What sets the senior end of the nanny market apart, and what families should think about before starting a search.
The market for Nannies at the UHNW level operates differently from general nanny recruitment. The roles are more demanding, the candidate pool is smaller, and the qualifications and expectations sit well above what most families looking for childcare would consider standard.
We place Nannies for principals, family offices and private households across London and internationally. What follows is what we actually look for when matching candidates to families at this level, and what families should be thinking about before starting a search.
Why hiring at this level is different
A Nanny working for a UHNW family is rarely just providing childcare. The role typically involves managing the child’s schedule across multiple residences, coordinating with other household staff, supporting international travel, liaising with schools and tutors, and maintaining standards of discretion and professionalism that wouldn’t usually be expected of a more junior role.
Expectations are also more exacting. A UHNW family hiring a Nanny is often paying significantly above the general market rate, and the calibre of candidate needs to reflect that. The Nanny becomes a trusted, central part of the family’s daily life and is often required to maintain that role for years rather than months.
Most families at this level have employed several Nannies over time and have a clear sense of what works and what doesn’t. The role still needs to be defined carefully before candidates are approached, but the conversation is usually more grounded than in the general market.
What has shifted in the senior nanny market
A few patterns have become more pronounced in the briefs we are seeing.
Demand for rota and travelling Nannies has increased, partly driven by families operating across multiple residences and partly by candidates pushing back on the burnout that can come with single-Nanny live-in arrangements covering long hours.
Families are placing more weight on the wider safeguarding process around a hire. Enhanced DBS checks have long been the standard for working with children, but formal reference verification, identity checks and structured background screening are now treated as an integral part of a senior nanny search rather than tick-box steps at the end.
Families are also looking more closely at educational support. Some roles involve tutoring, preparation for school entrance, support for children with additional needs, or working alongside a Governess. In some households, the boundary between Nanny and Governess is more fluid than it used to be.
Families are also being more explicit about how the Nanny should fit into the wider household structure. Briefs now routinely cover reporting lines, communication expectations and how the role sits alongside the House Manager, PA and other staff.
What UHNW families typically expect
A few things come up consistently across the briefs we take.
Discretion as standard. The Nanny will see and hear things that don’t leave the household. NDAs are common at this level and the candidate’s track record on confidentiality matters as much as their childcare experience.
Flexibility around routine and travel. The family’s schedule will change. Plans get rearranged at short notice, the family may decamp to a country residence or travel internationally with limited warning, and the Nanny needs to adapt without it becoming an issue. Rota patterns, time off arrangements and on-call expectations need to be clear from the outset.
The ability to work alongside other staff. Most UHNW households have a Housekeeper, Chef, House Manager or PA already in place. The Nanny needs to integrate with that structure, understand reporting lines, and not create friction with people who have been with the family longer.
Calm authority with the child. The principal is paying for someone who can maintain routines, set boundaries and build a warm relationship without needing to be managed. This sounds simple but is the single hardest thing to assess in interview.
Qualifications and safeguarding
Qualifications vary, but at this level we typically look for some combination of the following:
Norland or equivalent training. Norland-trained Nannies remain the benchmark for senior private household placements. The training is rigorous, the standards are well-known, and Norland Nannies tend to be highly sought after.
A recognised Level 3 childcare or early years qualification, such as an NCFE CACHE Level 3 Diploma, Early Years Educator qualification, or equivalent. Most experienced Nannies will have one of these in place.
Paediatric first aid certification, kept current.
An enhanced DBS check, including the children’s barred list where applicable. Standard for any candidate working with children at this level.
Specialist experience where relevant. Some roles require experience with newborns and infants (often calling for a Maternity Nurse rather than a general Nanny), some involve children with additional needs, others involve school-age children and benefit from candidates with teaching backgrounds or Governess experience.
Beyond qualifications, what distinguishes a senior candidate is judgement, composure under pressure, and the ability to maintain professional boundaries while building a warm relationship with the child. These are harder to assess on paper but become clear quickly in interview.
Languages and international exposure
Increasingly, UHNW families are looking for Nannies who can either travel internationally or who bring language skills relevant to the family’s heritage or schooling.
A Nanny who speaks French, Spanish, Mandarin, Arabic or Russian opens up roles that a monolingual candidate wouldn’t be considered for. Where the family is bilingual or trilingual at home, a Nanny who can support the children in those languages is often essential rather than nice-to-have.
International exposure matters too. Nannies who have worked across multiple residences, travelled with families regularly, or held senior roles with other UHNW households tend to handle the practical complexity of these positions better than candidates moving up from more standard nanny roles.
Live-in, live-out, rota or travelling
The arrangement depends on the family’s routine and the scope of the role.
Live-in Nannies are common where there are very young children, where both parents work long hours, or where the family travels regularly. The Nanny lives on site (usually in separate staff accommodation) and time off is structured around the family’s schedule.
Live-out Nannies work set hours and return home at the end of the day. More typical for London families with school-age children where parents are home in the evening.
Rota arrangements are common in larger households where two Nannies work alternating weeks. This is more expensive but allows for genuine continuity of care across busy schedules without burning anyone out.
Travelling Nannies join the family wherever they are – London for the school term, country residence at weekends, abroad during holidays. These roles are demanding and command higher salaries to reflect the lifestyle commitment.
The right structure depends on the family’s pattern, the children’s ages, and what the Nanny is expected to cover.
Salary expectations
At the senior end of the market, salary is shaped by the demands around the role rather than job title alone. A live-out Nanny for school-age children, a rota Nanny covering international travel, and a Governess with strong academic credentials are very different hires. Flexibility, language skills, rota structure, travel expectations, accommodation and the level of educational support required all influence the final package.
We publish current 2026 salary ranges on our Hire a Nanny page, but these should be treated as guides rather than fixed bands. We can advise on where a specific role is likely to sit as part of the briefing process.
Common mistakes
A few patterns come up regularly when families move on from a Nanny who hasn’t worked out.
Hiring without a clear role definition. Vague descriptions of what the role involves lead to vague candidate matches. The more specifically the brief captures the family’s routine, expectations and any non-negotiables, the better the shortlist.
Underestimating the importance of fit with the children. A highly qualified Nanny who doesn’t connect with the child won’t last. Trial days and the principal’s instinct about how the children respond matter as much as CV strength.
Setting unclear boundaries on hours, time off and travel. Burnout and resentment build quickly when the role expands beyond what was discussed at offer stage. Time off, evening cover, weekend expectations and travel notice should all be defined upfront.
Not coordinating with other staff before the Nanny starts. Bringing a new Nanny into a household with existing staff without setting expectations on reporting lines and responsibilities almost always creates friction.
Hiring for now rather than the next few years. Children grow up. A Nanny appropriate for a baby may not be the right fit when the children are in primary school. Some families hire knowing they’ll need to recruit again as the children’s needs change. Others look for someone who can grow with the role.
Hire a Nanny with 19 London
We place Nannies for UHNW families, principals and private households in London and internationally. Whether you’re considering a Nanny hire, reviewing your current childcare structure, or deciding which arrangement would work best for the family, contact 19 London. Our Childcare & Education division will respond promptly.