Au pair took drugs. WWYD?

Keep her. Good au pairs are life changing and very rare.

I don't get all this, I would sack her without a second thought. No second chance where my kids are concerned.

You other post was a bit dramatic though...... op

An au pair who is responsible and has sole charge of children! That's even worse IMO!
Uch!

Even if this blew over and you gave her another chance, could you REALLY trust her again? I don't think I could, drugs are a complete no no for me, especially where the care of children are involved.

For goodness sake op she is an employee not your soul mate!

I think it would depend on her attitude now. If she's massively remorseful, and you make it clear that you're close to sacking her, and she realises she has to be whiter than white from now on, then I'd let her stay.

This is an au pair, not a bloody teacher. Any talk about what happens if you are a teacher is completely irrelevant.

Gosh.. Yeah.. They are only people, that's fine then.. It's so so hard to say no thank you, I'm working tomorrow.. Poor people...

Teacher can't be sacked for what they do in their own time? Really? Why bother with DBS's then? 'Teacher found guilty of rape' .. Ah that's ok, he did it on Saturday! Fuck off!

mycircle I teach swimming, and at the trust where I work they do random drug testing. It's a safe guard because of all the young life guards we have. If your found to have any drugs in your system you will be asked to leave immediately. Then would have an investigation to which I know they would be sacked. I assume a nursary setting - you know where there are vunerable children it would be similar. It would be the same as turning up still pissed from the night before.

It's after effects that's the issue. Yes some teachers may have it (which does not make it right for Christ sake!) it just may cause tiredness the next day. But when your working with vunerable people there is no room for mistakes or second chances.

I dont think you can be sacked from a State school for what you do in your own time away from the school
I hope you're not a teacher! No disrespect meant there, just that the code of conduct is very clear that what you do out of school is just as likely to get you into trouble as what you do in school.
"3. Professional Conduct
Teachers should:
3.1. uphold the reputation and standing of the profession"
They can get you with that one any and every time.
Assuming of course the code still applies. I've been out of teaching for a couple of years.

Well I'm very anti drugs but also very realistic. It sounds like this girl is a good egg who just did what all teenagers do and succumbed to the pressure. Would you let her go if she was going to look after your kids with a hangover? Personally I'd forgive her. Sounds like she's already learnt her lesson the hard way by ending up in hospital. Go with your gut feeling.

It would be a no from me. Your kids get hold of something from her bag or off the floor and it will be you who will be considered to have put your children at risk.

I would cut her some slack, I'm sure she will be so aware of what happened and be more keen that ever to please. She has so many redeeming features by the sound of it and was honest enough to tell you the truth. As you aren't her family I'm sure the hospital weren't obliged to tell you about the reasons behind the fit but she has. Good sign to me - think that's also going to be the end of her drug experimentation. Poor girl, horrible thing to happen all around.

Most people I know have dabbled with drugs. God I knows I did and I know at 19 I could bounce back from anything - hangovers weren't anything like they are now. I'm sure at 19 she was confident she had the energy to look after your babs in the afternoon. Hangover/come down probably didn't even cross her mind, she just knew she could do it.

I'm afraid this is gross misconduct. And I've taken plenty of drugs. But to drop an E and get hammered when you know you will be au pairing the following afternoon? Not on.

It sounds like you are all very fond of her so it's your call but if you let this go she could just conclude she can do what she likes and start really taking the piss.

I dont think you can be sacked from a State school for what you do in your own time away from the school. Private schools might be different. Millions of people take drugs. Teachers and Au Pairs are just people.

hollieberrie

My partner is a teacher so no I'm not naive. The difference is the Au Pair was caught and OP is now aware of what she gets up to.. You think if a teacher got caught/ photographed taking drugs on a Sunday night, they'd keep their job? The headmaster would turn a blind eye? Ha!

I'd be sending her home. It may be the first time she took E but she admits to cannabis use? I grew up drug free, my husband grew up drug free, we don't think it's a "right of passage". If someone is coming into my home, to look after my kids, I'd expect them to have similar values.

Not that we've ever had an AP but we've known people who did and they were much stricter than we would be.

Ha, Lynda, maybe we know the same ones

I would have said no, but she sounds as though she has been incredibly connected with the family. I'd give her an ultimatum: no drugs ever again - if she does, it's immediate dismissal. And no heavy drinking the night before she's working next day. Make sure her nights off are followed by her day off so she recovers in her own time.

I also know lots of teachers who take drugs and they're mostly rated as outstanding by Ofsted.

Well she probably has had a wake up call and might not do it again but you will always wonder and have doubts won't you?

The fact that she fitted is worrying, is she likely to have more or even lose her driving licence.