Governance is often defined by the structures, processes and decisions that help families preserve wealth, navigate complexity and maintain continuity across generations. However, governance is not only expressed through formal frameworks relating to wealth and family business operations. It also exists in the people and systems that support daily family life.
As family life has become increasingly complex, shaped by demanding schedules, increasing professional commitments, evolving family structures, international lifestyles and responsibilities across multiple jurisdictions, many households have adopted a more professionalised approach to household support, creating the foundations upon which successful families thrive. Within this evolving ecosystem, nannies often occupy one of the most trusted and influential positions in the home, helping to provide not only care and stability, but also continuity, structure and the reinforcement of family values.
Among the most recognised childcare professionals are Norland-trained nannies. Educated at Norland University, they undertake a rigorous programme combining academic study in child development with extensive practical placements, preparing them to work in some of the world’s most complex private households.
In this edition of our In Conversation With series, we speak with Ellis Carveth and Arys Persia, founders of Gaia Nannies, a specialist agency placing Norland-trained nannies and other exceptional nannies with high and ultra-high-net-worth families around the world.
Drawing on their own experience working within sophisticated family structures, they share insights into the unique needs of UHNW families, the evolving roles within modern households, and why childcare professionals can play a meaningful role in supporting the culture, continuity and long-term success of family life.
To begin, could you tell us about your backgrounds and what led you to establish Gaia Nannies?
Ellis: Looking after children was always part of my life. From the age of twelve, my family fostered children, so I grew up seeing first-hand the impact that a stable and supportive home environment can have. That experience sparked a real interest in child development and family life, which eventually led me to Norland.
Arys: My journey was quite similar. I always wanted to work with children, whether that was babysitting for family friends or helping with younger cousins. Growing up in Canada, discovering Norland felt like an incredible opportunity and brought me to the UK.
We met at Norland, became close friends and spent the next ten years working in private households. During that time, we gained a deep understanding of both the profession and the families we supported.
What we consistently saw was that many agencies could fill a vacancy, but fewer truly understand what life inside these households looks like, or what makes a placement successful over the long term. We understood just how personal and nuanced these roles are. You are working closely with a family, often during some of their most private moments, which means trust, discretion and personality fit are just as important as experience and qualifications.
Our experience allows us to help families find the right match, prepare candidates to understand what will be expected of them, and make introductions based on long-term fit rather than simply filling a position.
“What we consistently saw was that many agencies could fill a vacancy, but fewer truly understand what life inside these households looks like, or what makes a placement successful over the long term.”
As family life has become increasingly complex, how have you seen the role of the nanny evolve over time?
The role has evolved significantly over the past decade and become far more professionalised. Families are no longer simply looking for someone to supervise their children. They are looking for a highly skilled professional who can contribute to their children’s development, work as part of a wider household team and help navigate the complexities of modern family life.
The simplest way we describe it is this: if a child has football after school, is the nanny standing on the sidelines distracted by their phone, or are they fully engaged, cheering them on and sharing in the moment? It is those small interactions that build trust, strengthen relationships and make a child feel genuinely seen.
The same principle applies within the wider household. Like any high-performing organisation, the best households rely on clear communication, collaboration and people who take ownership of their responsibilities. The best nannies take initiative. They know when to step beyond their formal remit, how to communicate professionally with schools and other household staff, and how to maintain high standards while still bringing warmth into the home.
The role is physically demanding, but it is emotionally demanding too. Nannies often support children through major transitions, help parents navigate challenging moments and provide stability when family life feels unsettled. That emotional strength is a skill in itself.
“Like any high-performing organisation, the best households rely on clear communication, collaboration and people who take ownership of their responsibilities. The best nannies take initiative.”
At Bedrock, we often talk about governance as the structures and people that help families navigate complexity and maintain continuity. What role can nannies play in supporting that?
Families go through significant moments, whether that is the arrival of another child, relocation, a bereavement, divorce, extensive travel or increasing professional demands. During those periods, a nanny often becomes a constant presence in a child’s life. They are close enough to understand the family’s routines, values and emotional dynamics, while providing the stability and reassurance that children often need during times of change.
In that sense, nannies form part of the practical governance of a household. They help provide continuity, maintain routines, reinforce expectations and ensure communication flows smoothly across the wider family ecosystem.
