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Paid childcare

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Nanny wants husband to occasionally join for days out

207 replies

tokajlover · 14/08/2024 20:16

We are just about to start employing a nanny for the first time for our DD (2). She hasn’t started yet but we had the first settling in session today, and while we have had 0 reservations about her before this, she mentioned today almost as a one-off comment that she would like us to meet her husband at some point too, as he might sometimes, rarely, join them for day outs or similar.

I didn’t say anything in the moment but I am not feeling ok with this: we have never had a nanny before and I am due to start work in less than a month, and this is the first time she has mentioned this, despite having a very lenghty interview, where we made it clear one of the key reasons we didn’t go with a childminder is that we knew, because as a SAHM for the past two years, I have observed this, they were visiting friends during working hours with the kids, and we thought this was both a safeguarding issue and inappropriate given they were working. She only mentioned this now, during our settling in session, and to be honest I was quite taken aback in the moment. Surely this is not standard practice?

My question is how do I broach this with her, and clarify what she meant, and make it clear we are not comfortable with this. And how do I trust this doesn’t happen going forward without my knowledge? Surely her husband won’t be DBS checked, he won’t have liability insurance, we didn’t hire him to look after our daughter, as well as the fact you wouldn’t expect to meet up with your husband during working hours?

I am not sure if this is something that can happen in certain settings and people are okay with it under certain circumstances and I am the unreasonable one, so am looking for views on that, as well as any advice on how to handle this going forward. I worry she might think us a bit not knowledgeable and naive as we haven’t had a nanny before.

Thank you!

EDIT: Typo in title, nanny wants husband to occassionaly join them for days out

OP posts:
RedHelenB · 14/08/2024 20:26

Are the hours regular office hours? If so yanbu. However, if it's evenings/weekends I'd maybe give a little flexibility with the proviso he's vetted ams you get to meet him.

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 14/08/2024 20:24

No way!
I personally wouldn’t feel she was qualified if this crossed her mind. If however you want to continue with employment I would ask in what capacity he would be joining- ie. As a helper, ie. A paid employee of hers or is he after a free day out.

Bemusedandconfusedagain · 14/08/2024 20:23

I've had nannies for years and I wouldn't be keen on this. Her job is to look after your child, not to spend time with her husband.

tokajlover · 14/08/2024 20:23

5475878237NC · 14/08/2024 20:20

Do you have a contract? Is she through an agency as they could address this for you? I would suggest a conversation where you review expectations and say you don't feel comfortable with her meeting her husband for days out as this means her focus isn't solely her charge.

We do have a contract. No, we found her privately not through an agency. She has references, all the necessary checks etc, we just didn’t go through an agency.

The contract doesn’t explicitly mention not meeting up with other people because we thought this was self-evident in the job description, which as you say, mentions that my DD is her sole charge.

thanks for the response!

OP posts:
Anonym00se · 14/08/2024 20:22

If she worked in an office she wouldn’t take her husband into work with her. It sounds a bit weird.

SeLHopeful2024 · 14/08/2024 20:21

I would not be OK with that.

Leaving it there for the better informed to advise, but I'd see that as a red flag too.

A nanny (or in my case a childminder) is paid to work, not socialise.
I trust my childminder as she works with two assistants in her setting. I wouldn't be happy if they were taking partners along on their day trips.

5475878237NC · 14/08/2024 20:20

Do you have a contract? Is she through an agency as they could address this for you? I would suggest a conversation where you review expectations and say you don't feel comfortable with her meeting her husband for days out as this means her focus isn't solely her charge.

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