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With few legal parameters regarding live-in nannies in South Africa, there is little to no guidance for parents and nannies on what the boundaries and regulations are (especially considering this working dynamic started during Apartheid).
The Group Areas Act of 1950 essentially created a migrant labour force in South Africa, where urban labourers like domestic workers, gardeners and nannies had to travel extensively into the city for their jobs. And we are still living with the consequences of this fundamentally racist policy today.
Sam Steele speaks speaks to a labour lawyer, Paul Cooley of Workplace Strategies, a legal consultancy, to get an idea of what the law requires, and where our moral boundaries are.
It'll take more than a podcast episode to do right by this extensive topic, but we do try give the live-in nanny dynamic some important context. We believe South Africans can still work towards creating a fair working environment coming off the back of one that is often exploitative.
Let us know what you think of the episode? And if you have any questions or comments, please email Sam Steele and the TGE gang at [email protected]. -
Can you imagine living with your boss?
This is the reality for many live-in nannies in South Africa and, unfortunately, it comes with a dark origin story, which we unpack in this episode of The Nanny Diaries.
We also unpack how this unique working relationship (which is particular to South Africa) has many advantages for both parents and nannies, like increased flexibility and signicantly reduced living expenses (both beneficial for low-income earners like nannies).
We'll also hear from both real nannies who live at their place of employment as well as their employers. The employer-nanny dynamic can be a really loving and positive relationship, but there are some obvious pitfalls, which we discuss.
Many moms struggle with feelings of little to no privacy, and are unsure about how to give negative feedback. Many nannies, meanwhile, miss their homes and are very aware that their place of employment is not their space.
We hope that we can all learn from each other to establish a better working relationship all round. Let us know what you think of the episode? And if you have any questions or comments, please email Sam Steele and the TGE gang at [email protected].
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On the sixth and final episode of The Nanny Diaries limited series, we’re chatting about a healthy attachment between your child and their nanny.
For many children, particularly those with working, divorced, bereaved, or even mentally ill parents, their nanny is constantly, consistently there – feeding, dressing and most importantly, comforting them. Nannies are an emotional lighthouse, a safe and dependable harbour in a tumultuous world. In many households they even become the third (or sometimes the second) parent.
As we’ve explored on this podcast, a nanny’s relationship with both you and your child is ribboned with complexity. it’s one that needs to be treated professionally, and yet, it is also far more than a transactional relationship.
A nanny, especially a caretaker to a young baby or toddler, can be considered one of the child’s primary caregivers – in many cases spending upwards of eight hours a day with the child. In such instances, a nanny will fundamentally influence how that child starts understanding his or her world and relationships.
Once again on The Nanny Diaries, we’ve rallied a strong group of professionals who will guide our understanding of this complex issue. We chat to counselling psychologist Nicole Canin, who chats about how moms can navigate jealousy and feelings of inadequacy. We also hear from real moms and nannies who share their lived experiences.
This is our final instalment of The Nanny Diaries and we hope you’ve found this resource useful. Please listen, like, share and subscribe if you want updates from the team. And if you have any queries or concerns please feel free to get in touch with Sam Steele and the TGE gang at [email protected]. -
In this episode of The Nanny Diaries we continue in our quest to wrap our heads around the Unemployment Insurance Fund.
So, now that we know that registering for UIF is important and *why* it's so important, we start unpacking exactly *how* you go about it.
Sam Steele speaks to UIF consultant Estelle Carstens and takes us through registering your nanny step for step. We also touch base with some real moms who've attempted to register their employees on UIF, and we learn from their experiences.
If you still have any questions for Samantha Steele and the TGE gang, please email us at [email protected].
LISTEN. LIKE. SHARE. SUBSCRIBE. The Nanny Diaries - UIF Registration and Payment Check List Tips.pdf — PDF (2.8 MB) -
The Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) is a system that's been put in place by the South African government to protect people from unemployment, or times without pay (like maternity leave). Sounds positive right? Should be smooth sailing, hey? How lucky are we!?
Heh. We can hear you sighing, friends. And the eyerolls are palpable. But we're here to help!
If you've ever had to navigate it, you'll know that registering for UIF is one of those incredibly challenging administrative tasks that, it seems, is almost impossible to do without outside help.
This episode of The Nanny Diaries will outline why it’s important for you to register your nanny for UIF, and how to go about doing so. We also discuss other ways to safeguard your nanny if you feel you need an alternative option.
Among the experts that we chat to are Amy Tekie (founder of Izwi Domestic Workers Alliance) and Kelebogile Kunou, a researcher at the Socio-Economic Rights Institute of South Africa).
As always, we also chat to real moms and nannies currently navigating this tricky landscape.
If this is something that you've been putting off, we believe we have you covered. BUT, if you still have any questions for Samantha Steele and the TGE gang, please email us at [email protected].
LISTEN. LIKE. SHARE. SUBSCRIBE. Izwi Domestic Workers Alliance · Socio-Economic Rights Institute of South Africa -
Hiring a nanny (and being hired as a nanny) can be very daunting. On this first episode of The Nanny Diaries so we’ll be exploring what employers and nannies should know about the hiring process, including finding a right fit, setting up a contract and hiring with your head or your heart.
Special contributor Samantha Steele gets some expert insight from renowned agency owner to the stars Jaclyn Zackey-Tinckler. And, as we do every week, we include some crucial tips and first-hand experiences from real moms and real nannies.