A nanny may also sit at the centre of information flow within the home. They often have visibility across multiple areas of family life, from children’s schedules and activities to household logistics and upcoming plans. As a result, they frequently act as a bridge between the family and the wider household team.
The families who derive the greatest value from childcare are often those who see it as an investment rather than an expense. When parents know their children are cared for, emotionally supported and thriving, it gives them the confidence to focus on the other responsibilities in their lives, whether that is running a business, managing investments, travelling or making important decisions for the family. Good childcare creates the conditions that allow the rest of family life to function well.
“Nannies form part of the practical governance of a household. They help provide continuity, maintain routines, reinforce expectations and ensure communication flows smoothly across the wider family ecosystem.”
You work closely with high and ultra-high-net-worth families around the world. What have you learned about how these households operate, and the role in which nannies play?
One of the biggest lessons we’ve learned is that no two households operate in quite the same way.
However, more often a nanny rarely works in isolation. They are usually part of a wider ecosystem of trusted professionals supporting the family. Understanding those dynamics is every bit as important as understanding child development. Success depends not only on childcare expertise, but also on communication, coordination and the ability to work effectively alongside others.
A nanny often sits at the centre of that ecosystem. They may be coordinating with chefs, schools, tutors, household managers and parents, while also managing schedules, organising activities, planning meals, supporting travel and ensuring the children’s routines remain consistent. In many ways, they become a bridge between the family and the wider household team, a role that demands organisation, emotional intelligence and sound judgement.
What makes the role truly unique, is the position a nanny occupies within the family itself. You are stepping into a family’s private world as both a professional and, in some respects, an extended member of the family. That requires a delicate balance. You need to understand where the boundaries lie, how to make a family feel comfortable and supported, while also maintaining the professionalism expected within a sophisticated household structure.
“In many ways, they become a bridge between the family and the wider household team, a role that demands organisation, emotional intelligence and sound judgement.”
Beyond childcare, what role can a nanny play in reinforcing family values, behaviours and culture across generations?
This is something we care deeply about. A nanny has an enormous influence on a child and, in many ways, hiring childcare is one of the most important decisions a parent can make. Children often internalise everything a nanny says and does because they see them as a trusted figure within the family.
That is why the values and dynamics of a family have to be understood from the very start. A nanny needs to understand how a family thinks about manners, discipline, education, culture, religion, technology, independence and emotional development. Some families are very academically focused. Others place greater emphasis on freedom, creativity or cultural traditions.
Values are often reinforced through the smallest interactions. How do you speak to a waiter? Do you greet the bus driver? Do you say please and thank you? Children are constantly observing and learning from the adults around them. That’s why we spend so much time preparing candidates before placements. We want them to understand not only the practical requirements of the role, but also the culture of the household they’re entering. Done well, a nanny becomes far more than a source of childcare. Through everyday interactions, routines and relationships, they can help preserve and reinforce the values, behaviours and cultures a family hopes to pass from one generation to the next.
“Through everyday interactions, routines and relationships, they can help preserve and reinforce the values, behaviours and cultures a family hopes to pass from one generation to the next.”
Norland-trained nannies are often regarded as the gold standard in childcare. What qualities do sophisticated families look for when selecting a nanny, and how does Norland help prepare professionals for those expectations?
Sophisticated families are often looking for much more than childcare qualifications alone. They want individuals who can build trust, adapt to different family dynamics and operate confidently within complex household environments. Those are the qualities that distinguish exceptional nannies over the long term.
Norland’s training helps prepare professionals for exactly those expectations. It combines academic study with extensive practical placements in homes, schools, nurseries and maternity settings, ensuring theory is always grounded in real-world experience.
Norland is also known for instilling exceptionally high standards. There were small things drilled into us, from standing when a lecturer entered the room to keeping our uniforms pristine and wearing white gloves when travelling in uniform. While those traditions may sound old-fashioned, they are really about learning professionalism, respect and attention to detail so that those behaviours become instinctive in a family home.
That said, we do not believe exceptional nannies are defined solely by where they trained. We have worked with outstanding professionals from a range of backgrounds who possess those same qualities through years of experience. Ultimately, families are looking for adaptable, resourceful people who can move seamlessly from supporting children at a formal family dinner one day to building dens in the garden the next, while bringing discretion and professionalism to everything they do.
