Army of live-in nannies to rescue overworked and underpaid parents

MARY POPPINS-STYLE nannies are being introduced in Ireland in a bid to rescue cash-strapped, overworked parents.

The new army of nannies will start work within months in response to urgent calls from stressed-out mums and dads — desperate for 24-hour help.

Nanny chiefs at Childminding Ireland yesterday revealed that regular 9-5 childminders were no longer enough for increasingly overworked, and underpaid mums and dads.

The agency said that with a rising number of single parents entering the workforce and professionals being forced to work longer hours because of the recession, the demand for 24-7 childcare has “surged”.

And now it looks like Victorian-style nannies could return to thousands of homes in the coming months, with many parents opting for live-in help.

Bernie Griffiths, of Childminding Ireland, said the new army of nannies will have skills just like the famous movie queen childminder, Mary Poppins — played by Julie Andrews.

“Ireland’s new nannies will have a portfolio of skills to look after children in the best possible way, including school runs, homework duty, and the general care of a child.

“We are getting calls from single parents who need help round-the-clock, working parents who are working longer hours, parents who are having to travel further for work, and those who want a more economical deal for childcare,” she said

Money-savvy parents have flooded the agency seeking full-time, live-in childcarers in recent months, with stressed out, recession-hit families in the capital making the biggest call for live-in care for kids.

Ms Griffiths said: “The most calls have come from Dublin in recent months.

“Interest in nannies has surged and people are realising they could get a more economically friendly deal with this type of childcare,” she added.