«Nanny,» «au pair,» «childminder,» «babysitter» — families often use these words interchangeably, but they describe genuinely different arrangements, with different costs, commitments and legal setups. Here’s a clear breakdown.

Nanny (live-out)

A dedicated, employed childcare professional who works in your home, on hours you agree together — full-time or part-time. You are their employer, responsible for a proper contract, at least the National Minimum Wage, and correct payroll. In return, you get one-to-one, consistent care built around your children specifically.

Best for: families wanting dedicated, flexible, one-to-one care in their own home.

Nanny (live-in)

The same role as a live-out nanny, but residing in your home, usually with their own room. Salaries are typically lower to reflect the accommodation provided, and hours tend to be more flexible on both sides.

Best for: families with longer or less predictable hours, or without a nearby support network.

Nanny share

One nanny cares for children from two families at once, usually alternating homes or splitting the week. It reduces the cost per family while keeping the one-to-one educational engagement of a nanny.

Au pair

A young person, often from abroad, who lives with a family as part of a cultural exchange, providing light childcare in exchange for board and a modest allowance rather than a full salary. Not a substitute for a professional, qualified nanny.

Childminder

A registered, Ofsted-inspected professional who cares for children — usually from several families — in their own home. A fixed, structured environment rather than one-to-one care in yours.

Babysitter

Occasional, short-notice cover rather than a regular childcare arrangement, with far less vetting involved than a nanny placement.

The right choice usually comes down to three questions: how many hours do you need covered, how much one-to-one attention matters to you, and what’s your budget?

Where we come in

Little Penguins Nannies specialises specifically in nanny placements — full-time, part-time and nanny share — with every candidate reference-checked, DBS-verified, and Paediatric First Aid trained.

Once you’ve settled on «nanny» as the right type of care, the next decision is whether you want them living in your home or coming in each day. Both are common in London, and the right choice depends less on preference and more on your household’s shape.

Live-out nannies

A live-out nanny has their own home and commutes to yours for agreed hours — full days, part days, or a fixed weekly pattern. They leave at the end of their shift, which keeps a clear boundary between working hours and personal time, for both sides.

Live-in nannies

A live-in nanny has their own room in your home, and their salary is typically lower to reflect the accommodation and, often, meals provided. In exchange, families usually get more flexibility around early starts, late finishes, or occasional evening cover.

What actually drives the decision

• Space: live-in only works if you genuinely have a private room to offer.
• Hours: irregular or long hours (frequent travel, shift work) often suit live-in better.
• Budget: live-out salaries are higher, but you’re not covering board and lodging.
• Privacy: some families strongly prefer their home to themselves outside working hours — a live-out arrangement respects that naturally.

Neither option is «more professional» than the other — they’re simply built for different households.

A hybrid worth knowing about

Some nannies offer «live-in during the week, home at weekends» — useful for families needing early starts on weekdays but with no need for weekend cover. It’s worth asking about directly, as not every candidate will volunteer it.

Not every family needs — or can justify — a full-time, live-in nanny. A part-time nanny is one of the most common arrangements we place, and often the best fit for families juggling school hours, hybrid working, and a couple of very full evenings a week.

What «part-time» usually means

There’s no single legal definition, but in practice a part-time nanny in London typically works somewhere between 15 and 30 hours a week, spread across two to four days.

What’s actually included

• School or nursery drop-off and pick-up
• Preparing meals and snacks
• Homework support and reading time
• Age-appropriate activities and outings
• Light, child-related tidying
• A handover with parents at the end of the day

What a part-time nanny is not is a general housekeeper. Their focus stays on the children.

Who this arrangement suits

• Families with hybrid or flexible working hours needing cover on specific days
• School-age children needing reliable after-school care
• Parents wanting consistency without the cost of live-in care

A part-time nanny isn’t a «lesser» version of a full-time one — it’s simply a different shape of the same job, sized to your week.

How we vet part-time nannies

Part-time candidates go through exactly the same checks as full-time ones: written and verbal reference checks, an Enhanced DBS certificate, and up-to-date Paediatric First Aid training.

A nanny share is exactly what it sounds like: one nanny, two families, splitting either the week or the working day. It’s a popular middle ground for families who want the one-to-one attention of a nanny without covering the full cost alone.

How it typically works

There are two common patterns. In a rotating share, the nanny alternates which family’s home they work from, day by day or week by week. In a combined share, the nanny cares for both sets of children together, usually at one family’s home, for the whole day.

The financial upside

Because the nanny’s salary is split between two families, each pays meaningfully less than they would for a solo nanny — while the nanny themselves often earns more overall than a single-family placement, since two families are contributing.

What to agree before you start

• Schedule: exact days, hours, and what happens during school holidays
• House rules and routines: discipline approach, screen time, meals — ideally kept consistent across both homes
• Payment split and payroll: who processes payroll, and how the split is invoiced
• Notice periods: what happens if one family leaves the share
• Illness cover: what happens if one child (or the nanny) is unwell

A share works best when both families treat it as a genuine partnership, not a cost-splitting arrangement they never discuss again.

Is it right for you?

Nanny shares suit families with children of a similar age, living close enough to make the logistics manageable, and comfortable coordinating with another household on rules and routines.