Nannies often witness families at their most private and, at times, their most vulnerable. Over the years, the same qualities consistently stand out: empathy, discretion, adaptability and sound judgement. It takes a particular character to make a family feel completely comfortable while still maintaining professional boundaries, and it is that balance which allows trust to develop over time.
“It takes a particular character to make a family feel completely comfortable while still maintaining professional boundaries, and it is that balance which allows trust to develop over time.”
Having built Gaia Nannies from your own experience as professional nannies, what impact do you hope to have on both families and the wider profession?
The most rewarding part of building Gaia Nannies is knowing we’ve made a meaningful difference, whether that’s helping a family find someone they can trust, supporting a nanny through a challenge, or watching someone build a successful long-term career.
We care deeply about this industry and changing perceptions of the profession. Nannying is sometimes viewed as a stop-gap, but we want it to be recognised as a respected, valued career. It as an incredibly skilled career requiring judgement, adaptability, professionalism and emotional intelligence.
We are also proud to be two women building a business in a female-dominated industry and championing the people within it. We want Gaia to represent the kind of nannies we felt we were: professional, capable, ambitious and deeply committed to the families we supported.
Additionally, we want to change the conversation around help at home. There’s an old saying that it takes a village to raise a child, and historically that village often came from extended family and close communities. Today, families are often more geographically dispersed, professionally stretched and balancing increasingly complex lives. In many cases, paid childcare professionals have just become an important part of that modern village.
Ultimately, we hope Gaia helps families make one of the most important decisions they will ever make with confidence. Families spend enormous amounts of time choosing schools, advisers and business partners because they understand the long-term impact those decisions have. Choosing the person who helps raise your children deserves exactly the same level of thought. When that decision is made well, it doesn’t simply support the children, it strengthens the family as a whole.
“Choosing the person who helps raise your children deserves exactly the same level of thought. When that decision is made well, it doesn’t simply support the children, it strengthens the family as a whole.”
To learn more about Gaia Nannies and their work supporting families, please visit: https://www.gaianannies.com/
If you would like to learn more about Bedrock’s approach to supporting multigenerational families, from defining shared purpose and articulating family values to establishing effective frameworks for communication, governance and family engagement, please feel free to contact us at info@bedrockgroup.com
Important Legal Information
The information and opinions contained in this article are for background information and discussion purposes only and do not purport to be full or complete. No information in this document should be construed as providing financial, investment or other professional advice. The views and opinions expressed herein are based on current market conditions and are subject to change without notice. No representation is made that any forecast or projection will be realised.
Information included in this document is intended for those investors who meet the definition of Professional Client under the Swiss FinSA regulation as well as Professional Client or Eligible Counterparty under the UK Financial Conduct Authority.
Investment Risks
The value of all investments and the income derived therefrom can fluctuate due to market movements and you may not get back the amount originally invested.
Limitation of Liability and Indemnity
Bedrock expressly disclaims liability for errors or omissions in the information and data contained in this document. No representation or warranty of any kind, implied, expressed or statutory, is given in conjunction with the information and data. Bedrock accepts no liability for any loss or damage arising out of the use or misuse of or reliance on the information provided including, without limitation, any loss of profits or any other damage, direct or consequential. You agree to indemnify and hold harm less Bedrock and its affiliates, and the directors and employees of Bedrock and its affiliates from and against any and all liabilities, claims, damages, losses or expenses, including legal fees and expenses arising out of your access to or use of the information in this presentation, save to the extent that such losses may not be excluded pursuant to applicable law or regulation. Any opinions contained in this presentation may be changed after issue at any time without notice.
Copyright and Other Rights
The copyright, trademarks and all similar rights of this presentation and the contents, including all information, graphics, code, text and design, are owned by Bedrock.
Legacy is about more than the transfer of wealth. Jamie Hurkmans-Yuenger reflects on why narrative is an essential part of continuity, helping families preserve identity, share values and create a deeper sense of connection across generations.
This month, we discuss the Fed's closer-than-expected hold, the bear-steepening it triggered, and the forced deleveraging that amplified an AI-driven selloff.
Emerging market equities have delivered strong performance in 2026, fuelled by surging demand for AI-related technologies and significant gains across North Asian markets. In this article, Bedrock's Head of Investment Advisory, Helena Eaton, explores the key drivers behind this rally and the opportunities that may lie ahead.