Tag Archives: Los Angeles

How to Hire a Nanny: What to Know and How a Nanny Agency Can Help

Hiring a nanny is a huge commitment for a family and one that shouldn’t be entered lightly. British American Household Staffing (BAHS) is here to take the headache out of the entire process by providing personal attention, expert advice, and a roster of thoroughly screened nannies.

Below is a general outline of what to expect when you begin the process of hiring a nanny.

What Nanny Is Best For Your Child(ren) and Lifestyle?

Understanding your family’s specific needs are necessary in order to recognize your perfect nanny. A few questions to consider are:

What are the ages of your children?
Would a nanny specialising in education and tutoring be ideal?
Does your family travel extensively?
Do the children need full-charge care?
Would a high-energy nanny that can keep up with busy schedules be best?
Or would your children thrive with a calm, quiet presence?
Do you employ other staff in your home and need a team player, or a nanny that works best autonomously and knows what to do with little direction?

Beyond the basic nanny duties, many experienced candidates bring further expertise. Depending on your needs and a nanny’s qualifications, your home may benefit from one of the following kinds of nannies:

Full-Time Nanny

The most common kind of nanny is one that works full-time with one family. The nanny’s exact schedule depends on the family, but full-time nannies most often care for the children while the parents are at work and/or handling household management beyond childcare. A full-time nanny will be comfortable working with other household staff, coordinating calendars, planning activities for the children, preparing food for the children and keeping all of the children’s areas neat and tidy.

Part-Time Nanny

Part-time nannies offer much needed support for busy families that need afterschool or weekend childcare. Afterschool pickups and transportation for older children are usual responsibilities for part-time nannies.

Nanny-Tutor

Many of BAHS’s nannies have extensive backgrounds in education and childhood development. A nanny-tutor will be able to prioritize educational activities and work with each child’s unique learning styles to foster an engaging environment. Many nanny-tutors also speak a second or third language and can instill a multi-lingual environment for your child(ren).

Travel Nanny

For on-the-go families, a nanny well-versed in traveling is essential. A travel nanny will know how to pack, arrange travel, manage children through transit hubs and be able to problem solve in an unfamiliar environment when necessary.

Nanny/Personal Assistant

The nanny that can take on personal assistant tasks can be a big help for busy families with older children that don’t need as much attention. Your nanny/personal assistant’s first priority will be childcare, but when the children are at school or afterschool activities, the nanny will be able to help out in other ways around your home. Errand running, calendar coordination and household organization tasks can be given to a Nanny/PA, sometimes called a Family Assistant.

Newborn Nanny

Nannies that specialise in newborn care have extensive experience with newborns, infants and toddlers. They will understand the specific needs of each child’s development stage and be able to navigate each stage’s unique challenges.

View the full post on British American Household Staffing’s blog.

Opening Up on Miscarriage, Isolation & Grief

Our very own Katherine Patterson opens up about her pregnancy loss and why we should never give up hope.

There’s an uncomfortable reaction around the word ‘miscarriage.’ For those hearing the news, and for those who bear it, communication can feel awkward and superficial. Unlike a death of a friend, a parent or a grandparent, there seems to still be a resounding taboo around knowing what to say or do in response to the loss of a baby that hasn’t yet been introduced to us.

This taboo extends to women’s bodies, especially women’s bleeding, whether it be menstruation or miscarriage.

It seems to make people feel very uncomfortable, perhaps because the subject either gets politely avoided or swept under the rug.

“People don’t want to know,” said Julia Bueno, a London-based psychotherapist and author of On the Brink of Being: Talking About Miscarriage.

“It has taken a woefully long time for miscarriage to be taken seriously by the medical profession.” In the absence of knowledge and data, Bueno noted, women in their desperation for an explanation will find reasons to blame themselves. “They’ll say, ‘Oh, I shouldn’t have had that cup of coffee.’ The void creates a strong pull to blame oneself.”

View interview with Katherine Patterson on the British American Household Staffing blog.

Q & A: Your IVF and Surrogacy Questions Answered

Our British American Household Staffing team had the pleasure of sitting down with London’s leading provider of high-success fertility treatments, Harley Street Fertility Clinic.

Here, we join them as they take our questions regarding fertility treatments and share their advice on how to perfectly balance the first steps of fertility treatment, from IVF to surrogacy, with their personable and private services designed by their impeccable team of specialists for you to begin your wonderful journey.

Q: What is involved in the surrogacy process?

A: Surrogacy refers to an arrangement when one woman carries a baby or babies for another woman/couple and hands over the baby after birth. The couple, or single person, who wish to have the baby are called the intended parents. The woman who carries the baby is called the surrogate. There is provision within the Human Fertilisation & Embryology Act 1990 as amended for the granting of parental orders for situations involving surrogacy as long as particular criteria are met. We strongly advise that you seek your own independent legal advice prior to embarking upon surrogacy treatment.

