A nanny provides day-to-day care for children in the family’s home: routines, meals, safety, play, school runs and the hundred small decisions that make up a child’s day. In South Africa a nanny is a domestic worker in law, with the rights that come with that.
This guide sets out nanny duties and responsibilities and what should be agreed in writing. It is part of the wider job duties guide.
What Does a Nanny Do?
A nanny takes responsibility for children while the parents are unavailable: feeding, bathing, dressing, supervising play, managing naps and routines, doing school and activity runs, and keeping the children safe.
The most common source of difficulty in these arrangements is scope. Many nanny roles quietly expand into full housekeeping, and a job that started as childcare becomes childcare plus cleaning, laundry and cooking for the household without the pay changing. Whether general housework is included should be written into the contract, not assumed by either side.
Nannies are covered by the Basic Conditions of Employment Act and the sectoral determination for domestic workers, which set minimum wage, hours, leave and notice requirements, and employers must register them for UIF.
A nanny contract should set out the children and ages covered, the hours and days, whether transport and driving are included, what housework if any forms part of the job, and how overtime and public holidays are handled. Most disputes in these arrangements trace back to something on that list never being written down.
Key Nanny Duties and Responsibilities
- Supervising children at all times and keeping them safe.
- Preparing meals, bottles and snacks and feeding young children.
- Bathing, dressing, nappy changing and toilet training as appropriate.
- Maintaining nap, feeding and bedtime routines consistently.
- Planning and supervising age-appropriate play and learning activities.
- Doing school, creche and extramural transport and collections.
- Helping with homework and reading where the child’s age requires it.
- Administering medication only as specifically instructed by the parents.
- Keeping children’s rooms, laundry, bottles and equipment clean and tidy.
- Reporting on the day, including behaviour, eating, sleeping and any concerns.
- Responding appropriately to illness, injury and emergencies.
- Respecting the family’s privacy and household rules.
Daily Tasks of a Nanny
- Morning: wake, dress and feed the children and do the school or creche run.
- Mid-morning: care for younger children, play, outings and nap routines.
- Midday: prepare and serve lunch and tidy children’s areas.
- Afternoon: collections, homework, activities and supervised play.
- Evening: supper, bath, bedtime routine and handover to the parents.
Nanny Skills and Competencies
- Vigilance: constant supervision, particularly around water, roads and stairs.
- Patience: staying calm through tantrums, illness and long days.
- Consistency: keeping the routine the parents have set, not your own.
- First aid knowledge: choking, burns and fevers handled correctly.
- Communication: honest daily feedback, including the difficult parts.
- Trustworthiness: the entire arrangement rests on it.
Nanny Duties by Workplace or Industry
Live-Out Nannies
Fixed daily hours around the parents’ working day, with clear start and finish times and overtime treated as overtime.
Live-In Nannies
Accommodation is provided and boundaries matter more, because working hours and off-duty time blur easily. Hours, days off and privacy should be set out explicitly.
Newborn and Baby Care
Duties focus on feeding schedules, sterilising, sleep routines, nappy changes and supporting the mother, often including night work.
School-Age Children
The role shifts to transport, homework supervision, extramural logistics and afternoon care, with more driving and less physical care.
Across every arrangement the core of the role is the same: a child’s day runs on routine and attention, and the nanny is the person holding both while the parents are elsewhere.
Nanny Duties for a CV
Give ages cared for, years with each family and whether you drive. Use the duties for a CV guide for the method.
- Cared for three children aged 2, 5 and 8 over six years with one family.
- Managed daily routines including meals, naps, school runs and homework.
- Hold a valid driving licence and a current first aid certificate.
- Contactable written references available from both previous employers.
Related Job Roles and Responsibilities
These guides cover the roles and next steps most closely related to this one.
- Au Pair duties and responsibilities
- Domestic Worker duties and responsibilities
- Caregiver duties and responsibilities
- Housekeeper duties and responsibilities
- Education Assistant duties and responsibilities
Frequently Asked Questions About Nanny Duties
What are the duties of a nanny?
Supervising and keeping children safe, preparing meals and feeding, bathing and dressing, maintaining nap and bedtime routines, planning play and learning activities, school and activity transport, homework help, administering medication as instructed, keeping children’s areas and laundry tidy and reporting on the day to the parents.
Should a nanny do housework?
Only what is agreed. Children’s laundry, meals and tidying their areas are normally included. General household cleaning is a separate job and should be in the contract and reflected in the pay if it is expected.
Do nannies have employment rights in South Africa?
Yes. Nannies are domestic workers under the Basic Conditions of Employment Act and the applicable sectoral determination, covering minimum wage, hours, leave, notice and a written contract. Employers must also register them for UIF. Confirm current minimums with the Department of Employment and Labour.
What is the difference between a nanny and an au pair?
A nanny provides full childcare including babies and young children, often full-time. An au pair typically works part-time with school-age children, focusing on transport, homework and afternoon supervision.
Duties vary by family and should be set out in a written contract. Confirm current wage and condition requirements with the Department of Employment and Labour.
Last reviewed: 2 September 2026