Nanny (Special needs)

Nanny with SEN experience – fixed-term maternity cover, part/full time – Ealing W13

Seeking a confident, reliable & warm live-out nanny on a fixed-term maternity cover contract, from late Oct 2026 to mid-end Dec 2027.

Our family has two parents working full-time, hybrid home & office. We are seeking a sole-charge nanny to provide consistent care and support for our two children while our current nanny is on maternity leave. A short formal handover period is available from late Oct to her anticipated leave date of 5th Nov, then covering a year’s maternity plus accrued holiday (exact dates agreed by contract). If you are also available for occasional introductory / antenatal cover shifts before Oct, that is welcome.

Hours negotiable based on if you seek a part- or full-time role. Minimum requirement (core hours): 2-6pm Mon-Fri term times, 9-5 pm on school holidays / INSET days. But we are flexible for the right candidate; those looking for full time can be offered e.g. 39 hrs/week averaged through the year. No weekend hours needed.

Both our children (aged 9 and 7) are loving & spirited. One is at mainstream primary and one at special school. Our daughter, with Down syndrome, is sociable and loves singing, dancing & swimming. She is fiercely independent, knows her own mind & also gives great hugs! Our son is an energy ball and sports-mad, especially football & cricket, also enjoying art, playing piano & building projects. We have no pets.

Typical responsibilities:
- School pick-ups & after-school care (supporting homework & play)
- Preparing healthy meals for the children (engaging them to help where possible)
- Supporting them to keep their areas tidy
- Proactively planning activities away from home in school holidays, especially when parents are working at home

Additional duties, if extra hours are desired, may include:
- Children's laundry
- Batch cooking for the family
- Help to prepare educational resources (cutting out & laminating SLT sheets etc.)
- Occasional family errands
- Light housework (NB we have a separate cleaner)

Essential qualities:
- Non-smoker, enhanced DBS check, fluent English, right to work in the UK
- Experience working with primary aged children with SEN, including promoting positive behaviour techniques, informed by their individual needs
- Positive attitude & proactive approach, with willingness to learn
- Confident to maintain strong and consistent boundaries, with patience, compassion and warmth (e.g. supporting through transitions without conceding to resistance)
- Skilled at preparing healthy, varied children’s meals, encouraging positive habits with picky eaters
- Energetic; keeps up with constant demands to play sport in the garden; can handle a runner outside the house
- Paediatric first aid certification. Neither child has serious health issues, but you should remain unfazed & respond calmly when minor accidents occur – particularly our son gets into scrapes

Desirable qualities:
- Experienced at entertaining neurodivergent & neurotypical children together, despite very different desires / needs / capabilities; sensitive to SEN sibling pressure
- Driving licence for taking the children to local clubs & activities. Ideally your own car, but we can loan a family one if needed
- Basic Makaton knowledge (further support / training is available. Our daughter receives SLT therapy at school; her pronunciation is improving and familiar adults usually understand the gist of what she says, but Makaton helps her communicate.)
- Experience implementing handwriting support under OT guidance

We work closely with our children’s school and therapy teams and are happy to support relevant training and knowledge-sharing to feel confident in your position. The role may suit an SEN career nanny or a SEN teaching assistant / 1:1 looking for a stepping stone into nannying. Please get in touch to discuss further.