Read the full interview on British American Household Staffing’s blog.

What Is the Process of Hiring Household Staff?

Running a home is like setting up a small business. The same structure, hiring processes, and operational complexities are involved when it comes to employing domestic staffing.

Just like a business, legal issues and logistical details are important when bringing on new employees. In the United States, domestic staff are required to pay taxes and report their income. This means complying with federal and state labor laws. These laws can be complex and are often overlooked. Hiring undocumented workers or not paying household staff in a legal and fair way may lower the immediate bottom line but have serious legal and financial consequences.

What Constitutes Household Staff?

Household staff are hired to work in a private home. What differentiates domestic employees from contract workers is how autonomously they work. An independent contractor will work within their own schedule, use their own tools and operate within their own guidelines. For example, a plumber would be an independent contractor.

Domestic employees work on a set schedule and process determined by the employer or homeowner. For example, your housekeeper working to your schedule and using the tools provided would be a domestic employee. This distinction applies whether an employee is live-in or live-out, part-time or full-time, hourly or salary.

Common staff positions in large and small homes are:

Estate Manager – individual managing multiple large properties and all land, vineyards, private jets and yachts.

House Manager – individual managing a single property and all staff employed there.

Chauffeur – individual hired to drive a principal and family. A chauffeur may also have a background in security.

Lady’s Maid – individual that attends to the lady of the house.

Private Chef – individual that prepares meals on a long-term basis for a household. A private chef may also manage other kitchen staff and plan events.

Butler – individual in the home dedicated to service. Duties of a butler may range from household management to wardrobe care.

Houseman – individual provides deep cleaning for the home and serves a single, usually male, principal.

Personal Assistant – individual working to support a single principal or family. A personal assistant will be able to run errands, book appointments and travel, and manage accounts.

Executive Housekeeper – individual who manages other house cleaning staff. An executive housekeeper may also coordinate vendors and repairs for the property.

Housekeeper – individual responsible for cleaning the home. A housekeeper will be well-versed in maintaining fine furniture, caring for artwork and antiques and cleaning and ironing fine clothing.

Nanny – individual dedicated to caring for the children of the home.

Governess – individual dedicated to caring and educating the children of the home. A governess will have a background in education and focus on teaching and instruction as a primary responsibility.

Private Jet Staff

Private Yacht Staff

View more on British American Household Staffing’s blog.

What Does a Live-In Nanny Do?

Why hire a live-in nanny?

Juggling work and family is a never-ending cycle of deadlines and to-do lists. Your schedule is filled to the brim: working in the day, picking the children up after school, taking them to their different activities, going home, cooking, cleaning, preparing the children’s food for the next morning and when the children are asleep ordering everything online, tidying up, trying to get some sleep, then starting all over again.

Do you think back to the time when your calendar actually had time in it for yourself, when you could go to the gym, sleep in, or order in? Juggling children, a partner, and a job can seem impossibly hard. Well, it doesn’t have to be with the right support structure in place.

We recommend hiring a live-in nanny or nanny/housekeeper for busy families with school-aged children. The house will be organized, children taken to school, picked up, meals prepared, and you will have time to breathe. You can get to the gym and on weekend days maybe sleep in. It isn’t impossible.

Some families ask “why not an au pair?” Au pairs are popular ideas, but finding a good caregiver is like winning the lottery. You could win a good one but most of the time they are almost young enough to be your own child and as carefree as when you were a late teen. Au pairs do not require the same amount of training or experience as a nanny. While this can be an adequate addition to your family, it’s better to make one hire that will last long-term and be an investment in your children’s development and success.

So, how does a family hire a live-in nanny or nanny/housekeeper and how are weekends covered, too?

View the full post on British American Household Staffing’s blog.

Celebrating Teacher Appreciation Week

The last year of lockdowns have been turbulent to say the least but they’ve also resulted in an outpouring of praise from those having to homeschool their kids – celebrities included!

Teachers have never been shown as much gratitude and acclaim as they have recently due to parents everywhere realising the magnitude of round the clock education and keeping their youngsters occupied, focused, and on schedule with their learning.

It’s not as easy as we all assumed!

Jimmy Fallon declared “Teachers should make a billion dollars and get more vacation time,” while strumming his guitar on The Tonight Show.

As we celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week, we join you all in the gratitude to those who have been teaching from home in isolation, creating lessons remotely and patiently persevering throughout the pandemic to ensure students still receive sessions to maintain their grades and learning momentum.

View the full post on British American Household Staffing’s blog.

Expecting and New Parents: Resources for Welcoming a New Baby

This week, the team here at British American Household Staffing has put together a collection of resources for new and expecting mothers, based both on personal experiences and years of working with new parents.

