A babysitter (barnvakt in Swedish) looks after children now and then, usually a few hours in the evening or at the weekend. A nanny (barnflicka, the older Swedish word) works regularly for the same family to a fixed schedule and takes broader responsibility for the children's everyday life. The difference lies in the regularity and in how large a part of everyday life the person is involved in.
The words barnflicka, nanny and barnvakt are used interchangeably in Sweden, which makes it hard to know what you are actually looking for. Here is what they mean, what they cost, and how to decide which setup your family needs.
What is the difference between a nanny and a babysitter?
| Babysitter (barnvakt) | Nanny (barnflicka) | |
|---|---|---|
| How often | As needed, one-off sessions | A fixed schedule every week |
| Typical scope | 3 to 5 hours at a time | 10 to 40 hours a week |
| Same person every time | Not necessarily | Yes, that is the whole point |
| Responsibility | Supervision, meals, bedtime | The whole afternoon routine, pick-ups, activities, meals for the children |
| Relationship with the child | A friendly acquaintance | A constant adult in the child's everyday life |
| RUT (the Swedish tax deduction for household services) | Yes | Yes |
In practice, barnflicka is the older Swedish word and nanny is the one used most today. They mean the same thing. Barnvakt is the broader word that covers both, but in everyday speech it usually refers to one-off sessions.
What does a nanny do?
A nanny takes over the part of the day the parents cannot cover, usually between 14:00 and 18:00. A typical session looks like this:
- Picks the children up from förskola (municipal preschool, from age one) or school, with written authorisation from you
- A snack and time to wind down after the day
- Drives or accompanies them to training, music school or playdates with friends
- Simple homework help as part of the childcare
- Play, crafts and time outdoors
- Prepares dinner for the children if you wish
- Tidies up after the children and hands over to you when you come home
What is included is set out in the agreement. A nanny is employed for the children's sake and should not be used as a house cleaner. That line matters both for the working environment and for the RUT deduction to be correct, since the deduction for childcare requires the work to be about the children.
Which setup suits your family?
- A babysitter as needed suits you if you need to be able to go out for dinner or to the theatre a few times a month.
- A part-time nanny, 10 to 20 hours a week, suits you if you have long working days or commute and need the afternoons covered.
- A full-time nanny suits families with several children, irregular working hours or children who do not yet have a förskola place.
- An au pair is something different: a young person from another country who lives in your home in exchange for board, lodging and pocket money. It is a cultural exchange with its own rules, not employment in the same way.
A nanny who speaks your language
For bilingual families, language is often what decides the choice. If you want your child to keep their mother tongue, or to hear English a few afternoons a week, a nanny is one of the most effective ways, considerably more than an hour of tuition a week, because the language comes into everyday life rather than into a lesson.
That requires two things: that the nanny actually speaks the language well, and that it is the same nanny every time. Language development is built on repetition and recognition. If the person changes every other week, the effect disappears.
Our nannies speak Swedish and English, and we also have Bulgarian, Spanish and Arabic. Tell us which language you want your child to hear at home, and we match accordingly.
What does a nanny cost?
At Happy Nanny, childcare costs from 165 kronor an hour after the RUT deduction, which is taken off the invoice directly, depending on how many hours you book. One and two children cost the same, from the third child an extra 20 kronor an hour is added. At 15 hours a week, the monthly cost is about 10,700 kronor after the deduction.
| Scope | Hours/week | Per month after RUT |
|---|---|---|
| Afternoons two days a week | 8 | from 5,900 kr |
| Afternoons three days a week | 12 | from 8,800 kr |
| Afternoons every weekday | 20 | from 14,700 kr |
| Full time | 40 | from 28,500 kr |
How do you find a good nanny?
What matters is not where you look but what you check. Whether you use an agency or search on your own, you should always go through five things:
- A criminal record extract (utdrag ur belastningsregistret). Ask to see it, not just to hear that it exists.
- Two references from previous families, and actually ring them.
- Paediatric CPR and first aid, with the date the training was done.
- Insurance. Ask what applies if the child or the nanny gets hurt.
- A meeting in your home before you decide. See how your child reacts.
If you use an agency, the first four should be done before you even meet the person. That is the whole point of paying more than for a neighbour who helps out.
Nanny or förskola?
Most families have both. Förskola gives your child a group of children and an educational setting. The nanny covers the time around it: afternoons, early mornings, school holidays and training days. A nanny rarely replaces förskola, but rather the hours when the family logistics would otherwise fall apart.
Want to know which setup suits you? You tell us what your everyday life looks like, we suggest a nanny, the same person every time and in the language you want, and you meet her in your home before you decide. The meeting is free and you commit to nothing.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a nanny and a babysitter?
A babysitter looks after children now and then, usually a few hours in the evening or at the weekend. A nanny works regularly for the same family to a fixed schedule and takes responsibility for a larger part of the children's everyday life, such as pick-ups, activities and dinner.
Do barnflicka and nanny mean the same thing?
Yes. Barnflicka is the older Swedish word and nanny is the English one used most today. Both describe a person who works regularly for the same family with responsibility for the children's everyday life.
What does a nanny cost per month?
At Happy Nanny, childcare costs from 165 kronor an hour after the RUT deduction, depending on how many hours you book. At 15 hours a week that comes to about 10,700 kronor a month after the deduction. The price is the same however many children you have, because it is counted per nanny and hour.
Can a nanny clean and cook?
A nanny cooks for the children and tidies up after them. Housework that is not about the children is a different service and should not be included, both for the sake of the working environment and so that the RUT deduction for childcare is correct.
Does a nanny qualify for the RUT deduction?
Yes. Childcare in the home gives a 50 percent tax reduction on the labour cost, up to 75,000 kronor per person per year, normally up to and including year seven of school. That applies whether the setup is called babysitter, barnflicka or nanny.