Sloping off - ski nannies

Forget summer - think ahead to taking your childcare skills abroad to a ski resort this winter. Annette Rawstrone hits the nursery slope

Wanderlust and a yearning for new experiences leads many childcarers to spend an alternative few months working abroad as ski nannies each year.

Last winter NNEB Claire Bryant was one such nursery nurse who packed her bags and swapped life in Gloucester for the snow-covered slopes of Borovets in Bulgaria. She wanted a job change and felt inspired to become a ski nanny after seeing adverts in Nursery World. 'I saw the ads and thought, yeah, I'll go and ski for the winter,' she explains. 'Of course it was harder work than just skiing, but brilliant. I had so much fun and, since returning, I've told loads of my friends to go because I had a ball.'  

Claire, aged 24, applied to Family Match nanny agency and was employed by Inghams holiday company to work for three months. 'I didn't miss England, because I was too busy,' she says. 'I worked all day with the children, six days a week, and would arrive home only to go straight back out to eat. Then I often went to clubs - there were so many people to go out with.'

Skiing with the children
A typical working day began at the resort's basic creche at 9am where, with at least one other ski nanny, Claire would prepare for up to 22 children arriving (but on average around ten). Weather permitting, most days were spent up a mountain with ski instructors, besides a few hours back at the creche at midday. She cared for children aged three to eight years old, and even the youngest would venture on to the slopes to ski, sledge or bum-board. 'It was rare for a child not to ski,' recalls Claire. 'Most of the children were so hyped-up by their parents who were keen skiers that they just wanted to have a go too.

'We accompanied the trained ski instructors and helped with safety precautions and practical childcare on the slopes, checking that all the children stayed together and that everyone went to the toilet. Bulgaria's safety and food standards are lower than ours, so the ski nanny's role is to bring quality of care and improved standards.'

Being able to ski is not a prerequisite. Claire found she soon brushed up the skills she'd learned on dry slopes as a teenager and also learned how to snowboard in her spare time.

At mid-day Claire assisted with lunch and organised events, including treasure hunts and snowman competitions. 'When it was fresh snow we would have snowball fights and the dads always insisted on joining us,' she says. Her hectic day ended at 6pm.

It's essential that a ski nanny isn't scared of hard work and has the confidence to communicate with a constantly changing array of children and adults. 'A ski nanny can't be timid,' says Claire. 'You need to be outgoing, to make quick decisions and to work on your own initiative. It's also important to be aware of good childcare procedures. Being able to speak the language is nice but not necessary, because most people speak English. I did pick up a few Bulgarian words but I'd struggle to remember them now.'

Above all, Claire's experience has helped her become more independent. It also looks great on her CV. 'I've just got a new job as a health visitor support worker and in my interview they thought what I'd done was brilliant,' she says. 'But if I hadn't found this permanent job I'd be straight out there again this winter.'

The low down