Looking for a nanny in Kent in 2026
2026 is a momentous year for East Green Childcare as we celebrate 30 years of helping families in Kent and the south-east find the perfect nanny to make life that bit easier.
A quick recap
I was a fully qualified nanny myself and had been working for a while. I’m still in touch with many of my early-career children and have even attended their weddings! But then in 1996 another nanny and I set up East Green Child Care Services. We wanted to pass on our knowledge and expertise to other nannies and after working with families, we felt as though we had a great insight into what parents wanted for their families.
My business partner left the business after a year as her life took a different path, but I have continued East Green ever since. I’ve seen such changes in how nanny agencies like mine operate, how family dynamics and requests for childcare have changed and let’s not forget all the tech – a huge change.
Looking for a nanny in 2026 – technology
Back in 1996, everything was done on paper and agencies like East Green were one of the few options for finding childcare. East Green was a central hub for families and nannies and it’s no surprise that our business took off with roaring success.
These days East Green has a website, of course, and a wealth of information can be found on here for nannies and families such as essential information on topics like how we interview new nannies to payroll and nanny holidays, as well as lifestyle pieces on World Book Day and successful mums from the area. During the pandemic, tech came into its own as we started to conduct initial interviews over Zoom. It wasn’t ideal but it helped to keep things moving along and when we could, we met in person. Families should always meet nannies face to face before employing them! Every Nanny I interview face to face.
For families, looking for a nanny today can take many forms. Social media plays a big role for both nannies and families, and for agencies too! I can promote East Green much more easily on Facebook and that’s where I can advertise roles as well.
But just as travel consultants are coming back into fashion because people realise organising a holiday can take time, families often feel the same about childcare. Yes, it can be easy to find a nanny on socials but there’s a lot of ‘behind the scenes’ work that needs to happen: background checks and payroll being two of the most important.
Also, thanks to my knowledge, expertise and network within the childcare community, I can make sure that a nanny is perfect for you and your family from day one. Many families and nannies come to me after a failed nanny/employer relationship that they forged themselves after seeing an ad on Facebook and say, ‘She/they seemed really nice when we met.’
Social media has its benefits but, in my opinion, if you’re looking for someone to care for your children, you need a personal touch.
Looking for a nanny in 2026 – working hours
In 1996, I was sourcing more nannies for full-time positions. Full-time hours weren’t necessarily consistent across families – some wanted live-in nannies, some families needed 8am-6pm, others 12 hour days – but nannies tended to need just one family in order to make ends meet.
These days, there have been a number of changes to the way families and nannies work:
- As a society, we are more aware of a work life balance, trying to avoid burnout and understanding the importance and joy of spending time with our children. One or both parents might take part-time roles in order to enjoy family life more.
- I’m seeing lots of families combining a mix of a nanny and nursery-based childcare, as families take advantage of the ‘free’ hours on offer.
- Some families think that they can work from home and look after their children at the same time. That’s a very difficult route to take (I see families when they’ve tried this and have had to admit it’s not working!) but does mean that nannies are needed less.
As a result of all this, the maths for nannies just doesn’t add up and they have to work for more than one family to earn what they need to live. Trying to find two or more roles that can work together is tricky for the nannies. I worry that we’ll lose nannies, their expertise and dedication to other childcare locations or even other industries if this continues.
Naturally I believe that a nanny as a family’s sole childcare solution is the best option for all concerned but whatever your working week looks like, and your childcare needs, I can help you find a solution.
Looking for a nanny in 2026 – costs
As you’d expect, nanny salaries have increased over the last thirty years, but it’s been a slow rise. I think value for money has increased too, though.
Over the last thirty years, checks on people involved in childcare have improved. Leaving your children with someone is a big ask and parents must do everything they can to ensure their babies are safe. As a childcare agency, we welcome any processes that work to safeguard children, and we are strict about adherence to standards. Some of these costs are covered by families but nannies add to their qualifications too, often paying for them themselves.
Parents expect more from nannies when it comes to play, home-cooked food and enriching daytime activities, along with some asking for housekeeping too, I’m not suggesting that nannies didn’t do all of this in the 1990s – but times were certainly different.
While things change, some things remain the same. I’m still at the helm of East Green Child Care and I still love what I do. But more importantly, families still care deeply about finding the right nanny. There are different ways of doing it in 2026 but the person looking after your children is a big decision. I understand that and have been helping families for the last thirty years. And I hope to continue for a good while yet!
If you’d like to chat through your childcare needs or if you have any questions about employing a nanny, give me a call 01732 838417.
Hazel x