HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM EDEN PRIVATE STAFF!

With a reminder of a few of the ways we can help to make your life easier throughout 2018… For further information on employing staff and to discuss your specific requirements please call Eden Private Staff on 0207 471 6000

PROFESSIONAL DOMESTIC COUPLES

Here at Eden Private Staff we represent highly experienced professional domestic couples capable of managing a vast range of duties.

Domestic couples will be happy to take on any or all housekeeping duties such as cooking, laundry, washing, ironing, childcare, driving, gardening, security duties, DIY, maintenance, dog walking or working with animals.

A professional domestic couple will work hard to ensure your home runs smoothly on a daily basis. They will also be able to deal with any emergencies efficiently and manage your home affairs, giving you peace of mind.

Over the years, we have found the demand for domestic couples is great as they carry out the jobs of three-four people, but their joint salaries and accommodation costs means this is a cheaper option than hiring several people.

Experience can vary from a hospitality background (hotel, chalet, villa or yacht) to those who have worked previously as domestic staff in homes or on estates.

Many nationalities of professional domestic couples are represented and we will only register and use those with a good level of English and excellent references. Generally they are looking for separate or self-contained accommodation and this is offered on top of the weekly salary.

PROFESSIONAL GARDENERS

As a leading private household staffing company, Eden also specialises in the recruitment of professional gardeners throughout the United Kingdom and the rest of the world.

We will give you the benefit of our 15 years of recruitment experience and expertise, offering a discreet and personal service designed for those who may not have time to advertise and recruit for themselves.

We source and place professional gardeners seeking employment as head gardeners, assistants and under-gardeners on a full or part-time, seasonal or temporary basis.

We can also find clients ‘Gardening & Housekeeping Couples’ or ‘Gardening Couples’

The gardeners we source possess all-round gardening knowledge and skills and usually offer in addition a particular area of expertise such as:

• Plant and shrub management.
• Lawns.
• Herbs.
• Organic gardening.
• Historic garden restoration.
• Estate management.
• Botanic collections.
• Design and landscaping.
• Arboriculture.
• Propagation.

All professional gardeners we represent are thoroughly reference checked and posses a DBS check through the criminal records bureau. Gardeners from other countries generally will come with a police check.

PRIVATE PERSONAL ASSISTANT

The top managing directors across the UK agree that a Private Personal Assistant can significantly increase the efficiency of a business.

A Personal Assistant, or PA, is responsible for duties including office management, keeping travel and diary schedules, dealing with company HR, and managing private property portfolios and personal finance. Private PAs may also be required to attend business meetings and organise events – both business and family-focused.

All of our PA and secretary candidates are interviewed and assessed against a relevant skills matrix in order to ensure that they meet the standards and expectations of the client.

We are able to provide a PA or secretary on a full or part-time basis, temporary or permanent, and we can even offer a ‘virtual service’ whereby your highly skilled Private PA works from home to deliver a first class service wherever you are.

Typical PA Roles include:

• Executive PA
• Household PA
• Nanny PA
• Celebrity Personal Assistant
• PA and House Management Couple

We are always happy to discuss roles and specifications for Personal Assistant jobs.

HOUSEKEEPERS

The smooth running of a household alongside the wishes of the homeowner is what a housekeeper excels at.

A good housekeeper provides the client with a wide variety of professional domestic services and takes on the responsibilities of cleaning, laundry, cooking and running errands. Each household is unique therefore the duties and responsibilities are discussed at interview stage.

Some full-time Housekeepers will work on a ‘live-in’ basis and are provided with a room and meals in addition to their weekly or monthly salary. Usually they will not have direct involvement with the children of the household, but every home is different, so flexibility is essential. As well as keeping the house clean and orderly, they may also be required to do food shopping and prepare family meals.

It is not uncommon for them to be entrusted with the keys to the household when the employer is not at home. This means they will be able to access the property to work or in case of an emergency.

There are a variety of titles for the role of housekeeper. For example:

• Live-in
• All-round
• Daily
• Nanny
• Companion
• Cook

Reliable and trustworthy housekeepers are always in demand and we help clients find excellent temporary, permanent or part time positions.

MATERNITY NURSES

Eden Maternity understands the importance of finding the right person to suit the individual needs of you and your new baby.

Here at Eden we have a thorough screening process and only represent maternity nurses who have an extremely professional approach, are experienced, and come highly recommended by all their previous employers. We willingly introduce to our clients high quality maternity nurses with a genuine commitment to their positions. All maternity nurses registered with us have met our high standards in order to support new parents in the best way possible with their babies.

