Hey Raha blog · Family life

How to brief your nanny in the UAE, with a free printable template

By Marie Adly · 11 October 2026

To brief your nanny well, give her one standing sheet she keeps (pick-up times, who can collect, kit days, allergies, emergency contacts and which school groups matter) and then a short weekly and daily plan on WhatsApp for what changes. Keep private things like fees, reports and your own notes out of it. Our free printable below covers the lot on one page.

Last updated: 11 October 2026

Most of what a nanny needs to know lives in two places: your inbox and your head. She sees the school once or twice a day, she isn't on the parent portal, and she doesn't read your school emails. So she gets it the way most of us pass it on: a voice note in the car, a quick WhatsApp, a "don't forget!" at the door. It works until the week it doesn't.

A good brief fixes that. Not a rulebook, just the things she needs at her fingertips so she can get on with it confidently.

Start with the standing brief (the things that rarely change)

Print it, stick it inside a kitchen cupboard, and send her a photo for her phone.

1. Drop-off and pick-up

• School start and finish times for each child, by day (Fridays are often shorter).
• Gate or pick-up point, and how collection works (tag, card, app QR code).
• Who else is allowed to collect: driver, a grandparent, another parent. Tell the school too, through its usual process.
• What to do if she's running late, and who to call.

2. Kit and uniform by day

Write it day by day, not "PE is Tuesday and Thursday". A list on the wall is much harder to get wrong at 6.30am.

• Regular uniform, PE kit, swimming kit, library day, instrument day.
• Water bottle, hat, snack and lunchbox rules (many schools are nut-free).

3. Allergies, medicines and health

• Each child's allergies and what a reaction looks like.
• Where the medicines are (antihistamine, inhaler, adrenaline pen) and when to use them.
• Your paediatrician or clinic, and your nearest hospital with an emergency department.
• Anything else she should know: eczema creams, bedtime medicine, foods to avoid.

4. Emergency contacts

• Both parents' mobiles, plus a backup adult who lives nearby.
• UAE emergency numbers: 999 police, 998 ambulance, 997 fire.
• Your home address written out in full, with a landmark, so she can read it to a dispatcher.
• School reception number.

5. School groups and apps

Be clear about which channels she's in and which she isn't.

• If you add her to a class or bus WhatsApp group, say what it's for (pick-up changes, bus delays) and that she doesn't need to reply to everything.
• If she isn't in a group, tell her who will pass on what: "I'll message you anything from school."
• School apps and portals usually stay with you. She gets the parts that affect her day.

6. House basics

Screen time, homework routine, after-school snacks, bath and bedtime, friends coming over, and when to check in with you.

Then a weekly and daily plan for what changes

On Sunday evening, send one WhatsApp with the week: kit by day, special days (costume, charity AED 10, show-and-tell), early finishes, activities and who's collecting. Then a short reminder the night before or each morning. We've written more on the weekly school-week briefing.

What not to share

Your nanny needs the plan, not your whole school life. Keep these between you and the school:

• School fees, invoices and payment reminders.
• Reports, assessments, learning support or behaviour notes, unless she needs a specific action.
• Your own private notes, medical details of other family members, and other parents' contact details beyond what she needs.
• Logins for the school portal or your email.

None of this is about trust. It's about giving her exactly what she needs to do the job well, and keeping private things private.

Be fair with time

UAE law gives domestic workers daily rest and a paid weekly day off. Plan pick-ups and activities around her hours, and say early if you need her on a different day.

Free printable: nanny briefing template

Download the PDF (A4, 2 pages) · Download as an image

Page 1 is the standing household brief. Page 2 is a weekly plan you can fill in each Sunday, or skip if you send it on WhatsApp.

Want the daily part done for you? Hey Raha reads your school emails and sends you and your helper one clear daily WhatsApp plan. Try Hey Raha free for 14 days.

Frequently asked questions

What should I include in a nanny briefing in the UAE?
Pick-up and drop-off times, who is allowed to collect, uniform and kit by day, allergies and medicines, emergency contacts including 998 for an ambulance, and which school WhatsApp groups she is in.

Should my nanny be in the class WhatsApp group?
It can help for pick-up changes and bus delays, but it's your call. If she isn't in the group, tell her you'll pass on anything that affects her day.

Should I forward school emails to my nanny?
Most parents don't, and there's no need. School emails often include fees, reports and other private details. Pass on just what she needs, usually by WhatsApp.

How often should I update the briefing?
Update the standing sheet when something changes, such as a new term timetable or a new activity. Send a short weekly plan on Sunday and a reminder the night before or in the morning.

What should I keep private from my nanny?
School fees, reports, private notes and your logins. She needs the day plan, not your inbox.

Related: Brief your helper on the school week · What to pack for a UAE school day · KG packing checklist · Managing class WhatsApp groups · Dubai school holidays 2026-27

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