Nannies becoming popular for Australian families

Working parents are increasingly hiring nannies as stand-in stay-at-home mums.
As more women juggle babies with the boardroom, Mary Poppins is the secret to a smooth household for many families.

Image: Nanny Kylie Kirk with (from left) Connor, 3, Riley, 4, and Aiden, 18 months. Picture: Chris Scott

Nanny agencies and websites say inquiry for in-home care is rising in the face of spiralling childcare costs and waiting lists.

But parents are being warned not to expect The Brady Bunch's Alice Nelson - a house cleaner and child carer in one.

Kate Christie, director of the Babysitters and More online service, said nannies were no longer just the domain of the wealthy.

"Some mums just can't get their children into a creche, and there's a sense of desperation," she said.

"The added benefit is busy mums come home to a clean home, with the ironing done and the dinner on the stove, and a stocked fridge.

"But people have to be upfront at the start what they require of the nanny - they can't just suddenly ask them to do the vacuuming."

Nannies cost between $18 and $33 an hour before government rebates. Agencies say they cannot meet the demand for afternoon care.

Leading Nanny Agency office manager Wendy Dassie said nannies were becoming more popular every year, but some parents had unrealistic expectations.

"A lot of clients will ask for the Bradys' Alice - a cleaner, a housekeeper, a double mum," she said.

Moonee Ponds working mum Amy Wallis, 32, puts her three children in childcare for two days a week and hires a nanny for another two.

The cost is about the same for each.

"My mum was looking after my boys two days a week, but she relocated, and I couldn't get them into any more days at day care," she said.

"Day care is good social interaction, but having a nanny makes it easier to get out the door."

By Elissa Doherty Herald Sun

Where do you weigh in on the nanny dbate? How is affecting childcare numbers?

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