About us

About us

They say it takes a village to raise a child.
We say, welcome to ours.

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The myTamarin story

Our village

The inspiration for myTamarin came from Founder and CEO, Zarja Cibej, a former senior Principal at the Boston Consulting Group who holds an MBA from The Wharton School. 

Tamarins are monkeys who parent in family groups – like a village – helping each other while children are small. 

We believe all parents deserve their own tamarin group, so we’re here to help you find yours.

Our village
Zarja Cibej, founder of myTamarin


Zarja’s story

I'm Zarja, a London mum of two beautiful boys.

I adore our little monkeys and am always trying to create joyful family moments and strive to be a present parent. 

But parenting can sometimes be hard and doesn’t come with any instructions. It can feel like your life has been turned upside down in an instant, with nobody to turn to who truly understands how you’re feeling, or what support you might need along the journey. 

I founded myTamarin after finding that existing childcare services didn’t meet my needs as a parent. I struggled to find a nanny who could understand and relate to me as an individual – instead they focused purely on caring for the children. As modern-day parents, we should be able to have both. 

That’s why I started myTamarin. Our mission is to empower parents to fully enjoy their early parenthood and support them along the way. 

I would love for you to join our village.

How it works

Let’s find you and your family your ideal nanny or maternity nurse. 

1

Let’s get to know you

After signing up, book a phone call with one of our matching specialists and complete our online questionnaire to ensure that we find your ideal matches

2

Bespoke matching

We'll match you with nannies that best suit you and your family based on your requirements and parenting style

3

Select your nanny or maternity nurse

Once we’ve found your perfect candidates, get in touch with your favourites to arrange interviews and trials.

4

Enjoy ongoing support

Our Parentcare specialists are with you, whatever you need, until you find the right match, and beyond.

Don't take our word for it

Lina Chan

Yda Bouvier

Georgia Pastos

Dawn Tame

Kemdi Ebi

Tanya de Sousa Grimaldi

Sareeka Sohal

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Lina Chan

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Yda Bouvier

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Georgia Pastos

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Dawn Tame

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Kemdi Ebi

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Tanya de Sousa Grimaldi

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Sareeka Sohal

Started by parents, created for families.

myTamarin are now London’s leading Nanny and Maternity Nurse provider, working with only the very best nannies and experts. 

We're not like a traditional nanny agency - our in-house childcare experts, psychologists and dedicated matching specialists ensure you’re matched only with the very best nannies for you and your family - whether you’re looking for a temporary maternity nurse, a full-time nanny, or anything in between.

Started by parents, created for families.

We call this

Parentcare

You might wonder..

What is the difference between a nanny and an au pair?

Nannies have experience working with children and usually have some form...

Nannies have experience working with children and usually have some form of childcare qualification and a paediatric first aid certificate. They will be ready to step into the role with a focus on the educational, social and emotional development of your children.

Au pairs typically come from abroad for a cultural experience and to improve their English, usually on a 6-9 month long contract. They don’t necessarily have any childcare experience but will help out with school aged children and do housework in exchange for room, board, a small allowance and English lessons.

We don’t work with au pairs but if you are looking for a good childcare solution on a slightly lower budget (or reduced needs), we recommend one of our junior nannies. They will generally have some childcare experience, either as a regular babysitter, teacher, or nursery worker and with the right support, can learn professional nanny skills.

What is the difference between a nanny and a babysitter?

Babysitters are temporary nannies who will offer childcare for multiple...

Babysitters are temporary nannies who will offer childcare for multiple families on an ad-hoc basis. They will only work for a few hours at a time when parents need to be out of the house. A babysitter is paid by the hour as opposed to being salaried. They don’t have as much responsibility as a nanny and will come to the house and play with the children for a few hours when needed or just keep an eye on them.

How long does it usually take to find the right nanny?

3-6 weeks is realistic although other factors can affect that timeline –...

3-6 weeks is realistic although other factors can affect that timeline – how specific your requirements are, availability to interview, contract negotiations and notice period are just a few. For some though, it can be much quicker than that.

Do you only work with London based families?

In England we work mostly with London based families and the surrounding...

In England we work mostly with London based families and the surrounding counties. We also work with families in the UAE and Saudi Arabia. We sometimes work with families outside London and in other countries too. Let us know your requirements and we’ll do our best to help you. If we don’t think we can help, we won’t waste your time and will let you know.

Do you have French, German, Spanish, Italian and Mandarin speaking nannies?

Yes, we have all of the above, as well as nannies who are fluent in many...

Yes, we have all of the above, as well as nannies who are fluent in many other languages.

Do you also have newborn experts such as maternity nurses, night nannies, sleep consultants, and lactation specialists?

Yes, we have an excellent team of maternity nurses, night nannies, sleep...

Yes, we have an excellent team of maternity nurses, night nannies, sleep consultants and lactation specialists. You can hire them for several months, a few weeks, or just a couple of nights. And in the case of lactation specialists, you may just need a few hours.

They offer their service in-person as well as remotely via video calls and chats. For more details, please see here.

