Archive for category: Nanny Agency Melbourne
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It's our 30th Anniversary!
1988. 30 years ago. The world’s population was just on five billion (it’s now 7.6 billion). Bob Hawke was Australia’s prime minister in our bicentenary year, Home and Away aired for the first time, ‘I Should be so Lucky’ was a number-one hit for Kylie Minogue, Rain Man topped the movie box office and Nintendo released the first Gameboy.
... read moreSummer is here!
What's not to love about summer when you are coming home after work to plenty more daylight. We can really enjoy spending time with our children outside at the end of the day.
Of course, the other side of summer is that we must be mindful of the sun and its harsh UV rays. Sunscreen and hats are things we tend to forget about in the winter months when it is raining, cold and miserable, but from September onwards, we must remember to carry these with us always.
... read moreThe strange situation of our mobile devices - part 2
Somewhere along the way, having a connected smartphone in hand seems to have become a ticket to unbridled sharing of anything and everything. If that’s your thing, that’s fine – provided the sharing relates to your private life. It is certainly not fine in a professional nannying situation.
... read moreHow to avoid hearing 'I'M BOOOORED' this holiday season!
So Christmas is approaching, which can sometimes put a strain on the family budget – but the kids need to be entertained enough so that they don’t drive everyone up the wall, correct?
So how do you do this on a shoestring, as well as keeping them away from too much ‘screen-time’?
Try out some of the ideas below and let us know how you go!
... read more7 reasons WHY you should Nanny through an Agency
While operating as a ‘solo’ Nanny may seem an attractive idea at first – ‘being your own boss’ and all that – in practice, it can be challenging. Here are seven reasons why it is worth considering working through an agency rather than going it alone.
... read moreWhy we LOVE our Nanny!
The Strange Situation Of Our Mobile Devices
The strange situation of our mobile devices - is it possible that we are doing long-term damage to our relationships with young children, and to the mental health of those children, when we allow our phones to command our attention as much or more than a child does?
... read moreActivities with the kids - Family Days at Collingwood Childrens' Farm
Every first Sunday of the month, the Collingwood Children’s Farm, located by Melbourne's quaint Yarra river, is hosting a special day for the whole family.
... read moreActivities with the kids - ACMI family Sundays
Looking for some free family fun on the weekend? Come out to ACMI as they’re hosting a series of kids friendly activities every first Sunday of the month.
... read moreActivities with the kids - Royal Melbourne Show
Running out of ideas on what to do with the family these school holidays? Come and check out the annual Royal Melbourne Show!
... read moreForgetting the “care” in Childcare
Recently one of our nannies was providing regular respite care to the mother of a young child whose brother had significant special needs, as part of the service we offer to ‘families in crisis'. This respite service included providing care to the mother’s six-year-old son.
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Nine habits of great nannies
As we set about continuing to provide our clients with the best nannies available in Melbourne and Victoria, I think it’s also useful to remind ourselves from time to time of what it is that actually makes a great nanny. Here’s a list of the nine things I think really good nannies tend to do constantly, in no particular order:
... read moreNew Year – New Career
I am not sure what it was like for you but for me 2017 kicked off with a lot of new ideas, New Year’s resolutions and a completely blank page in the book. And I am not alone. A majority of people start the New Year with a different health plan, the intention to learn a new language, make more time for sports or pick up a new hobby; all ways to make sure 2017 will be the best year so far.
... read moreNew Year, New Requirements, New care & Assistance Needed NOW!!!
Are you finding the New Year has encroached too quickly and you are not ready for what 2017 has in store as yet? We can assist with both your child related needs and your Household needs now!
... read moreThe year in review
‘Where did that year go?’ has become the throwaway line of this time of year. We all get to December and wonder where the year went. However taking the time to reflect on the previous twelve months can provide a different perspective and a realisation that, in fact, quite a lot has happened. This year has been a year of accomplishments great and small for Placement Solutions.
... read moreSummer is here
It’s hard not to love summer and coming home after work to plenty more daylight. We can really enjoy spending time with our children outside at the end of the day.
Of course the other side of summer is that we must be mindful of the sun and its harsh UV rays.
... read moreHow is a Household Manager different to a Housekeeper or a cleaner??
Have you only ever heard of Cleaners and Housekeepers and wondering what differentiates a Household Manager to these services? Let us explain this for you.
... read moreMeet Tonya Sakowicz of Newborn Care Solutions
For today’s new parent, there is an overwhelming volume of advice on offer, much of which changes almost week to week. Sadly this often creates confusion and even anxiety, making new parenthood much harder than it should be. For this reason alone I was very inspired by Tonya Sakowicz when I first met her, and I was keen to introduce her newborn care program to our Nurture Training College at the earliest opportunity.