Eden Nannies and Maternity has an extensive database as well as an informative website. We have more than 200 maternity nurses who work exclusively through Eden Maternity, ensuring we are able to meet the demands of our clients at all times.

 

TEMPORARY & PERMANENT NANNIES
We are a London-based nanny agency and one of the leading providers of private childcare in the UK and overseas. For over 15 years we have handpicked the best childcare staff on behalf of the families we work for.

The nannies and maternity nurses we choose to represent us are professional, experienced, committed and career minded. Candidates are proud of their solid work record and excellent references and must possess an up-to-date police check (DBS) and first aid qualifications. Please be aware these verification documents will always remain the property of the candidate.

We provide a first class service when it comes to caring for your child. With a large database of nannies, maternity nurses and maternity nannies to give you help and support, we are confident that we will find the best candidate for you.

 

NIGHT NANNIES

Typically a night nanny candidate would be younger and less experienced than a night maternity nurse. As mentioned above, they would be that vital extra pair of hands during the night when it comes to nappy changing, bottle feeding and re-settling the child. This type of nanny would be a good choice for confident parents, who need less direction and advice.

We usually recommend that a night nanny is booked somewhere between 8 to 12 hours per night. The start and end time is of course flexible and completely up to the parents. We suggest perhaps 7pm to 7am or 9pm to 7am. The 7pm start can be a welcome option when a couple feel they would like to go out for a short while and the night nanny can babysit.

The night nanny will deal with all aspects of care for the baby and work to any of the preferences the client has with regards to sleeping and feeding. Also included in their duties would be

Changing nappies

Settling the baby

Night feeds

Preparing and sterilising bottles

Dressing and preparing the baby in the morning

A night nanny is not usually responsible for any cleaning or laundry.

A night nanny can be booked for just 1 night or 6 nights (they will then have a 24 hour break and of course can be re-booked after that).
GOVERNESS

A governess is defined as a person (usually a woman) who is employed to educate, care for and supervise a child or children children in a private household setting.

Most governesses will come from a teaching background, coupled with childcare experience. In addition, they will usually be able to offer other specialist skills as required by the employer. For example they may be qualified to teach swimming, a language or a musical instrument.

The governess will have full responsibility for overseeing both the formal and informal education of the children in her care (usually aged three-16). As well as teaching all aspects of the curriculum, the governess will also help with the social and cultural development of the child, encourage self-awareness and creativity.

 

FAMILY SECURITY ADVISOR

A family security advisor can add value to any busy household by managing the safety and security of all family members, guests and household staff. Considered security advice ensures the home is not compromised by poor security practice, family activities are not vulnerable to criminal activity and a sense of safety is enabled across all activities at home, work and travel. If a dedicated security professional is not deemed necessary, a retained advisor can be allocated as a single point of contact for any security-related concerns that may arise. Key areas covered as a basic level of service include:

• Home security – A security review of the residence and its environment, considering all physical and technical security measures.
• Travel advising – Making travellers aware of the country’s risks and recommending proactive mitigating actions.
• Close protection – The appropriate allocation of professional, vetted and licensed bodyguard(s) for the whole family, or an individual.
• Residential security team – A waking security presence inside the home 24-hours-a-day to manage access control, incident response and to facilitate safety and security of all family members and staff.
• Home computer network security – Testing all devices and identifying malware. Establishing secure networks to prevent intrusion.

 

RESIDENTIAL SECURITY SURVEY

An apartment in town or a country estate can be vulnerable to criminal attention. Criminals actively target high value properties with the expectation that the contents are also valuable. A residential security review looks at the layers around a home to create deterrence for the criminal. If the criminal is not deterred, then the approach to the property is made unfavourable to them. A review of lighting and landscaping can deny a potential criminal of any hiding places at night, and obstacles from anti-climb devices to thorny plants can delay or deter further attempts. While the ‘deter’ and ‘impede’ elements are employed, methods are used to help detect the intruder.

 

CLOSE PROTECTION SERVICES

Personal protection can be allocated as an individual bodyguard (IBG), a close protection team (CPT) or a ‘stand- off’ protective surveillance team (PST).

• IBG – A single officer acting as a security escort to an individual or small group. The IBG will identify potential threats and advise the client on safety measures.
• CPT – A team of two or more protection officers. The bodyguard remains close to the principal while the remainder keep a distance that allows freedom of movement but ensures a response is seconds away.
• PST – Similar to the CPT except that no one realises that they are with the principal. The distances are greater but within sight, which allows a response but not as immediate as the CPT.

All personal protection officers are vetted and licensed by the Security Industry Authority. They are considerately allocated to complement the profile of the client and their family. All are highly trained and enhanced skills such as languages, paediatric first aid or paramedic qualifications are available if required.