And, of course, should you require a newborn care specialist, nanny or any other household staff to help ease the transition of welcoming a little one into your home, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at anytime.

Recommended Items for the Home and Nursery

BÉABA Baby Food Maker: This French, sleek, small and minimal appliance is a must-have for new moms. It can steam and purée fruits, vegetables, meat and fish to the right consistency for any age.

View the full list of recommendations on British American Household Staffing’s blog.

International Women’s Day Featuring BAHS Team Members

The month of March is beautifully dedicated to Women’s History in celebrating the amazing accomplishments of ladies from the past and present. Here at British American Household Staffing for International Women’s Day on March 8th, we are thrilled to spotlight some of our team’s fabulous females who are leading the way in both their personal and professional lives, which we hope will be a positive reminder of reassurance and encouragement for all women.

A Word from our CEO & Founder Anita Rogers

“I am so proud to run two all-female companies [British American Household Staffing and Anita Rogers Gallery]. I believe in breaking through the glass ceiling and supporting women on their chosen journeys. Those who decide to become mothers will have job security with flexible work schedules to ensure they flourish in every aspect, at home and at work. We have such a cohesive and caring team at BAHS and I believe that to be due to us all being women who understand the stereotypes and challenges that we’ve at times previously faced within the workforce. Here at British American Household Staffing, we celebrate the continued success of a company built and led to inspire and encourage through diversity and strength within a sisterhood.”

Click here to read interviews with BAHS team members Catherine, Brittany and Abby.

Keep Moving: Physical Activities for Families

As we enter the final month of winter, many of us are counting down the days until the official start of spring. However, as we look forward to the warmer days ahead, it is important to continue to take care of ourselves and our loved ones while inside during the remaining winter days. The team here at British American Household Staffing has put together our list of top ways for families to stay active and spend time together, even in bad weather. One hour of physical activity per day is ideal to boost mood and energy, increase quality of sleep, build confidence, and promote overall health.

View our suggestions on the BAHS blog.

Hire Qualified Yacht Crew for Your Vessel or Household

British American Yachts provides experienced, qualified and formally trained yacht staff including Stewards and Stewardesses, Deckhands, Engineers, Mates, and Captains. We work with yachts of all sizes and work from our Miami and London offices to service any location, from the Caribbean and the USA to Europe and Monaco.

Common Yacht Crew

Captain – responsible for the smooth running of the yacht, including managing crew, accounts, inventory, and all other administrative needs.

Engineer – responsible for all mechanical and electrical maintenance on board the yacht.

1st Mate – works under the Captain to support the yacht

Deckhand – ensures the exterior of the yacht is in pristine condition and working order.

Stewardess – responsible for attending to all guests on board and upkeep of the yacht interior.

Chef – manages all food ordering, stocking, and preparation.

Nanny – families may choose to employ a second nanny in place of or in addition to their full-time nanny to manage and care for children while on board the yacht.

The same attention to client needs and matchmaking set BAHS apart from other agencies. We start from the position that each yacht staffing need is unique, necessitating individual understanding. The breadth and experience of our pool of candidates allow us to service yachts of all sizes. Contact our office today to find the right crew for your vessel.

Why Do Yacht Crew Decide to Work on an Estate?

There is more turnaround on yachts than in estates as other captains will recruit crew for journeys and most jobs are temporary, rarely will a crew stay with a boat for years and the owners don’t want to pay the crew year round when they are not travelling.

Working as yacht crew operates similarly to contract work. The hours are long and hard while on call. After one job ends, crew will either take a break on land or find another boat to work on. After some time working on boats, it is common to see qualified and dedicated crew looking for permanent roles on an estate.

Why are Yacht Crew Good Hires for Household Staff?

To illustrate the work ethic and commitment of staff with yacht experience, look at the job description of a chief stewardess:

Oversee the interior of the vessel including upholding service requirements, concierge, housekeeping, and laundry
Plan and coordinate events
Care for all guests and cater to their unique preferences
Prepare invoices for charter guests
Train other members on the crew in the standards of care for the ship, guests, and crew.
Oversee interior maintenance work
Coordinate planning with the yacht’s owner, including all the planning involved in a booking a vessel of 23 crew members and 18 guests
Must be available at all times
Working hard to prepare the vessel and process orders before guests arrive

These skills are easily transferable to domestic staffing. Attention to detail, working with the guests’ preferences in mind, and working efficiently are all stellar qualities in household staff. For example, housekeeping on a yacht must be exceptional and seamless due to the close quarters and fast-paced schedule. There is so much to do onboard that tasks must be done correctly the first time.

Hire Qualified Household Staff & Yacht Crew

If you are an estate manager, house manager, personal assistant, or principal hiring for an estate, you cannot go wrong hiring seasoned yacht crew who are looking for a change of pace.

If you are crew looking for employment, please send your CV with a general application.