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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Using ( not resident) nanny during lockdown?

295 replies

Ladyinamask · 05/05/2020 02:00

So found out today my SIL and BIL are still having the nanny take care of their children . Nanny does not live with them btw.
I am rather horrified but not completely surprised they do this. Not key workers but both highly paid and quite frankly extremely arogent at the best if times.
They live in a rather nice part of West London by the river so hardly a remote hamlet with no known covid cases nearby.
Is this against the rules or is everyone still doing this?

OP posts:
grandmasterstitch · 05/05/2020 07:24

It's allowed as the nanny can't work from home but as a nanny I don't think we should be working unless for key workers. My family have taken it seriously and furloughed me which I'm very grateful for. A nanny cannot stick to the 2 metre rule while changing nappies, feeding babies etc

Kingjarvis · 05/05/2020 07:32

It’s a 2m rule where possible. Many jobs right now can’t enforce this. My job can’t. We still go to work.

Salene · 05/05/2020 07:35

Oh dear the green eyed monster has got you Hmm

Onlymewhereareyou · 05/05/2020 07:35

I'm not sure OP will be back!

vanillandhoney · 05/05/2020 07:38

A nanny cannot stick to the 2 metre rule while changing nappies, feeding babies etc

Neither can lots of other people. You need to
maintain the 2m rule where possible, that's all.

londonrach · 05/05/2020 07:39

Yabu. Nanny coming to work as allowed. Different to nursery, one nanny same set of children. This post shows op in a nasty light. Sounds like you dont like your sil or bil. Maybe look into way you felt you needed to post this

DontStandSoCloseToMe · 05/05/2020 07:40

I don't understand why this is ok, but it's not ok for my mother (under 60 in good health, no underlying conditions) to look after my son while my husband and I do frontline keyworkers roles and our nursery is closed and there's no alternative provision for under 3s in our area? Maybe because we have less money?

Biscuit0110 · 05/05/2020 07:41

They are not key workers, so I am surprised they are mixing households for non essential work. So I agree with you op. I am not sure this is allowed actually.

Biscuit0110 · 05/05/2020 07:41

For the same reason my cleaner is cancelled, and others because it is not especially safe for the nanny or the family...

mynameiscalypso · 05/05/2020 07:43

But cleaners are allowed to come. You and/or the cleaner can chose not to but there's nothing which prohibits it. Our cleaner is still working albeit not for us. Cleaners and nannies still need to pay their bills and eat.

Piglet89 · 05/05/2020 07:46

I think you make a really good point @dontstamdsoclosetome

There have been different approaches to nannies as far as I have heard and that inconsistency is of itself not good. I am a lawyer; though the guidelines may allow it, to maintain the spirit of those guidelines and keep in mind what we’re trying to guard against here, because of the almost constant need to be in very close contact with the charge and therefore really quite extreme inability to maintain social distancing, people should be furloughing their nannies unless they’rr key workers.

Piglet89 · 05/05/2020 07:47

@mynameiscalypso easier to maintain social distancing as a cleaner

Ragwort · 05/05/2020 07:48

How many times does it have to be pointed out that people can go to work if their work cannot be done from home and obviously this includes nannies, cleaners etc.

Some of you may choose not to employ your nanny or cleaner, or they may choose not to work but working in these circumstances is not illegal.

Piglet89 · 05/05/2020 07:48

@DontStandSoCloseToMe sorry meant to quote you in last post but mistyped.

Biscuit0110 · 05/05/2020 07:49

It appears that many do not care about the restrictions. This thread is very enlightening, and will explain why the infection rate is still so high...

mynameiscalypso · 05/05/2020 07:50

I don't disagree @Piglet89 but I was just making the point that cleaners are allowed to come as PP suggested that they weren't. As with all decisions during lockdown whether related to nannies or cleaners, you have to balance the risks with the impact. There's nothing that prohibits either from working in the 'rules' so it's an individual decision and that decision is going to be based on an different circumstances for each individual.

Biscuit0110 · 05/05/2020 07:52

piglet that is spot on. Nannys by definition can not socially distance, and given the parents are not key workers, they are mixing households by having her arrive every day, she may work for others too, and be mixing in many different households. I don't think it is in the spirit of things at all. Cleaners are not essential unless you are medically unable to clean your own house, so why would you put her/him at risk?!

daisypond · 05/05/2020 07:55

It appears that many do not care about the restrictions. This thread is very enlightening, and will explain why the infection rate is still so high...
There aren’t any restrictions, though. People go to work unless they can work from home, or their place of work has been closed.

TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross · 05/05/2020 07:56

It appears that many do not care about the restrictions.

How does this thread demonstrate that? The nanny is not violating the restrictions! The parents aren't violating the restrictions!

Good grief, for some people this pandemic seems to be the most excitement they've ever had in their lives - the chance to judge and wave their pitchforks with impunity - no need to demonstrate any ability to read or understand first!

Biscuit0110 · 05/05/2020 07:58

Fantastic my cleaners are going to be rebooked, I am going to book a mobile beautician to come and sort out my hair, nails and have a nice pedicure. I may get some redecorating done, and maybe bit of retiling in one of the bathrooms. As there is no restrictions, I guess I can 'pay' my best friend to visit as well.

Twigletmama · 05/05/2020 07:59

It may not be illegal but in my opinion it is borderline immoral unless you are both key workers. The majority of people are making huge sacrifices and having to juggle working from home and childcare. Finding this situation difficult is not a good enough reason to bring someone else into your home when it clearly increases the risk.

grandmasterstitch · 05/05/2020 08:04

@Ragwort I don't disagree that nannies can continue to work but employers should morally be furloughing them unless they are key workers. If you work from home then you just have to muddle through like the majority of the country

understandme · 05/05/2020 08:05

@Biscuit0110 assuming your cleaner doesn't go in and out of other peoples homes, your beautician the same, they only do your cleaning and beauty treatment then that's great, get your own personal hairdresser as well?

Not quite the same is it really?

mynameiscalypso · 05/05/2020 08:07

If people can continue to work in a relatively low risk environment, surely they should? Furloughing people is not a magic bullet - ultimately we all pay for it and the more people who are furloughed, the higher our taxes and/or the more public spending will be cut in future to afford it.

Biscuit0110 · 05/05/2020 08:09

understand You have no idea that the nanny is only going to one house, they could be caring for several households over a week for all you know. Just because she is working at one house, why would it stop her working elsewhere? She may even have a secondary job in a care home or similar as ours did at the weekends!!

I am sure the nanny is doing a great many things, babysitting, childcare, shopping in supermarkets etc etc and mixing with a great number of different people. So the employers are putting her at risk, and themselves.