After School Nannies was founded in 2003 to plug the gap between children coming out of the classroom and parents getting back from work. Until this year it was a small bespoke agency operating in SW London and recruiting nannies for local families. It’s now an online platform (since July 2020) operating on a subscription basis and covering the whole of London.
How did you come up with the idea for the company?
I can’t take the credit for coming up with the idea. That goes to my friend Caroline Cooke who founded the agency in 2003 when she was struggling herself to find care for her own child to enable her to work full time.
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What advice would you give to other aspiring female entrepreneurs?
Dare to “blue sky” dream but make sure that you surround yourself with people who understand the market you want to operate in. Strategy is all important and you need a watertight business plan to accompany your vision. Also be prepared to be flexible and keep shifting your own modus operandi as your business community changes. Nothing is static. It’s all about moving forward, listening, observing and growing, and as organically as possible.
What can we hope to see from After School Nannies in the future?
By moving the business online and removing the hefty placement fees associated with traditional agency provision we’ve taken the first step towards making our service more affordable for a wider range of families. Similarly, I’m passionate about raising the profile of the job of after school care provider by offering affordable online training.
We’re now seeking investment to develop the new platform further and potentially create a funding stream for a Foundation that will support and campaign for sustainable out of school provision for disadvantaged children. Out of school care (term time and holidays) is the key to closing education attainment gaps and improving social mobility by enabling more parents to get into work. This is where “levelling up” should begin and we welcome contact from anyone interested in joining us on this journey.
For more information visit: https://www.afterschoolnannies.com/
