Hundreds of nannies still unable to work

The government is still preventing nannies under the age of 20 from working through a chartered service despite a call from parents for more in-home child care.

NZ’s leading provider of in-home childcare and training PORSE says the government is wasting precious resources as hundreds of trained nannies are left unable to work.

Families wanting to employ nannies under 20 can not access chartered home-based services that provide both nannies and parents with professional high quality support and on-going training – instead they have to try and negotiate a private arrangement.

PORSE managing director Jenny Yule said now was the time for the government to act and adopt the under 20 criteria which should have come into effect on 1st December, 2008, after years of work and consultation with home based services that support nannies.

Instead an Education Ministry review, when National was elected, has delayed the new regulations that were put in place by the previous government.

“We have parents desperate to get their children home based care with a nanny but we are faced with this unnecessary shortage,” Ms Yule said.

Ms Yule repeated her call for a meeting with the education minister.

Ms Yule said PORSE called for an urgent meeting with Anne Tolley in December and was told they would be consulted on the process but six months later there had been “no communication from the ministry”.

“Under the current system the minister is effectively forcing more parents to put their young babies into daycare centres, which are already facing overflowing roles and staff shortages,” she said.

PORSE currently provides professional training and support for more than 1500 nannies and their families throughout NZ.