Nanny Drive iQ is launched

22 July 2013

Nanny Drive iQ, the driving equivalent of a DBS (old CRB) check, and the world’s first assessment of its kind, has been launched. 

The brainchild of parents whose nanny crashed their car, this online training tool has been developed by a2om international ltd - the company which screened the 8,500 volunteer drivers for the London 2012 Olympics.

Nanny Drive iQ is endorsed by childcare experts Norland College, all of whose students will now take the online assessment before graduating to become a Norland Nanny.

Nanny Drive iQ costs £60 and is being launched to nanny and childcare agencies across the UK, with the aim that it will soon become an expected requirement on candidates’ CVs, alongside a DBS check and first aid training.

Parents can also ask, or pay for nannies or childminders already in their employment to take the new Nanny Drive iQ assessment, by logging on to www.nannydriveiq.com.

Recent research shows that children are 12 times more likely to be a distraction to drivers than using a mobile phone at the wheel1. Reflecting this, Nanny Drive iQ uses footage and sounds to immerse childcarers in real life road situations, in order to teach them the specific skills needed to drive safely with their charges on board.

The initial assessment takes just 40 minutes to complete; depending on performance, there are then up to 20 compulsory or recommended modules which take a few hours, including topics such as anxiety, fatigue, safety margins, distraction and the school run. There is also an accompanying e-book, packed full of useful information related to in-car safety and travelling with young passengers including: How to fit a car seat properly, being the best role model, what makes a journey different today, and knowing your vehicle inside and out.

Sarah Rowley, CEO, Nanny Drive iQ, comments, “As a parent, when you employ a nanny, you might check their license and perhaps go on a test drive with them, but that doesn’t give you a true insight in to how safe they are when out and about on a daily basis, with your precious child in the back of the car. Nanny Drive IQ is a thorough, effective training programme which teaches vital skills and awareness. I advise all parents to insist their nanny takes this assessment.”

Claire Burgess, Early Years Consultant, Norland said, “We have helped shape Nanny Drive iQ to ensure it gives all childcarers across the UK the right skills and confidence to drive safely with children in the back. It is something we feel passionate about, and this assessment is now part of the College’s core training for all our students. We will also actively encourage all qualified Norlanders, who are already working for families worldwide, to complete this potentially life-saving course without delay.”

A national database called The Drive a Child Register records successful holders of the Nanny Drive iQ qualification, which must be renewed every three years, and can be checked by an agency or parent instantaneously online.

Adrian Walsh, Director RoadSafe, described Nanny Drive iQ as an excellent initiative, “When carrying children by car there is a lot of potential for distraction and there are often time pressures too. This programme will certainly help nannies to be able to cope with both and become better drivers.”