Genevieve Van Voorhis

English-Speaking Nanny & Private Childcare Expert

Languages

English

About 👋

Hi there!

I'm Genevieve Van Voorhis. Coming from a big family, taking care of children has been a part of my life as long as I can remember.

I took on my first nannying role outside the family in 2009, and have continued to work on and off in private childcare ever since. I still work as a nanny today, specifically working with infants and toddlers.

I moved to Berlin in 2014, and was blown away by how unregulated and difficult to navigate the nanny market in Berlin was in comparison to what I'd known in the US. Since then, I made it my mission to understand what rules are associated with nannying in Germany and quickly found a niche helping international families obtain the native English-speaking care they were looking for.

Cultivating my network of international families has been a great joy, and led me to the natural conclusion to cultivate a similar network of nannies.

I founded my agency, Lighthouse Nanny, in 2023 to help even more families find the specialized help they were looking for, and to help nannies integrate themselves into the private childcare market in Berlin.

While I love working as a nanny, adding this extra component of supporting families and nannies has been such a rewarding addition to my career.

I've already helped dozens of families and nannies, and am eager to provide support to as widely as I can.

If you're curious about nannying—either working as one, or working with one—feel free to send me a message!

https://www.lighthousenanny.com/about/

Appointment Locations

Our guides may have an office, offer home visits, and/or meet you at an agreed upon location.
Type:
Online|
Home-visit

Areas Genevieve will meet you:

  • All-Districts

Offerings ❤️

View Genevieve's services and/or packages

For Families

Hire me as your nanny

  • I am an experienced nanny specialized in infant & toddler care (2 months - 3 years old)

  • I would describe myself as energetic, compassionate, engaged and patient

  • I also have a background in English language tutoring, which is great for the language development of the children

  • I charge €30 an hour on a freelance contract

Nanny Matching — 10% of total rate, max. €600

  • Pairing a family with the right nanny for their requested timeslot (we offer both freelance and employment contracts for long term (6 months) and short term nannies)

  • The fee is payable at the time the contract is signed, and only requires payment from the family.

  • Additional services include short-term babysitting, event nannying, emergency care, and others.

  • Rates start at €20 an hour for employed nannies

  • Freelance nanny rates start at €25 an hour

All Lighthouse Nannies are required to have a valid residence & working permit, Haftpflichtversicherung, Führungszeugnis (police clearance), and a certificate in infant/child first aid from a program legally recognized in Germany.

They are native or near-native English speakers and were pre-vetted via an in-person interview process. Finally, they are able to write invoices for your tax return.

For families that need support with the complex process of becoming an employer, I partner with Quitt to make the entire process (registration, insurance, payroll, etc.) as smooth and secure as possible.

For nannies and nannies-to-be

Nanny Consultation — Free

  • 1:1 sessions with nanny candidate. Includes portfolio prep & referrals for necessary paperwork or additional services such as legal or tax services. Everything they'll need to get established as a working nanny in Berlin.

Insurance Coverage

Many of our guide's services are covered by insurance. Please check with your insurance provider to see if you are covered.

If you submit the invoices for the childcare services, you can claim 2/3 of the costs (max. €6000 per child) in your annual tax return (so up to the amount of €4000 per child, per year).

If you employ the nanny, you may get extra tax breaks because of the social contributions you make.

(Please note that all costs (both the agency fees and the nanny/childcare services) must be paid out of pocket.)

Qualifications 🏅

Our guides provide their qualifications and certifications so we can ensure their professional experience.

I've been nannying since 2009 in both the US and Germany.

I have been a registered freelancer in Germany since 2014, working simultaneously as a marketing & branding copywriter and professional nanny (specifically in infant/toddler care).

In addition to 8 fixed roles of approximately 6 months each working with infants, I've established Kids Clubs for 2 different businesses, and worked as a freelance babysitter with over 50 different families over the past 9 years.

Since 2023, I have been matching families with nannies and helping with the bureaucratic process.

I have a valid residence & working permit, Haftpflichtversicherung, Führungszeugnis (police clearance), and a certificate in infant/child first aid from a program legally recognized in Germany.

Contact Genevieve

Learn more about how to choose your guide and how we vet them.