Why should I choose myTamarin over another nanny agency?

We make it our priority to support every family and nanny who are part o...

We make it our priority to support every family and nanny who are part of the myTamarin family. It’s our mission to help you through your parenthood journey and we’ll find the right nanny for you at the right time – from baby, toddler, all the way through to tween or teen. When you work with us, you’ll find a small personal team that understands what makes a brilliant match between a family and a nanny. We also understand that all families are different and have unique requirements.

We want to help you by offering sound advice and the benefit of our experience and are on hand to give you support and guidance every step of the way, from search to hire and beyond.

We provide continuous employment and HR advice, conflict resolution, as well as replacement nannies (if for some reason it doesn’t work out) and back-up care when your nanny is on holiday or off sick.

Does myTamarin choose my nanny for me?

No. We offer you a selection of pre-screened candidates who best fit you...

No. We offer you a selection of pre-screened candidates who best fit your criteria. We will arrange the interviews and help you prepare and discuss your feedback, but the final decision is yours.

The relationship with your nanny is going to be incredibly intimate so unlike most agencies who will match you based purely on objective criteria (i.e., location, number of languages spoken and years of experience), we look at your compatibility in terms of family values, parenting style and personality, which underpin the longevity of any successful nanny-family relationship.

What is the myTamarin screening and referencing process?

We take screening and referencing very seriously. We schedule an initial...

We take screening and referencing very seriously. We schedule an initial phone conversation with every candidate and only candidates who pass the initial phone screening will progress to a more detailed face-to-face interview. Applicants are carefully evaluated based on experience, communication skills, personality, preferences and approach to working with children.

Our comprehensive 5-step screening process ensures we only recruit the best. In fact, we only accept 7% of nannies who apply to us. References are key and we insist on doing at least two verbal reference checks with previous families for each nanny.

How do you match nannies with families?

We’ve identified the most important elements of childcare matchmaking, a...

We’ve identified the most important elements of childcare matchmaking, and we ask both parents and nannies to share their views and preferences on those important elements. We examine personality traits of both parents and nannies, their parenting styles, their preferred working and communication styles, family values and beliefs, e.g. views on discipline and routines, whether they are chattier or prefer their own peace and quiet. Overall, it’s quite comprehensive.

Do you charge for the matching?

We work on success based fees, so you only pay our fees once you've deci...

We work on success based fees, so you only pay our fees once you've decided to hire a nanny through us, regardless of how many nannies we curate and shortlist for you. 

We do charge a small activation fee, but included within this is a 1on1 consultation with one of our specialists, who will discuss with you your unique needs and requirements, how these compare to the market, what your best options and provide invaluable honest and expert advice which other agencies often do not.

It also means access to our extensive network of fully vetted nannies, continuous support and feedback on your job and ongoing matching process. Unlike other agencies, we're there for you every step of the way. 

What are a nanny’s typical working hours and how much do they charge?

A full-time nanny will work anything between 40 and 60 hours a week and...

A full-time nanny will work anything between 40 and 60 hours a week and a part-time nanny, anything between 10 to 35 hours a week. The majority of nannies we work with are full-time, but we do also have some excellent part-time nannies.

Live-out nannies will typically get paid £12+ per hour net, and £13+ per hour net for part time jobs. On a gross basis (i.e. income taxes included), and full-time basis, the rates are ~£16 - £20 per hour.

Live-in nannies will typically get paid £400-550 per week net depending on their experience. £400 net per week is approximately £26,000 gross a year, and £500 net a year is ~£38,000 gross a year.

Please note that as a nanny employer, you’re responsible for deducting/paying nanny’s income taxes and national insurance to HMRC.

Contact us and we will happily provide you with a more precise quote for your exact requirements.

Will you find us a replacement if things don’t work out?

Our matching service is carefully honed to find the most suitable candid...

Our matching service is carefully honed to find the most suitable candidates for you. We understand however that sometimes things just don’t work out for a number of reasons. We will find you a replacement nanny for an extended 16 week period, not only during the first few weeks which is the case with the traditional nanny agencies. 

What are my responsibilities as an employer?

When you hire a nanny you will become an employer. This means you will b...

When you hire a nanny you will become an employer. This means you will be required to register with HMRC, pay your nanny’s tax and NI contributions, employers NI, as well as offer a pension and have employer’s liability insurance.

Who provides the contract for the nanny to sign?

We will supply you with a contract for you to input the terms of employm...

We will supply you with a contract for you to input the terms of employment agreed at the point of offer. As you are the employer of the nanny, the final agreement is between you and the nanny.

Are myTamarin nannies OFSTED registered?

Less than 5% of nannies out there are OFSTED registered so some of our n...

Less than 5% of nannies out there are OFSTED registered so some of our nannies are and some are not. Most nannies are open to going through OFSTED registration if you ask them to and we can guide you both through the process which is simple and only takes a few weeks.

Nannies who are OFSTED registered can normally be paid with Childcare Vouchers or Tax Free Childcare if you have them.

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