nanny Regulation campaign.
“This means that almost anyone can become a nanny, without receiving any formal training or qualifications, putting the safety of children at risk. Luckily, our campaign has been set-up to solve this issue, and we plan to push the campaign forward until we receive a positive outcome.”
In addition to strengthening policies, The Road to Nanny Regulation will also provide resources and support to families and nannies to ensure full compliance with any new regulations. Working closely with politicians, industry experts, as well as families to raise awareness of the importance of nanny regulation, the campaign aims for meaningful change in order to provide families with peace of mind.
“Employing a Nanny is a popular and viable choice for parents, and offers that flexibility which is essential for many families. We believe that every child deserves a safe and high-quality childcare experience, as they do in all other early years provisions, which are all regulated by Ofsted, so why should Nannies be any different? says Norland Nanny Allie Bell, also a co-founder of the campaign.
“The fact is, a tradesperson, nurse or teacher wouldn’t be able to work if they didn’t have the right qualifications or training, and so why aren’t we placing an even higher need for checks on those who are ultimately becoming responsible for the safety of our children? Shockingly, there is also no available system in place to hold nannies accountable for any negligence or harm caused to children under their care.”
“We hope that the campaign will encourage politicians and the Department of Education to take action and implement regulations that protect our children and support the growth of the nanny industry. We would also like to consider proposing some sort of tax relief for working parents that employ nannies, to help the childcare infrastructure in the UK, alongside nurseries and childminders.”
Notes to Editors:
Both Maria and Allie argue that once nannies are regulated and licensed, it will provide parents with another viable and flexible option – whilst keeping families around the UK safe from harm.
Both Maria and Allie are Qualified Nannies themselves and have received awards within their industry. Maria Culley received the Most Inspiring Early Years Nanny 2022 from LUXlife Parent and Baby Awards, Literacy Titan Silver Book Award for There's a Nanny in MY House!
Allie Bell won Nanny Agency of the Year 2019 and has over 30 years or experience within the Early Years Industry as a Norland Nanny and Nanny Agency owner.
For more information on the campaign, visit:
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What do parents know about nanny regulation? We want to know! Please do share this link around to any nanny employers and parents: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/PWGCZV6
The information in this article is provided by Maria Culley and Allie Bell and does not represent Morton Michel.