Nanny cam?

lisab1

Hi all, we are thinking of having our 2 young children minded in our home and i'm wondering what people think of nanny cams. I've no doubt that the girl we are thinking of hiring will be good to our kids, but our kids are too small to tell us if they are unhappy and i will always wonder if they are being looked after well. Does anyone know if they are legal to use or if they have used them before and what was their experience. Thanks in advance.

silverharp

it sends a shiver down my spine. I think you would be better served by investing time in finding the right person. We consider our child minder an extension of the family, the idea of snooping to her would not even occur to me.

smokingman

If I was in that situation (expecting first in Nov tho) I would most definitely put the whole house under remote surveilance. You can get wireless camers that can stream stuff to your pc and you can watch them in a password protected browser anywhere in the world. It would be easy enough to set up yourself if you have some tech know-how but I think you can get products off the shelf for this already.

m'lady

silverharp wrote: »

it sends a shiver down my spine. I think you would be better served by investing time in finding the right person. We consider our child minder an extension of the family, the idea of snooping to her would not even occur to me.

In fairness you can't invest in a 'guarantee' with childminders, as the op said she just wants to ensure that he children are being well looked after, like all parents would. She wasn't asking for advice on how to choose a childminder, she was asking about the legality of a nanny cam and if anyone had ever used one.

Op- On the legality end of things as far as Im aware the person needs to be informed that they are being recorded in advance. I have never used one, but would have no hesitation if I had young children being cared for in my own home.

The Big Red Button

I would assume that you couldn't legally use cameras without asking the nanny's permission. If I were a nanny, I'd be very reluctant to take a position knowing that I'd be constantly monitored. I know that the safety of your children is paramount, but it's going to make your nanny feel like you don't trust or respect her at all, and also she might be edgy and less natural with your children when she knows she's being watched. As in, she might be afraid to hug them, or discipline them, etc.

No matter how young your children are, you'll know if they're unhappy. Even if they can't speak yet, you'll be able to tell from their interaction with the nanny and their general form when you come home whether they're unhappy. For example, if they start bawling every time she picks them up, there's something not right.

If I were you I'd spend the first week at home with the nanny and the children. You'll be able to ensure that she understands exactly how you expect her to treat the children, and you'll really be able to pick up on her attitude and personality. If you are happy with her after the first week, but still can't trust her to leave her alone with the children without surveillance, it might be time to reconsider other options such as sending them to a creche, getting a relative to mind them, staying home to mind them yourself etc.

lisab1

thanks for the input. It would just be for the first few days until my mind was put at rest. Its not going to be an ongoing thing. I dont think you can ever be too careful when it comes to your children. I posted something similar on another forum and one poster told me that she had used one even though she was quite confident in the ability of the childminder she had chosen, to her horror on day one, the minder had tied a rope around her sons waist as a form of punishment. Another poster said she discovered her minder had left her child alone in the playpen when she nipped out to collect her son in a school across the road.
I can understand the privacy issues and I can see it from the minders perspective as well.

lisab1

chatterpillar I would love the option to stay at home but its not an option for financial reasons

Piste

As someone who babysits often I would feel really insulted and angry if someone was recording me without my permission. If the nanny finds out could she take legal action?

LadyE

There wouldnt be a hope in hell I would mind a child knowing I was being monitered.

Not because I have anything to hide, but I would feel untrusted and not respected.

If you feel so strongly about not trusting your childminder, as to have her/him monitered, I was strongly recommend you rethink your childcare choice. Some creches have these nannycams.

LegacyUser

what about cctv used behind counters in retail outlets? Is this acceptable?

LegacyUser

We also have cctv all over the school I work in, is this acceptable?

PhysiologyRocks

On one hand, it's a way of checking up on things. It's understandable that you want to, even though it's probably not necessary.

That said, what if the nanny has to change his/her clothes for some reason? Also, what if he/she has no work left to complete, but can't relax because he/she knows about the camera?

And what about the practical matter of finding time to watch footage...

I've looked after a lot of children of neighbours. I really appreciated the fact that they trusted me.

stovelid

I understand your concerns, but I would find it very difficult to take a position where I knew I would be monitored.

I would assume that you'd be legally obliged to inform the person of your intentions too.

Nevyn

School and shops are public places of work a private home is not.

Zamboni

OP you're dead right.
Some people here are saying they wouldn't take a job if they were being monitored.
In the current climate I wouldn't expect a shortage of people who would be more than happy to be a nanny in full knowledge of your plans to use a CCTV system.
To be fair 'trust' is earned. Not something given on a first meeting basis.
Your precaution with something as precious as your children is well warranted.
For yuor own sake consult a legal advisor and have them prepare a draft for your chosen nanny to sign.

lisab1

So everyone who thinks the idea is ludicrous, are you therefore inferring that once I get a good feel for whomever I choose to mind my children and my instinct tells me the same, then they are in no way in danger of being neglected? Also If I do employ a nanny, my home becomes their place of work.

Nevyn

Yes it does and you need to make sure you have insurance and that you pay your employee's prsi.

deisemum

This may be useful to find out about the legal issues with nanny cams.

See sections on Transparency, Covert Surveillance and Domestic Use of CCTV Systems.

http://www.dataprotection.ie/docs/Data_Protection_&_CCTV/242.htm

beccabeccabecca

Like Piste, I babysit frequently (in fact I'm minding a little girl full time for the summer) and I would be so angry and upset if I found out that I was being filmed because to be honest if the people who asked me to mind their kids didn't trust me enough that they felt they needed to record me then why on earth would they leave their children with me in the first place?

lisab1 wrote: »

So everyone who thinks the idea is ludicrous, are you therefore inferring that once I get a good feel for whomever I choose to mind my children and my instinct tells me the same, then they are in no way in danger of being neglected? Also If I do employ a nanny, my home becomes their place of work.

Not trying to be scary or anything, but if someone is that messed up that they try to hurt or neglect children, I doubt CCTV will stop them. They could just take them out of the house etc.

lisab1

thanks for the input guys, after deliberating for a very long time we have decided to go with a creche. Just would be too worried getting a childminder in here, think its best all round.