... read morePhone manners matter
As important as the face-to-face interview is, your recruitment process begins a lot earlier. And while there are lots of articles out there that focus on your resume, a crucial part of the process is the first call from your potential future employer.
The recruiter is not just making a phone call to book you in for an interview, they are pre-screening you to see how you present yourself over the phone, and whether your answers are applicable and valid for the advertised position. This is your opportunity to make a positive first impression.
... read moreChristmas is coming – could you use some help with childcare?
We all know how crazy the lead up to Christmas can be. There are lists and preparations to make, shopping to do, oh and don’t forget the children! There are all the extra tasks to do and the children still need all the usual care and attention we normally supply – no reprieve there!
Have you ever considered some extra help? What if you could leave the kids with an expert child carer while you got on with all the extras?
... read moreAHCA Conference & AGM
The Australian Home Care Association’s (AHCA) annual conference and AGM, with educators, and representatives from in-home child care services travelling from around Australia to attend, was held in Melbourne on Friday the 2nd of September. The attendees had the opportunity of listening to keynote speakers from a range of areas related to the in-home child care sector.
... read morePEACE of mind for your interview with families
After the thorough screening process within our recruitment department you might go for another interview with our families for them to choose the best match for their family.
Such an interview usually takes place in the family’s homes and can be quite scary.
How do you succeed in one of those interviews?
We suggest you use a PEACE approach to your interviews.
... read moreNannypalooza Oz - a great success!
It was a huge amount of work for the whole Placement Solutions team, but with the inaugural Nannypalooza Oz now behind us, we’re taking a deep breath and reflecting on what we believe was a great success. It was truly an honour to be the major sponsor of the conference, enabling the spirit of Nannypalooza to come to Australia for the first time.
... read more“Life Long Learning”- Professional Development is key!
Your career is in Your hands… Professional Development experience could be what makes you more attractive to a potential employer or client, as it could give you that edge within a recruitment process.
No matter what career path we choose, what is it that makes a professional stand apart from others in the field?
... read moreGet organised: hire a Household Manager
One of our most misunderstood services, often forgotten in the focus on in-home child care, is the provision of Household Managers. As we have a number of very satisfied customers who use this service, we thought it might be time to give these hardworking people some attention.
It can be hard to describe what a Household Manager can do because there are just so many options.
... read moreThe benefit of referrals – Word of Mouth
The recruitment process can be lengthy and time consuming. In the Childcare Industry, which unfortunately still partly operates under a “cash economy”, it is easy to see why nannies don’t always see themselves as professionals and why the whole process of recruitment can seem quite daunting.
Some nannies don’t fully utilise modern recruitment platforms such as Seek or Indeed when looking for new roles and this works to their disadvantage by precluding them from many worthwhile opportunities.
... read moreHousehold Managers – What are they and why do I need one?
Here at Placement Solutions we regularly receive questions from new clients asking exactly what duties their Household Manager is able to do There is often a confusion between cleaners and housekeepers so we thought we would explain using the DEMA definitions. DEMA is the acronym for the Domestic Estate Managers Association of which we are a proud member.
... read moreHow much cleaning can a Nanny do?
A recent post here about our household management service touched on the difference between a Nanny and a cleaner. More specifically, it made the point that a Nanny is not a cleaner and should not be expected to do general household cleaning or other household chores. The only exception are tasks that are associated with child care.
... read moreThe way we are … what memories are made of
Recently I’ve been helping my friend archive her old family photos for safekeeping and it got me thinking about memories. Memories are so precious to most of us – I think you’d agree. Especially precious are memories and photos of loved ones lost, old friends, family, good times, travel destinations and of course the reminders we keep around the home - all the “stuff” that is meaningful to us. Apart from evoking (hopefully) pleasant memories, these pictures and tid bits also represent a good part of our history. They tell a story about who we are, who is (or was) important in our lives, our likes and dislikes and a plethora of other information. Sometimes, they are a talking point at dinner parties and the mere mention of a souvenir or photograph triggers a storytelling exchange between friends.
... read moreTips on keeping happy and healthy this Winter!
With winter fast approaching we are finding ourselves slowly losing daylight, sunshine and the lovely warm days! We will soon be cooped up inside with heaters on, rugged up, hot chocolates and going stir crazy! Now is the time to start planning ahead to ensure that you have plenty of ideas to keep the children happy and ensure that they are not consistently asking for things to do! Along with the activities we need to also remember that hygiene at this time of the year is a key thing as we find, parents, nannies and children picking up all kind of flu’s and bugs that can be contagious.
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