What is a nanny?
A nanny is a professional caregiver who looks after children in the family's own home, providing consistent, one-on-one care and supporting each child's development day to day. The title covers a lot of ground, so here is how it sits alongside the roles it is most often confused with.
How is a nanny different from a childcare educator?
Many nannies are early childhood educators. The difference is the setting: instead of a group room and a rotating roster, a nanny brings that educator's mindset into one family's home, tailoring everything to your children and your daily life.
How is a nanny different from a mother's helper?
A mother's helper supports a parent who is usually at home, sharing childcare and light household tasks. A nanny typically takes sole charge of the children while parents are away or working.
How is a nanny different from a home manager?
A home manager (or family assistant) leans toward running the household, admin, organisation, and logistics, sometimes alongside childcare. A nanny's focus stays firmly on the children and their care and learning.
How is a nanny different from a babysitter?
A nanny is an ongoing educator invested in development, a babysitter provides trusted, usually casual supervision. We cover this in full in Nanny vs Babysitter.
Whatever the title, the standard is the same
Little Smiles Nannying treats every in-home caregiver as a professional, a career caregiver, and helps families match the role to what they genuinely need.