Governess

A governess is an experienced, qualified professional childcare provider.

All Governesses will hold a formal educational background. They generally works in a rural or remote setting/home providing care & education.

Typically a Governess’s primary focus is on the child’s education.

A Governess is a private teacher/tutor/educator to school aged children. Most Governess positions are live-in in the home or on the estate due to their location and generally their remoteness, and/or large amounts of travel.

A Governess may be the authorized supervisor for the education of the child in distance education settings where the schooling takes place in the home.

A lot of Governess positions are in a rural or secluded placement so you need to be comfortable to work in this type of environment. It is more isolating at times than a nanny, but can be just the type of position for some.

In Australia another term for Governess is Govie.

A Governess is typically more responsible for the education of the children. As this is the primary focus of a Governess the domestic side of things is also included but is considered the secondary responsibility.

The hours of a Governess can vary greatly depending on the position, the location and the ages and numbers of children. It can be as little as a few hours per week to 12 hours per day six days per week.

There is no norm. In the UK it usually entails 6-10 hours per day for six days per week. It is also not unusual to have the Governess on an “on-call” basis.

Some typical duties may include:

• Help with schoolwork and tutoring including supervising their daily work.
• Some jobs will include teaching the children along with the School of the Air which is provided for children in isolated and remote regions of Australia.
• Keep the school room clean and organized.
• Organisation and pack up units of school work and arrange the change over of school work.
• Getting children ready for the day or for school if children attend school or school related events/occasions.
• Set work and prepare and mark the lessons.
• Organise a timetable for the lessons.
• Some positions will also include meals for the children and cleaning up after them.
• Playing and organising fun and educational things for the children to do.

The primary role of a Governess is the educational needs of the children. They concentrate on teaching children.

A nanny is more a all round care for the child.

You may find that sometimes there are nanny/Governess positions whereby the roles are merged and the role is education and care.

In the UK a Governess can be paid between £900 and £1800 net per week and they are usually hired on a live in basis.

In Australia the wage is generally between $800-$1200 per week.

As it is generally a live in position all your other expenses are accounted for in the salary package.

To be classed as a Governess you will usually hold a qualification and/or alternatively some special skill or experience in working as a Governess.

Most Governesses hold a teacher qualification in primary or secondary, and/or may be a ESL teacher. A Governess is usually requested to be highly experienced and have excellent references.

Although, having said that in rural and outback Australia you may find that the only requirement is a Working With Children Check and/or Police Clearance. This depends on how you find the position, the position itself and of course the family’s requirements. Due to the isolation of some areas some family’s understand and account for this in the suitability of the candidate.

Some families do require experience and qualifications whereas others are open to experience, commitment, resourcefulness and passion.

• It can be isolating.
• It can be extremely rewarding.
• Due to the nature of the role you are a vital member of the family.
• You need to be organised, passionate, patient to assist with the school work and resourceful as you may not have access to resources and materials as readily.
• Flexibility is key.