A Filipino nanny can support a family’s language goals only if the individual nanny actually speaks the language at the level the role requires. Filipino nationality does not prove English, Filipino or Tagalog proficiency. Define the language goal first, then assess the candidate’s real communication ability.
By Filipino Nanny | Updated 23 August 2026
What is the difference between Filipino and Tagalog?
UK government geographic guidance states that Filipino and English are official languages of the Philippines and Filipino is the national language. Filipino is officially described as Tagalog-based. The same guidance notes that in practice the distinction between Filipino and Tagalog can be ambiguous and the names are sometimes used as synonyms.
That distinction matters when a family writes a nanny brief. “Filipino nanny” is a nationality/community description; “Tagalog-speaking nanny” or “Filipino-speaking nanny” is a language requirement and should be assessed as such.
Source: UK Permanent Committee on Geographical Names: Philippines Toponymic Factfile.
Do not assume a candidate’s languages from nationality
Filipino Nanny Agency specialises in Filipino candidates, but we do not assume that every Filipino candidate speaks Tagalog, Filipino or English to the same level. We assess English for the actual job through interview and scenario questions and, for some candidates, short written communication.
If a family wants a specific additional language, that should be stated in the brief and discussed with the candidate directly. Acas recruitment guidance makes the same underlying distinction: where a job genuinely requires a language, specify the language rather than a nationality.
See Acas: advertising a job without discriminatory wording.
Why might a family want home-language exposure?
Families may want children to maintain a language already used by parents or extended family, communicate with relatives, or have everyday exposure to more than one language. Filipino Nanny Agency confirms that families have made recurring requests for Tagalog/Filipino-speaking nanny candidates, including families with Filipino heritage.
The Department for Education says it is desirable for potentially bilingual and multilingual children to be supported in all the languages available to them. Its early-years guidance also says speaking more than one language has advantages and that a strong foundation in a home language can support children learning English.
This is general educational guidance. It does not mean that a nanny alone will make a child bilingual or guarantee a developmental outcome.
What does Department for Education guidance say?
Current DfE guidance for early-years providers encourages support for children’s home languages and says multilingual children benefit from meaningful language use in familiar contexts. Suggested practices include stories, songs, counting and ordinary conversation in home languages alongside English.
Development Matters likewise advises practitioners to encourage families to use their home language for linguistic and cultural reasons and recognises that children may use words from more than one language while learning.
Sources: DfE: English as an additional language and DfE: Development Matters.
Start with the family’s actual language goal
| Family goal | What to ask the nanny |
|---|---|
| Everyday exposure | Are you comfortable using the language naturally during meals, play, outings and routines? |
| Maintain a heritage language | Can you use the language consistently enough for the child to hear and respond to it every day? |
| Communicate with relatives | Does your vocabulary and fluency cover the family’s normal conversations and cultural context? |
| Songs, stories and play | Are you comfortable reading, singing and playing in the language as well as speaking it? |
| Formal teaching | Do you actually have teaching or tutoring experience? A nanny role does not automatically include language tuition. |
From our candidate assessment
When communication matters to a role, we do not rely on a CV line saying “English” or “Tagalog”. We assess the candidate in conversation, ask them to explain routines and respond to childcare scenarios, and may use a short written introduction or daily-log style exercise.
The same principle should apply to any language a family specifically requests. Ask the candidate to use the language in interview, discuss how they would use it with the child, and make sure the expected level is realistic for the job.
This candidate-specific approach is more useful than the stereotype that a nationality automatically determines language ability.
Should the nanny use only one language with the child?
There is no universal rule that every multilingual family should use one fixed method. The Department for Education’s guidance focuses on supporting the child’s home language, meaningful communication and the languages genuinely available in the child’s environment.
A family may choose consistent home-language use, mixed-language routines or specific times for each language. The important thing for a nanny brief is that the parents explain the goal and the nanny can carry it out comfortably and consistently.
What should parents check before hiring?
- The exact language required: English, Filipino, Tagalog or another language.
- Whether the requirement is conversational exposure or formal teaching.
- The candidate’s actual speaking and comprehension level.
- Whether written proficiency matters for homework, messages or logs.
- How the language fits with the child’s existing home and school languages.
- Whether the nanny is comfortable using the language consistently during normal childcare.
Language should never replace the rest of the hiring evidence
A candidate may meet the family’s language requirement but still be wrong for the childcare role. Compare age-relevant experience, references, paediatric First Aid, communication, availability, working arrangement and the rest of the job specification.
Read Filipino caregiving culture and everyday traditions, our candidate screening process and Filipino nanny services in London.