 

RESIDENTIAL SECURITY TEAM/OFFICER

A residential security officer ensures the security around the family. Access control of the gate prevents vehicles being allowed into the estate. Security of the residence doors and windows prevents breaches into the home. Receipt of parcels and mail ensures no unsolicited or harmful mail is placed in the hands of the family. At night, the family can sleep soundly knowing that their security officer is maintaining a vigilant watch over the home. Should an emergency occur they will be guided in a calm manner that has been considered and written into routine contingency plans.

The close protection officer and the residential security officer quickly become an asset to the family. It is in their protective interest to assist in the smooth running of the residence or the safe movement of the family so that they can influence considerations to include safety. Personal assistants and house managers often reflect on how they value the assistance afforded to them and the impact it makes on their daily routine.

 

SECURITY CHAUFFEUR

Eden offers highly trained drivers to ensure safe passage to and from secure locations. That could be home to office or office to meeting venues. Irrespective of whether a chauffeur is required for domestic or business facilitation, you can be assured that diligent route planning and contingency actions are thoroughly considered and integrated into your daily routine to enhance your safety and efficiency.

Our drivers are security aware, counter surveillance trained and vetted licence-holders of Security Industry Authority (SIA) close protection accreditation. Our ex-police or military chauffeurs are qualified in advanced driving techniques and have medical training.

A personable, discreet and loyal chauffeur is an enhancement to a busy household.

 

PRIVATE CHEF

Private chefs working for busy households are becoming increasingly popular. Most are professionally qualified and some may continue attending an academy to continue improving their skills.

Some chefs will have gained corporate catering experience and most will have experience of varied cuisine, from British, Mediterranean, and French, to Asian, Middle Eastern, Japanese and Fusion.

Often a private chef will work in more than one location and will travel with the client on business and holidays. Responsible for food shopping, menu planning and preparing and cooking meals, a good private chef will need to be flexible and creative.

Attention to detail is also crucial, as is an awareness of food allergies and intolerances with anyone they are serving. Awareness of food safety and hygiene is necessary.

Job roles may extend to assisting with party menu planning, or providing cooking lessons and demonstrations as required. Some may also be required to undertake household management or organise special events such as. While some private chefs may work as part of a team of household staff, others may work alone or alongside a housekeeper and may be responsible for kitchen budgets and accounts. In larger staffed residences a personal chef may manage a small team.

Private chefs are an excellent option for households that require a high standard of cuisine. They can work closely with their employers to cater for specific personal preferences and needs and can cook a range of cuisines catering for specific dietary requirements such as: low calorie, low fat, low sodium, Kosher, Halal, vegetarian, vegan, macrobiotic, diabetic, gluten and dairy free.

Private chef’s salaries are dependent on experience. Most will work four, five or six days per week. Generally a chef will work eight-12 hours per day. They may also work on a rota basis with other chefs. Often chefs will do a split shift or regular hours with additional longer hours by arrangement.

The cost for a live in chef can vary from £20,000 to £50,000 per year gross depending on days.

A live out chef can earn between £30,000 and £70,000 per year gross. Top private chefs may command higher salaries and temporary and seasonal chefs can be employed at fixed rates.

 

BUTLER/HOUSEHOLD MANAGER/HOUSE MANAGER, MAJORDOMO

The role of butler has changed dramatically over the years, but in more traditional households duties such as formal table service, serving drinks, valeting and care of the wine cellar, are still essential.

The role of a ‘modern’ butler encompasses these duties and many more. Clients now look for multi-skilled, proactive individuals. The butler may be required to act as chauffeur, personal assistant, cook and events organiser. For a butler based in the country, they may be expected to have knowledge of shoots, care of guns and the ability to organise a shooting weekend and manage staff.

A head butler may be required to take on responsibility for other household staff and carry out security, driving and hospitality duties.

The role of a household manager is varied and differs a little from the butler role. Generally they will take responsibility for overseeing the smooth running, general upkeep and maintenance of large properties and private residences. Responsibilities may include supervising staff, ensuring that high standards are maintained, administration and managing of budgets, negotiating with and managing third party suppliers, event planning, and sourcing property.

The skills, knowledge and experience of a butler and house manager will vary widely depending on their individual experience and the size of the properties they have previously been responsible for. Many are experienced at managing multiple residences and working internationally. House managers often come from a commercial or hotel management background.

The butler is a more traditional figure than the household manager, and is knowledgeable in etiquette and protocol. As the position involves a significant level of hands-on service to the owners and their guests, the schedule and hours worked will vary considerably, requiring a large degree of flexibility. Occasionally, such positions are live-in, where security and/or 24/7 on-call services are appropriate.