We talk to three British men who are taking on a the traditionally female role of nanny
A KEY post is up for grabs – nanny to Prince Harry and Meghan’s child.
Sources say the couple may buck tradition by getting a male nanny, or “manny”, for the role.
While 98 per cent of those working as nannies in the UK are women, in Meghan’s US homeland, employing a manny is much more common.
JENNY FRANCIS talked the issue over with three British men on the childcare frontline.
Jay Orchard
DESPERATE parents have tried to poach Jay Orchard away from other families because male nannies are in such short supply, he says.
Single Jay, 27, from Pirbright, Surrey, has worked as a manny for five years. He says:
WHEN I heard the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were considering hiring a male nanny I was delighted.
Prince Harry will find it easier to be more involved with day-to-day childcare with a male nanny to guide him.
Many dads feel sidelined because mums appear to have an inbuilt ability to care for children and they’re often afraid that their questions might be stupid so they go unasked.
Lots of them open up to me about it because I’m a guy. I love my job but I didn’t plan on going into a career in child care.
In 2012 I was working in a supermarket which had a soft play creche for children. We all had to help out and I proved a hit with the kids – and I loved doing it.
I started doing voluntary work at local nurseries and in 2013 started a childcare apprenticeship, qualifying with a Child Care NVQ level 2. I haven’t looked back since. I am currently the only male child carer at Fennies Nursery in Woking and studying for my Level 3 qualification.
I’m hoping to work overseas as a manny in the next couple of years.
At the moment I nanny children as young as four months – keeping them to a sleeping schedule, feeding them and changing nappies. Other days I’m with the older kids running mealtimes, organising crafting sessions and overseeing outdoor play.
On weekends I often nanny for individual families. My focus is always the kids.
When you see a timid or shy child break out of their cocoon thanks to your help it’s wonderful.
Some kids who come from single parent families benefit from having a male child carer.
Girls I’ve dated have often been shocked when I told them I am a child carer. But when they see me with the kids they realise how much I love my job and that it’s not weird at all.
Joss Cambridge-Simmons
JOSS CAMBRIDGE-SIMMONS, 31, has worked in childcare for more than 13 years, and set up Jossycare.co.uk after being turned down from agencies because of his gender.
Single Joss, from Islington, North London, says:
I absolutely love my job but some people have very traditional opinions on men looking after children.
They don’t like it, and think it’s a “woman’s job”. Sometimes they don’t like male teachers or nursery nurses either.
I’ve been looking after other people’s children for 13 years and it’s an amazing job, but it’s not always that easy getting employed as a man.
I tried to get enrolled at a nanny agency but they told me they don’t have jobs for men, and that’s just the way it is. It’s more that they don’t know how to market men. That’s what pushed me to start my own childcare service – Jossy Care – just over a year ago.
Before that I worked as a nursery teacher for 12 years. Every family I’ve worked for has never been sceptical of me because I’m male. They’ve chosen me because they like my CV or I’ve been recommended by another client.
I have an NVQ3 in childcare, full safeguarding training, paediatric first aid, prevent training and child protection training. People know I am good at what I do.
I have a few clients who specifically want a male nanny. Some say it’s hard to find female nannies who are as passionate about it.
Sometimes women say to me they just “fell into nannying” and it’s not their dream job, but for me it’s a huge passion. I’ve looked after babies as young as two or three weeks old and I’ve been a birthing partner for a client too.
Past girlfriends have always been supportive of me working in childcare. My male friends love what I do – they work as football scouts, bankers and youth workers. A lot of them are fathers already and tell me I push them to be better dads.
They come to me for advice and four have made me a godfather to their children.
Modern-day parents like Prince Harry and Meghan clearly like the idea of a male nanny. I think they believe a man can do as good a job as a woman. We’re equally as caring.
Sam Mills
DAD-OF-TWO Sam Mills gave up a career as a furniture designer to become a male nanny.
He now has a waiting list of parents who want a “male Mary Poppins” to look after their children.
Sam, 37, lives in Morpeth, Northumberland with wife Kathy, 40, a physiotherapist, and children Molly, four, and Harry, two. He says:
AT 19 I never imagined I’d be a male nanny. I got a design degree at Kingston University in London and spent 15 years designing furniture.
After we had kids in 2014, things changed. I was a hands-on dad from the start and when Kathy went back to work full-time, I was working from home, so I cared for the kids – and I loved it.
With two kids, the cost of childcare was staggering and it was a lightbulb moment. Instead of paying someone to look after my kids I could do it myself. I got a childcare qualification and became Ofsted-approved in 2018.
When people ask about my job I tell them I’m a “human bouncy castle” because when I’m not making food, reading books, changing nappies, or mopping up mess, the kids are throwing themselves at me.
Most days if there isn’t a child sitting on my shoulders or wrapped around my leg, there is something wrong.
I look after people’s children from my home and get really close to the families. My own “dad skills”
allow me to become a father figure. I can change a nappy in less than 60 seconds. I’m a master at cooking healthy meals the kids will eat – I cook a spaghetti Bolognese full of hidden puréed veg so the children don’t get fussy about what’s inside.
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When I tell people what I do, they’re initially shocked because I don’t look like a male nanny.
I’m thrilled Prince Harry and Meghan are thinking of hiring a manny. It shows boys that caring for children isn’t a female-only career choice. It also teaches girls that men can be a trusted part of children’s early years development.
A royal manny will hopefully inspire more blokes to try childcare as a career.
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