Nursery worker babysitting?

[NoFoxGiven]

DH has found a handwritten note in DC's bag from DC's main nursery worker offering babysitting services with her number on it.

Whilst I (a parent of a DC who has a fantastic worker who can get her to nap) can see the appeal, when speaking to other friends who are parents, they've said they felt it crossed a line.

Was she BU to do this?

I’d be very wary of a nursery which didn’t allow staff to babysit in their spare time. The ‘safeguarding’ worry is a load of rubbish - it’s an entirely separate arrangement and nothing to to with the nursery.

I have to disagree. Everything is great until something goes wrong. What happens if a parent makes an allegation against a nursery worker? Even if it is supposed to have happened in the context of a private arrangement, it can impact on the nursery arrangements. I would have thought if you are running a business, you have to look at the legal implications of a worse case scenario. It seems a professional policy to me. As a parent, I would be happy to use the service. As a business owner, I would prohibit it.

Great idea, the nursery worker will know the children better than a random babysitter. They will no doubt have First Aid and DBS. Also, they don't get paid much, good on her/him for trying to bump up their income!

No not unusual. Very smart idea.
My friend runs a nursery until 6.30, 2 of the workers bring children to the childs home and get them ready for bed etc. The parents work later hours Thursday and Fridays.

My dd’s nursery worker is our babysitter (well, dd’s in year 1 now but she’s babysat for us since she was 2). BUT it’s massively different because WE went to the director of the nursery and asked if any staff did babysitting on the side and she put us in touch. It’s really unprofessional to be advertising her services to parents unsolicited.

Most of the staff at my DS former nursery are registered with sitters.co.uk. So even if you don’t book direct with the staff member I can find and book them online anyway.

I cannot see how any nursery could prevent staff basically having a second job like this.

We did it all the time. It was fab. Already DBS checked and they know and love the children. Super cool.

My DS teaching assistant does this lol

Yes totally normal. Although do check with the nursery owner/manager first.

Some nurseries won't allow it, as they are worried you may pinched their staff.

The staff would have it in their contracts if this is the case.

This is a blessing.

Best babysitter you will ever find is your nursery workers. I think our nursery had a policy that you had to disclose if you were using their staff, maybe sign something to say they wouldn't be held responsible or something? I can't remember the details. I just remember we absolutely loved our key worker as a babysitter and I have a few friends from those days whose nursery worker is still their default babysitter.

A couple at DS' school even had a handy little after-school arrangement whereby they would take the children from nursery back home, get them bathed, light supper and ready for bed before parents came home. The one family who did this said it was an absolute godsend as finding someone who could work 6-7:30 or so was a nightmare but for the nursery staff member it was brilliant as it just made her usual day a tiny bit longer. And in our case, when DD was born, our babysitter was lined up to do this if I was unexpectedly in the hospital as we had no last minute nearby family who could leap into action. She did have to do it once, but it wasn't quite the last minute panic we'd expected.

We were always happy to use nursery staff for baby-sitting.
They do after all know the children and often better than family.

My son's keyworker used to do this for some of the families. It's a good idea.

I was told by a mum at Dad's nursery that some of the workers babysit. When I asked the receptionist, the nursery manager who was a few feet away. Interrupted and redirected me to a babysitting site.

She obviously didn't like me asking. I don't see what the problem was.

Oh I see OP, sorry - wrote in haste and it came out snarkier than I meant (and I should have said your friends, not you)

Some parents at ours pinched some staff to employ as nannies so we had an email saying we aren't allowed to consort with staff I bet it's something like that.

It happens at my son's preschool. The lovely ladies who own and run it also babysit for some of the children. They also nanny over summer when preschool is closed. I haven't used them but wouldn't hesitate to if needed.