Family Assistant:
A Job Description
Becoming a Town & Country Nanny and Family Assistant
If you have significant in-home experience caring for children and also have experience assisting families with tasks like errands, bill paying and light housekeeping, we’d love to hear from you! Town & Country has developed a position called Nanny and Family Assistant that expands the responsibilities of a Nanny to provide more support to busy parents. You can read more about the position below.
Town & Country is the Bay Area’s most established and largest staffing agency. Most of our clients are repeat customers or referrals from their family and friends. Because of these long-standing relationships we are able to provide you with access to the best jobs in the Bay Area.
We will take the time to understand you and your unique strengths so we can present you in your best light to our clients.
Our clients come to us seeking the best Nannies and Family Assistants in the Bay Area – and we deliver. Most of our clients want Nannies and Family Assistants with several years of professional, in-home experience. For most assignments, qualified candidates will have been in a similar position for at least two to three years, although we do occasionally have unique positions with varying requirements for experience or education. In any case, it’s best if your experience is recent.
We always contact every previous employer to check your references and make sure that all previous employers are able to provide an excellent reference before recommending you to our clients. Also, we conduct thorough background checks prior to our final placements to make sure that everyone feels safe as they enter into a very important relationship.
Finally, Town & Country is here to make the right match. Every family is different and each Nanny and Family Assistant brings a unique combination of strengths, skills and experiences. We’re here to make sure that every match we make is rewarding for both our clients and our Nanny and Family Assistants.
Responsibilities
Families want a nurturing, safe and stimulating environment so their children can thrive. Some families also need help running the household to help out busy parents. Working with a Town & Country Nanny and Family Assistant is like having two great employees in one - they take care of children while helping to keep the home running smoothly. The duties of a full-time or part-time Nanny and Family Assistant can include:
- Childcare: The Nuts and Bolts
Helping busy parents ensure that essential childcare tasks are done right - Preparing children for their day; dressing, grooming, breakfast and getting them organized
- Preparing meals for the kids
- Driving children to school, appointments and activities
- Laundering clothes
- Tidying up after children
- Childcare: Developmental
Enriching children’s intellectual, emotional and physical development - Tutoring and helping with homework
- Initiating and participating in enriching activities
- Playing sports and exercising
- Story time and reading
- Connecting during “just hanging out” time
- Managing and maintaining the household
- Light housekeeping
- Loading and emptying dishwasher and keeping kitchen tidy
- Taking out garbage and recycling
- Taking care of pets
- Managing the family calendar
- Scheduling repairs
- Planning birthdays, play dates and other activities
- Assisting with travel plans
- Doing household errands
- Grocery shopping
- Personal shopping for family
- Picking up and dropping off dry cleaning
- Interfacing with vendors
Compensation
Compensation for a Family Assistant is usually based on two factors: the amount of experience you bring to the position and the duties included in your job description.
Salary
Full-time, live-in Family Assistants earn $2,950 to $4,200 per month on average. Family Assistants who live outside the home typically earn $17 to $25 per hour. This range includes both full-time and part-time Family Assistants.
Benefits
Many families provide benefits that may include:
Paid sick days
Paid vacation
Paid holidays
Medical insurance
Reimbursement for automobile expenses
Part-time benefits may include:
Paid sick days
Paid vacation
Paid holidays
Reimbursement for automobile expenses
What candidates, clients and staff are saying
“Three words: Best Job Ever! I couldn’t have asked for a better family. Thank you so much for your help and the resources you provide!" —Cathy
“Candidates were at a much higher level of professional experience & competence.” —Melissa
“Nanny and Family Assistant is a position we created here at Town & Country. As parents got busier, we found they needed help with a variety of tasks to keep their household running smoothly – not just childcare. We helped to guide our best Nannies to step up to the plate and take on more responsibilities. Our Nanny and Family Assistant position is a win for everyone. ” —Sarah Thigpen, Town & Country Resources
FAQ
What is the difference between a Nanny and an au pair?
An au pair is treated as a member of the family, not an employee like a Nanny, and comes from a foreign country as a part of a cultural exchange program administered by the U.S. Department of State working with approved agencies placing candidates under a so-called “J-1” visa. Au pairs have limited duties that encompass care of children but most may not perform household tasks like laundry or managing the household in the parents' absence. Unlike Nannies, au pairs are limited to a 45-hour workweek and are limited to a one to two-year stay in the United States. Also, while Nannies vary in age, au pairs must be aged 18 to 26 years old. There are additional requirements imposed by the terms of the au pair’s visa, including that the au pair has been hired through a special agency approved by the U.S. Department of State.
What is Share Care?
When two or more families hire one Nanny to care for all the children, it's called a “share care” arrangement. For a share care arrangement to work effectively, the participating families need to have a compatible geography, budget, values and preferences for how their children will be cared for. Typically, a Nanny will require a somewhat higher wage to care for more children.
Which positions are similar to a Nanny and Family Assistant?
A Nanny is most similar to a Nanny and Family Assistant. Nannies focus primarily on childcare while Nanny and Family Assistants help run the home as well as caring for children. Some Housekeepers and Executive Housekeepers may be able to assist families with running and maintaining their home as well as keeping it clean. Some Housekeepers may also be able to assist with childcare. On-Call and Backup Childcare offers families similar help to permanent childcare positions on an as-needed basis. We can help you choose the positions to apply for that will be the best fit for your background.
