Choosing household staff.
The right role for your home.

Three roles, three different starting points

When childcare should lead

If your children need sustained attention throughout the day, start with a nanny brief. Think about their ages, routines, school or nursery hours, activities and any relevant experience you want the nanny to bring.

Child-related tasks can form part of the agreed role, but a nanny should not automatically be expected to provide a whole-house cleaning service. If you want broader housekeeping, discuss it explicitly and consider whether separate support would work better.

When the home needs more support

A housekeeper can help maintain the daily rhythm of a home through cleaning, laundry and organisation. A detailed brief is especially helpful where there are delicate finishes, substantial laundry, pets or different expectations across several family members.

If preparing family meals is important, a housekeeper cook may be worth exploring. For more complex household coordination, staff supervision or contractor management, talk to us about a house manager.

When a combined role makes sense

A nanny housekeeper can be a practical option where children are at school or nursery for part of the day. The key question is how much genuine housekeeping time remains after travel, collections, meals and childcare.

School holidays, illness and inset days change the balance. Decide in advance what takes priority and which household tasks can wait when the children need care. A combined title should describe a workable job, rather than two full-time roles squeezed into one.

Five questions to help you choose

1. Which three tasks would make the biggest difference this week?
2. When do the children need someone’s full attention?
3. How many hours of household work are realistically needed?
4. How does the schedule change during school holidays?
5. Would one combined role or two smaller roles work better?

Write down a normal week, then an unusually busy one. That comparison often reveals the support you actually need.

Bring us the problem, not just a job title

You do not need to have everything decided before getting in touch. Tell us what is difficult to keep on top of, the hours you have in mind and your budget. We can help shape a brief that makes sense for your household and for the person doing the work.

For budgeting, read our nanny cost guide and housekeeper cost guide. If this is your first search, our first-time hiring guide explains the next steps.