How are expenses handled when traveling with a travel nanny?

Just like at home, staff should be paid their regular rate plus any overtime worked; in some instances, a daily travel fee may be appropriate. Our best advice is to discuss fees and hours before leaving for the trip. Try to be as realistic as possible when talking to your staff about the hours needed while traveling (they will likely be more than at home) – and ask the staff to prepare for some unexpected additional hours. The employer should cover all travel, accommodations, and meals – in many cases, families will give employees a set daily stipend to cover meals and miscellaneous expenses. Make sure you consider the cost of living in the destination city and accessibility; for example, if the meal options in the area are more expensive than in your hometown, that should be taken into account when deciding on the stipend amount. Finally, note that travel time is always paid – time in the air getting to and from the destination should be billed as regular working hours.

I love my current full-time nanny, but she can’t travel with us. What are my options?

While the first choice is always that a familiar caretaker travels with the family and the child, it is not always possible. In these cases, we recommend hiring a temporary travel nanny to help with this trip. If possible, have the nanny spend time with the child before embarking on your journey to build a bond at home before traveling together. In the future, be sure to discuss travel expectations with all new hires.

What are some tips to ensure smooth travel for everyone?

Our number one tip is to aim for clear communication early and always. So many problems can be solved or avoided by managing expectations around schedule, accommodations, and compensation ahead of time. For more tips on traveling with staff, visit our blog here.

How can I hire a nanny for travel?

If you’d like to find and hire a nanny for travel, British American Household Staffing has a large roster of candidates based in the U.S. and abroad. Contact us today.

Find & Hire A Travel Nanny - Traveling Nanny Services

What is a travel nanny?

There are two main types of travel nannies: temporary travel nannies contracted for a single trip and full-time travel nannies.

The first will be a temporary hire for one trip – it may be that your current nanny is unable or unwilling to go on the trip with you, or it may be that you need additional support to aid your full-time staff during the trip.

The latter, a full-time travel nanny, is right for busy families who travel frequently. This person will work with you in your home city but also be ready, willing, and able to travel with your family as needed, and on short notice. Depending on how rigorous the travel schedule is, families in this position may consider hiring 2 ROTA nannies to accommodate extensive travel – this will prevent nanny burn out.

Either type of travel nanny will be well versed in packing for the children, managing young ones while in transit, and will excel at keeping calm and solving problems in unfamiliar places. These nannies can plan children’s itineraries for new cities, come up with creative travel activities, and offer flexibility in terms of scheduling. Many will speak a second or third language; if you travel to the same country frequently, it may be wise to hire a bilingual nanny who speaks that country’s language – both to help ease travel logistics and to help your child build new language skills.

If you’re looking for a travel nanny job, please visit our job board.

Why should I hire a travel nanny?

We recommend clients hire a travel nanny to remove some of the stress from your vacation; a travel nanny will give you the ability to explore the city on your own, attend to business, enjoy a night out, and visit any attractions you wish, without having to consider age restrictions. A travel nanny will give parents peace of mind and will help children to have a more enjoyable, educational, and fulfilling vacation.

If you would like to learn more about other types of nannies, visit this page.

Travel Nanny FAQ

How are expenses handled when traveling with a nanny?

Just like at home, staff should be paid their regular rate plus any overtime worked; in some instances, a daily travel fee may be appropriate. Our best advice is to discuss fees and hours before leaving for the trip. Try to be as realistic as possible when talking to your staff about the hours needed while traveling (they will likely be more than at home) – and ask the staff to prepare for some unexpected additional hours.

The employer should cover all travel, accommodations, and meals – in many cases, families will give employees a set daily stipend to cover meals and miscellaneous expenses. Make sure you consider the cost of living in the destination city and accessibility; for example, if the meal options in the area are more expensive than in your hometown, that should be taken into account when deciding on the stipend amount. Finally, note that travel time is always paid – time in the air getting to and from the destination should be billed as regular working hours.
I love my current full-time nanny, but she can’t travel with us. What are my options?

While the first choice is always that a familiar caretaker travels with the family and the child, it is not always possible. In these cases, we recommend hiring a temporary travel nanny to help with this trip. If possible, have the nanny spend time with the child before embarking on your journey to build a bond at home before traveling together. In the future, be sure to discuss travel expectations with all new hires.
What are some tips to ensure smooth travel for everyone?

Our number one tip is to aim for clear communication early and always. So many problems can be solved or avoided by managing expectations around schedule, accommodations, and compensation ahead of time. For more tips on traveling with staff, visit our blog here.
How can I hire a nanny for travel?

If you’d like to find and hire a nanny for travel, British American Household Staffing has a large roster of candidates based in the U.S. and abroad. Contact us today.