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| "Sheilagh Roth [Executive Director of English Nanny & Governess School], is America's nanny expert.", states Larry King on Larry King Live, CNN.
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Some parents who can afford to be choosy prefer "real" nannies with formal child-care training. At the English Nanny & Governess School in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, for example, students undergo three months of training in child growth and development, infant care, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, activities for children and nutrition.
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The Manny Poppin's article
from USA Today presents the growing trend of men as nannies within the
US. Included in the discussion is Mr. Jordan Short, a student at the
English Nanny & Governess School:
Among the 14
students in the 12-week summer class of the English Nanny &
Governess School in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, is the first male seen there
for more than 10 years. The school had to make special arrangements for
his housing. Jordan Short, who paid $5,900 in tuition to attend the
school, says one of his first hurdles was the traditional career
question from friends after high school graduation.
"People
don't expect you to say that you're going to be a nanny," Short says.
"A lot of people just don't think that males have the ability to care
for children. I've actually had someone say — not to my face, but to
someone else — that any male who wants to be a nanny has problems."
He
became excited about the profession after living with a family with
small children while he attended high school. He also worked with
children of low-income families for an independent study program.
"I
really felt good about it. And I love to work with kids. I always
have," Short says. "It's exciting to be one of the first males to go
into this field."
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English Nanny & Governess School Personal Safety Instructor, Pat Malone, featured in the March Issue of Oprah Magazine!
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— Stephanie Gallagher, Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine
The Calling Mary Poppins article by Stephanie Gallagher features Marilyn and Taylor Clark in search of a good nanny. The Clarks did what thousands of working parents do when they need someone to care for their children. They cracked the Yellow Pages, called a nanny agency and waited for qualified, experienced applicants to show up at their door for interviews. And waited. And waited.
Among the applicants sent by the agency they called to find a caregiver were a woman who called off the interview when Marilyn mentioned that she planned to do a background check and another who was hired and fired after only a month when Marilyn learned she had been arrested for petty theft. "I realized that all these agencies are trying to do is push as many women through the system as they can," she says. "They’re not listening to what you’re looking for as far as personality, character or other things you emphasize."
The agency concedes that in the low-supply, high-demand world of nanny referrals, applicants are sometimes sent on interviews before their references have been contacted. This firm does criminal checks only after an applicant has been offered a job a practice that is not uncommon in the industry.
Regardless of what kind of help you get, the search for a nanny is always complicated by one simple fact: In the virtually unregulated day-care business, anyone can call herself a nanny.
The Clarks solved their problem by turning to the English Nanny & Governess School, in Chagrin Falls, Ohio. Graduates of the school must submit to a psychological assessment, fingerprint clearance from the FBI and a motor-vehicle background check. Most important to Marilyn Clark is that her nanny deliberately chose to be a nanny. "With an agency, the girls come in and say, "I’ll either take a job in a bank or as a nanny, whereas at the nanny school, they’ve spent their money to attend the school. You’re getting candidates who in their hearts believe it’s their calling," Clark says.
You also get nannies who are trained in everything from child behavior and development to nutrition, safety, CPR, burn prevention, creative play and tax responsibilities. Such credentials come at a price, of course parents agree to employ either a housekeeper or part-time cleaning service so the nanny isn’t stuck with heavy housework. "Our nannies are educators," says Sheilagh Roth, executive director of the school. "They have invested far too much money on their education to become cleaning women."
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Careerscape/Governing principles
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| — Terri Mrosko, Plain Dealer
An interview with Kimberly Holt, Certified Professional Governess working in the cleveland area and graduate of the English Nanny & Governess School.
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Things are cooking at
English Nanny & Governess School!
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| New!
English Nanny & Governess School students receive Viking Culinary certification!
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| — Ellen Harris, Chagrin Valley Times
Chagrin Falls is known for unique businesses that attract shoppers from all over the area — and here are a few of those interesting companies....
...You don't need an umbrella like Mary Poppins or a voice like Julie Andrews to become a nanny to the children of the rich and famous. All you require is a diploma from Chagrin Falls' English Nanny & Governess School....
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Sheilagh Roth and "Nanny 911"
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| — Sheilagh Roth, Founder English Nanny & Governess School
"Nanny 911" has spurred tremendous press and favorable attention on English Nanny & Governess School. It was my pleasure to meet both Deborah Carroll and Stella Reid, the stars of this popular show, while presenting at the recent International Nanny Association (INA) Conference in Las Vegas. Like our students, Deb and Stella were trained in the English tradition. We had an engaging conversation about the advantages of formal training and, they expressed their great respect for our program. Because of Nanny 911, EN&GS is undoubtedly receiving national recognition."
— Sheilagh Roth, Founder English Nanny & Governess School
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Northern Ohio Live Magazine
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Sheilagh Roth,
Executive Director of English Nanny & Governess School, is featured
in an article detailing her drive to make in-home childcare a priority
in America.
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HONORED
Nanny School Chief Leads Association
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Sheilagh Roth,
Executive Director of English Nanny & Governess School of Chagrin
Falls, was appointed President of the American Council of Nanny Schools
effective January 1st, 2002. The council, a nonprofit
coalition of Nanny Schools, seeks to promote the professional status of
Nannies. It establishes educational standards, accredits new schools
and provides professional support. Roth, who lives in Beachwood, also
is a founding member of the International Nanny Association.
