For nannies and families, COVID-19 has brought change to the nanny space. From a changing job market to new expectations, today’s job seekers are having to adapt to the ever-changing realities of job searching and working during a pandemic.

While we’ve seen many changes, here are 6 pandemic trends in nanny care that stand out.

1. More jobs with at home parents. For many parents, working at home is going to continue long after the pandemic ends. This means nannies who would not previously consider working for at home parents are now having to readjust their job ideals to better match the nanny job market.

2. A spotlight on tax and payroll compliance. For nanny employers who were not paying legally and laid their nannies off, the pandemic has brought hard lessons. When nannies file for unemployment and list the family as their employer, as they should, it triggers red flags that often result in fines and penalties for families who have not been compliant.

3. Nannies investing in education. For nannies who are laid off, being paid to stay home, or are preparing for their next job search, investing in continuing education has become a priority. Desiring to set themselves apart, nannies are updating their nanny knowledge and their resumes to demonstrate their commitment to professional excellence and to standout from their peers in a competitive market.

4. A demand for nannies who can manage distance learning or homeschooling. Forward thinking parents are seeking nannies who can manage distance learning or even take on the task of homeschooling their children, should school not resume in fall. Nannies must demonstrate that they can play a primary role in the children’s education, rather than a supportive one. For nannies with a background in education, now is their time to shine.

5. Virtual care emerging as a new niche. With parents paying their nannies to stay home during the pandemic, they’re enlisting their nannies to jump online and engage with the children for short periods each day so that the parents can jump on a conference call or focus on self-care. Some families are even hiring nannies to provide this service without having a prior relationship. While not a substitute for in person care, offering this type of engagement seems to be a win for parents who can supervise the children while nannies are engaging them remotely.

6. An increase in demand for live-in nannies. With concerns about social distance and COVID-19 exposure, more and more families are requesting live-in nannies, or at least nannies to live-in until the pandemic passes. Stemming from the idea that they will have more control over their nanny’s movement and reduce the risk of infection, while more families are seeking live-in help, the interest from nannies to work these jobs has not kept up.

As the pandemic continues to affect nanny care, new trends will emerge. Keeping up with these trends will position nanny job seekers to meet the changing needs of today’s families.

6 Pandemic Trends in Nanny Care