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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To report this to the police?

32 replies

Dramajustfollowsme · 30/12/2012 22:08

Just been on our local buy/swap page and noticed an advert:
Wanted babysitter from 10pm til 8am on Hogmanay. For a 15 mo girl.
Accompanied by a gorgeous picture of a little girl.
Are these people nuts? They are asking for any Tom, Dick or Harry to look after their little baby overnight. Mental. I want to report them to the police. Im not one for thinking there are peodophiles lurking behind every corner but that is an awful big risk to take.

OP posts:
ILoveSaladReallyIDo · 30/12/2012 22:11

how do you know they won't ask about experience/crb/reference if someone replies or gives them a recommendation?

Lots of people hire babysitters they don't know, not everyone has an abundance of available and suitable friends and relatives.

We didn't know our babysitter till we took her number from her ad - that's not much different! but we did check her out once we did that

NickNacks · 30/12/2012 22:12

Yabu. What do you want the police to do? How do you know they won't be taking references/crb checks? People do have to hire strangers as babysitters if no family local.

Despite what you say I think you are a bit peado mad.

VivaLeBeaver · 30/12/2012 22:13

Well maybe they wouldn't let any Tom, dick or Harry babysit the kid. Maybe they're hoping a local teen who they will meet and vet beforehand will respond.

Original poster
Dramajustfollowsme · 30/12/2012 22:13

There surely wouldn't be enough time to check them out properly for tomorrow night?

OP posts:
HollaAtMeSanta · 30/12/2012 22:13

What crime are they actually committing? Hmm

peaceandlovebunny · 30/12/2012 22:14

i share your horror. why not volunteer to look after the child, to make sure no harm comes to her?

SantasHoHoHo · 30/12/2012 22:14

I wouldn't leave my child with a complete stranger just for the sake of a night out no matter how qualified they were. But that's me. Each to their own.

ThatVikRinA22 · 30/12/2012 22:14

they are nuts.

bearymerrychristmas · 30/12/2012 22:14

Lots of people advertise online for babysitters, on the childcare boards of netmums and similar too, babysitters aren't always CRB checked and many parents are happy to trust strangers to look after their children. I wouldn't, but there's not much to report to police I'm afraid.

MrsMoosickle · 30/12/2012 22:14

I'd rather stay home with a nice mulled wine!

HollyBerryBush · 30/12/2012 22:15

Agencies use freecyle - as do plenty of of CRB checked people - frankly if I'd seen it - I'd be charging £30 an hour and having an easy nights cash-in-hand

MissyMooandherBeaverofSteel · 30/12/2012 22:15

I'm not sure what you expect the police to do, they are only advertising for a babysitter. Its not something I would do and I think they are pretty daft but its not illegal.

AgentProvocateur · 30/12/2012 22:15

Huge overreaction. What do you think the police will do? If it's anything like my local buying/selling site, there will be an element of six degrees of separation, and someone will know and recommend a babysitter. How do you think people with no local family get babysitters?

MsElleTow · 30/12/2012 22:16

What do you think the police will do?

Like NickNacks said, they might be checking references, CRB forms etc!

LauriesFairyonthetreeeatsCake · 30/12/2012 22:16

I can't think of any reason for them to post a photo of the kid.

Anyone dumb enough to do this is really not going to vet someone in the next 20 hours.

HappyNewSkyebluesapphire · 30/12/2012 22:17

I think it's wrong to put a picture of the child there. That could easily attract the wrong sort of person, but you would assume that they would check references etc....

EugenesAxeChoppedDownANiceTree · 30/12/2012 22:18

I was wondering if you'd had a toilet seat stolen.

On the whole I think YABU - just because, as one often hears, it has nothing to do with you. And as has been said, they may do all that when people reply. And Holla has a very valid point - you can't arrest people for being potential fuckwits.

ILoveSaladReallyIDo · 30/12/2012 22:18

if they work in a childcare or healthcare setting that requires a CRB that can be checked by phone tomorrow.

even for 2nd and 3rd time using a new babysitter we pay them to come an hour early so they can meet the child and we can show them round properly (fire exit routes etc) so we're comfortable with them before we go out.

Most babysitters that advertise round my way are CMs or HCPs so very easy to verify very quickly

ILoveSaladReallyIDo · 30/12/2012 22:20

and very likely a local babysitting agency may reply to the ad

YourHandInMyHand · 30/12/2012 22:20

Seems very very silly. Why would you post a picture?! Hope they do check out whoever they hire. Hmm

littlewhitebag · 30/12/2012 22:24

This is very wrong and very dangerous. People who advertise for a babysitter like this is likely to accept anyone if they are desperate to go out. I know for a fact that social services would look into this if it was pointed out to them.

Original poster
Dramajustfollowsme · 30/12/2012 22:28

It's the picture that got me. We didn't know anyone when we moved here but we made friends, got to know the neighbours. I just wouldn't ask anyone, within that time frame, to look after my child, just so I could go out for a drink.

OP posts:
Amytheflag · 30/12/2012 22:31

Crikey! I think that's a bit mental tbh. Especially the picture part.

akaemmafrost · 31/12/2012 05:26

Why on earth do they need a photo? Shock.

Can't believe anyone thinks this is ok.

Loveweekends10 · 31/12/2012 07:42

YANBU. It's horrendous. What people will do do go to a bloody party. But then the only people I have ever let babysit my kids are my family.
References cannot be checked in that time and it may be a persons first criminal act so would not be on a crb.

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