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— STAMFORD
Forget the image actress Fran
Drescher created for millions of television viewers in the 1990's. Real
life nanny Elizabeth Docherty says raising other people's children is
hard work and deserves respect...Docherty, a British native who lives
in Stamford, is part of a national movement for federal recognition of
nannies as skilled professionals
...Sheilagh Roth,
founder of the English Nanny & Governess School in Chagrin Falls,
Ohio, said Docherty's efforts could start to change the way Americans
view child care in their home. "We've got to be honest. Most mothers
are not home, and we have to make sure the people watching their
children are educated." Roth said. "If someone paints nails, the
government requires hours and hours of training. Yet, when it comes to
raising children, we have no standard."
...British nannies
belong to a time honored profession. Former North Stamford nanny Sheila
Houlahan graduated from a two year college program for nannies in
Britain and passed a standardized test called the National Nursery
Examination Board. "I came here and found out it's very looked down
upon, and was mortified," Houlihan said. In the United States, Roth
said, "the right people are not getting into the profession because it
comes without status."
...Bradford Gaylord,
Chief Operating Officer of Roth's nanny school, said there is no reason
to make the job a skilled profession unless there are education
requirements. "Formal education, plain and simple - that will end (the
nannies) concerns," he said. The private, non profit school offers a
one year nanny training program that includes three months of classes
studying child development, nutrition, hygiene, safety and security,
interpersonal communication with families, as well as a nine month
externship. Gaylord said his school has many applicants but only a few
pass the screening process, which includes FBI, State and local police
background checks, a search of driving records, six character
references and a psycho-social assessment.
...A clear
definition of the nanny profession would benefit everyone involved,
Docherty said. "At the end of the day, a happy nanny is a good nanny -
and that will show in the child," she said.
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Nanny's Work is Never Done
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— Baltimore Sun
The Nanny's Work is Never Done article contained numerous insights from Sheilagh Roth, the executive director of the English Nanny & Governess School. Here are a few excerpts:
Nannies
are in great demand -- and they're being asked to do much more than
care for the kids. They are often underpaid and overworked. But maybe
worst of all, they are misunderstood.
America's nannies say they
deserve a little more respect -- as teachers, not baby sitters,
child-care professionals, not maids. "When a nanny walks in the door,
parents think they've just hired a substitute mom," says Sheilagh Roth,
executive director of the English Nanny and Governess School in Chagrin
Falls, Ohio.
Where once they could be found only in the
wealthiest of homes, nannies have become a de rigueur accessory in the
most middle-class of families. In the past decade, their numbers have
doubled to about 1 million nationwide, the International Nanny
Association estimates.
"I have nannies who quit because they have to
wash dishes or the floor, and things are added on and it takes them
away from care-giving," says Roth. Roth's nannies represent the high
end of the profession. Students
at her English Nanny and Governess School must complete a three-month
training program. Some already have a four-year college degree in early
childhood education.
Her school motto is "Education Begins At Birth."
She touts the British model where nannies look after and teach
children. Period. "I want American parents to realize they're bringing
someone in to educate their child," she says. "We have a better sense
of staff in England."
But not every nanny is so well prepared.
The typical agency may only provide a few hours of training for a
first-time nanny, if any at all.
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Nanny School Graduate at White House
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| One of our graduates accompanied her children to a White House event and had the opportunity to meet former First Lady Hillary Clinton. Notice that she proudly sported her English Nanny & Governess School tote.
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The Nannies Uncommon In U.S.
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— Jerry Langdon, Cincinnati Enquirer
"[Nannies] are fully trained to not only take care of young children but to educate them in a variety of ways," says Sheilagh Roth of the English Nanny & Governess School. The school has classess of 30 students who take a three-month academic training program taught by 14 professors. "Nannies are neither baby sitters nor substitute parents", Ms. Roth says, "We don't want children just watching television".
"I refuse to let television baby sit my charges," says Jennifer Mendelson, a 1992 graduate who is working in Naples, Florida. "Instead, I provide them with project, field trips to museums and zoos, and music exploration. I can identify learning and physical disorders ... so they can be addressed by a specialist early on before they pose unnecessary problems.
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Finding The Perfect Nanny
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— Mizner's Dream Magazine
The Finding The
Perfect Nanny article from Mizner's Dream Magazine of Boca Raton,
Florida, discusses the challenges of finding a nanny and the value of a
"Nanny University":
A good way to get a qualified nanny who is
serious about her work is to pull one from a training program.
Well-healed child-care seekers might call Ms. Sheilagh Roth's English Nanny & Governess School, kind of a nanny university, where the curriculum
makes you wonder whether your nanny will be a better parent than you
are. Students pay for three months of intensive study, covering
subjects such as child development; nutrition, health, and safety; and cultural enrichment and creative play.
Ms. Roth, who was reared as a British nanny, states "Professional nannies are first and foremost educators."
Don't
expect one of Roth's nannies to cook your dinner or do your laundry.
Their standard contracts stipulate that they are there for child care.
A good nanny, says Roth, makes play dates with other children, and not
only arranges activities, such as riding or swimming lessons, but
checks out the facilities to make sure the instructor is qualified and
the facilities acceptable. These expert nannies and governesses
(nannies with four-year university degrees) earn as much as $1,000 a
week plus room, board and benefits; employers pay a placement fee of
$2,900 to $3,400.
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"Some parents spend more time researching and purchasing a new car than they do on the selection of a person to whom they are entrusting the care of their most precious possession. Your child's safety, well-being, and healthy development depend on whether or not you make an appropriate selection." notes Sheilagh Roth.
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International Nanny Association
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| The English Nanny & Governess School is a founding member of the International Nanny Association.
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