Help when out and about

[FrillyPig]

Hi all!
I’m not sure if this is the right place to post this thread so if you feel it might do better elsewhere then I’m all ears!

Basically I’m hoping to set up a volunteer organisation, an army of helpers across the nation is my modest goal to help parent when they’re in public and need a hand.

I love to hold babies and I’m happy to offer to keep a screaming child occupied or distracted so a mum/dad/carer etc can get something done. However I also understand that when offering help like this why people are reluctant to accept. You don’t know me from Adam, I might be some weirdo or kidnapper - I’m not thankfully but you have no way of knowing that. I know there are others like me, people with grown up kids who know what the struggle is like, grandparents who don’t get to see their grandkids as much as they like, or just really bloody lovely people who want to help.

My question is, if you were struggling to get a purse out or find a dummy and a stranger came up to you with a photo ID from an organisation that completed enhanced background checks would you be happy to accept the help? Not necessarily holding your child but if they rocked the pram whilst you got something from your bag or read to your toddler whilst you fed a baby or got the wet wipes from the pram for you etc you get the drift I’m sure!

Obviously I think my organisation would need to partner with someone big and trusted (hint hint Mumsnet!) so that people would be aware of us and so that they knew we were just legitimately helpful people. I just need to gauge if there’s actually a call for it, if people would appreciate the help being offered? All feedback gratefully received!

Thanks for your time!

[anotherangel2]

No I wouldn’t trust you. A DBS check just means you have not been caught. I would never hand my baby over to a stranger, especially if they were upset.

The cost of DBS check, checking two references and then advertising your service would be great for very little returns. Were would these volunteers be, just hanging around waiting or going about their daily business?

[SnuggyBuggy]

In the time it would take for you to explain and show ID you would surely be quicker putting baby in the pram and finding what you need. I don't know how useful it would be.

[FrillyPig]

I envisioned the volunteers just going about their daily business and having their ID’s on them. I totally get not handing over your child to a stranger, I was thinking more along the lines of whatever help you wanted? So they’d approach and ask if you needed a hand with anything and show their ID. I offer help quite a bit and get accepted quite a bit as I look harmless! I just thought it would be nice to have the reassurance as a parent that the person offering wasn’t a weirdo! In my grandiose dreams we’d eventually have a national network and people would recognise the logo/IDs/Organisation name. It would take time and work but I’m prepared to put both in.

[MamaGH]

Yeah it's a nice idea but not a chance would i hand my baby to a stranger ID or not.
But a nice lady came up to me before whilst I was trying to eat but my daughter was overtired and wouldn't settle and she rocked the pram for me whilst I scoffed my food and I thought that was really nice of her (she was right beside me and if she offered to take her even like 2 meters away i would've said no plus I had been speaking to her before my food came out about her children so it's not as if she wandered off the street)