All Happy Nanny nannies speak English and Swedish, and several also speak Bulgarian, Spanish or Arabic. You choose which language the nanny speaks with your children. RUT, the Swedish tax deduction for household services, applies to everyone who pays tax in Sweden, so the price is from 165 kr per hour after the deduction even if you have only just moved here. We are happy to hold the first meeting in your home in English.
A family who moved from Dublin to Danderyd in August, with a three-year-old about to start Swedish förskola (municipal preschool, from age one), a job that starts at eight and no grandmother within two hundred kilometres. We know that situation well. Stockholm has plenty of international families, and the need is almost always the same: someone who can take the afternoons, who understands the child, and who you can talk to without searching for words.
Language: what the nanny speaks with your children
The first thing we ask about is not hours but language. Which language do you speak at home? Which language should the nanny speak with your child? The answers vary depending on how long you plan to stay.
| Your situation | Common choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Staying one or two years, child attends English-speaking preschool | English | The child does not need Swedish and will soon move again |
| Staying long term, child attends Swedish förskola | Swedish in the afternoons | Extra language immersion on top of förskola, the child settles in faster |
| Mixed home, English and Swedish | Whichever language is weaker in the child | The nanny becomes an extra voice in that language |
| Home language Spanish, Arabic or Bulgarian | The home language, if we have a nanny who speaks it | The child hears their language from someone outside the family |
What we advise against is the nanny mixing freely. Small children sort languages by person: Mum speaks like this, förskola speaks like that. A nanny who switches mid-sentence gives the child less than one who sticks to one language. More on how that works in A nanny in another language.
The RUT deduction applies to you too
It is the question we get most often from international families, and the answer surprises many: the RUT deduction is not tied to citizenship. It is tied to paying tax in Sweden. If you are taxable here, live in the home where the childcare takes place and pay electronically, you get a tax reduction of 50 percent of the labour cost, up to 75 000 kr per person per year. Childcare applies to children up to and including age 12. We take the deduction off the invoice directly, so you do not need to do anything yourself. If your tax situation is complicated, for example if one of you is taxed in another country, ask Skatteverket (the Swedish Tax Agency) before you count on the deduction. See RUT deduction for nannies and babysitters for the details.
What tends to surprise people who are new to Stockholm
- Förskola closes earlier than you think. Opening hours vary between preschools, so check your own, but many families discover that pick-up clashes with the working day. If you work until six in the city centre, it is a daily problem. It is the most common reason families contact us.
- A nanny is not a luxury service here. With the RUT deduction, childcare at home is something ordinary families have, not just those with large incomes.
- Children are outside in all weathers. Förskola goes out when it rains and snows, and so do our nannies. Waterproof overtrousers, mittens and rain gear are compulsory, not optional.
- People stay quiet about things that matter. Swedish preschools rarely tell you outright that they think you pick up late. A nanny who speaks Swedish can help you read between the lines.
- The same person every time. In many countries a babysitter is something you book ad hoc through an app. With us it is one person who comes on the same days every week, and that is what children need.
How it works from first contact
- You call us or book a meeting through the booking page. The meeting in your home is free of charge and can be held in English.
- The nanny comes to your home and meets the children, and we go through hours, language and what the children need. She has 13 years of experience with children and interviews every nanny herself.
- We match you with a nanny who suits your hours and your choice of language. If we have no one available who fits, recruitment normally takes one to two weeks.
- The nanny comes for a first session with you at home, so the children get to meet her while you are in the room.
- After that she comes on the same days every week. The invoice arrives with the RUT deduction already taken off.
What it costs
The price depends on how many hours a week you need. Occasional sessions cost 199 kr per hour after RUT, full time from 165 kr per hour after RUT, and everything in between depending on the number of hours. One and two children cost the same. No start-up fees, no monthly fees, no lock-in period. You get the exact price at the first meeting. The full pricing is on our prices page.
How we do it with our families
Denise, who has been with us since February 2024 and speaks Spanish, Swedish and English, has a family on Lidingö where the mother is from Mexico and the father from Sweden. The children attend Swedish förskola and hear Swedish all day. The parents wanted Spanish to get more room. So Denise speaks only Spanish with the children, three afternoons a week, from pick-up at half past three until the mother gets home at six. The note to the parents she writes in Swedish, for the father's sake. After six months the four-year-old answered her in Spanish without thinking about it. It is not a method, it is just the same person, the same language, the same days.
Would you like a nanny who comes on the same days every week and who your children know? Book a free first meeting with the nanny in your home, and we will work out a price for your hours.
Read more: A nanny in another language · Multilingual children · Nanny in Stockholm · Prices
Frequently asked questions
Do your nannies speak English?
Yes, all our nannies speak Swedish and English. Several also speak a third language: Bulgarian, Spanish or Arabic. If you want a nanny who speaks only English with the children, or only Swedish, say so at the first meeting and we will match accordingly.
Does the RUT deduction apply to us if we are not Swedish citizens?
The RUT deduction depends on paying tax in Sweden, not on citizenship. If you are taxable here, live in the home where the work is done and pay electronically, the deduction applies just as it does for everyone else. If you are unsure about your tax situation, ask Skatteverket. We take the deduction off the invoice directly.
Can the nanny help my child with Swedish?
Yes, and it is a common request from families who plan to stay long term. A nanny who speaks Swedish in the afternoons gives your child language immersion alongside förskola. If instead you want to keep English strong in a child who attends Swedish förskola, the nanny can speak only English. You choose.
How quickly can we get a nanny when we have just moved here?
New recruitment normally takes one to two weeks. If there is an available nanny who suits your hours, it is faster. Start with a free meeting in your home, so we know exactly what you need. We can hold the meeting in English.
Does the same person come every time?
Yes. That is the foundation of how we work. The children get one person they come to know, and you get someone who knows where everything is and what the routines look like. If you have many sessions a week, we recommend two nannies who both know the children, so that one sick day does not leave you without help.