Potential Nanny has history of drug use

[Snuggy75]

We are currently recruiting for a new wrap-around care nanny for my primary school age kids and I have been made aware that one of the candidates (who has great references, gets on great with the kids) has a history of using cocaine and has got at least one police caution for it approx 18 months ago. Her DBS has currently run out apparently so I do not have any evidence of this yet.

AIBU to still consider employing this person - I don't know if they are still using?

My heart says absolutely no to looking after my kids with any connection to drugs and if they were really young I wouldn't even be considering it, my head says we have all done stuff in the past we may not be proud of and is cocaine really that much worse than getting really really drunk (I genuinely don't know the answer to this)?

Definitely need to get updated DBS, but if that does come back showing the caution - what should I do?

YABU - do not let this person near your children
YANBU - don't rule her out until you know more

They will if it was a number of years ago

This was 18 months ago though, which I was specifically referring to

How were you made aware?

If it was something 10 years ago, or possibly even 5 but 18 months... absolutely not!

18 months ago? No.

Im a lawyer and you’d be surprised how many have drug use in their history (myself included, albeit as a teenager) so it wouldn’t put me off if it was 10+ years previously. But 18 months would be a huge alarm bell for me.

Plus there are good nannies out there that have a clear DBS.

You know most people have at least tried cocaine ...
The majority of people I know are regular users ( teachers and nurses mainly ). They are looking after children every day safely
Even if she is a regular user she won't use it while looking after your child

If you liked her and she fits the bill. Go with your instincts

Most people have tried cocaine?
I am sure that is not true.

Oh come on. It speaks to character. Cocaine use notoriously makes people arseholes and self involved. Cocaine dealing and smuggling is dangerous, violent and can get people jailed or killed. And as PPs say, despite all this, use is rife (people eh) so if she got CAUGHT then this raises questions about her general level of smarts

For a nanny you're looking for a role model with a very big heart and a copper bottomed ability to keep trouble AWAY. The two don't seem compatible.

I wouldn’t touch her with a bargepole-and I occasionally took it in my distant past.

Yet I bet none of them have a conviction. What did the person in question do differently in order to get one is wonder?!

From a mutual acquaintance who worked with her at the time and thought I should know.

How did you find out this person had a history of drug abuse? There’s no way you would know such information about a would-be employer. I
Let’s analyse this:
There’s no way she would tell you about previous drug use.
I doubt her former employers would know about it otherwise she wouldn’t have glowing references.
I am sure you don’t know her friends and relatives as most nannies work for families previously completely unknown to them.
This whole story stinks…

Definitely look for someone else

Just read your explanation.
It sounds like unfounded malicious rumours.
Nannies are not exactly known for their drug-taking.

As an individual you aren't entitled to request a DBS check on a (potential) nanny anyway. Can only be done through an agency, and then you wouldn't necessarily be told all the exact details, just whether or not they think anything on there should prevent her from getting the job. The nanny can't request a DBS check on herself, and you shouldn't rely on a copy of one that she's supplied to you anyway.

Also, most low level offences (like possession of cocaine) get filtered after 6 years, so old stuff wouldn't even show up on an enhanced DBS. And employer's aren't allowed to ask about or considered filtered history anyway. So really all you can go on is what sounds like hearsay or rumour anyway. Really it depends on how reliable your source is?

But I'm guessing you'd be taking her on on a self employed basis anyway, so you could ask her if she has any criminal history. If she's honest then she'll tell you about it when you ask her. Obviously if she says her record is all clear than you can't be sure if she's lying or your grass is wrong.

A caution for possession could suggest a whole range all sorts of things in reality - from someone who dabbles occasionally and just got unlucky, to someone the police suspect is dealing but didn't have enough evidence for a stronger charge.

I know of people who use coke very sporadically and in a social setting, and they lead perfectly normal, decent lives. And others who are chronically addicted, and rob from their own family to feed their habit. You've no idea where this person is on that range of use/addiction, and 18 months is eyebrow raisingly recent.

I'd say if you've got any other decent applicants then it's probably not worth the hassle/risk of taking on this one. Of course the others could have far worse issues or DBS records, just that you've not heard the gossip on them...

Maybe going through an agency is worth it?

I would not be taking the word of a random acquaintance who is unlikely to know the details. I would be far more interested in whether she has the relevant DBS checks and what her most recent family has to say about her.

Cocaine use is not, in itself, a sign of something sinister. I don't take it, don't like it and don't generally hang out with people who do. But I don't think I'd write someone off entirely because they have.

Absolutely not.
I wouldn't allow my dogs to be looked after someone who has been involved with drugs in the last 5 years, let alone children.

It is not your problem how she gets clearance for other similar jobs, so don't feel in any way sorry for the nanny or try to find rules and regulations.

There is a big question mark here. True or not, it is not your responsibility to give her a chance even if references are brilliant.

I would ask the nanny about her DBS. While a drugs caution 18 months ago wouldn't automatically rule her out for me (it might, but not automatically), the fact that you didn't hear about it from her first would.

If your singing acquaintance is also looking for a good wraparound nanny, be cautious!

Oh FGS stop Listening to tittle tattle and ask her to get her DBS certificate to you (yes they do run out and can take bloody ages to come again)

Anyone can get a DBS certificate.

She can only be barred from working with children if the DBS have placed her on the Barred List. This is normally following a referral though certain crimes (relating to harming children) will mean people automatically go on the Barred List.

No Way!
When you said "in the past" I assumed a long time ago - if she was in her 30s/40s and had done it once in her teens/early 20s then maybe I would chalk it up to youthful indiscretion, but not 18 months ago!

As I said above "From a mutual acquaintance who worked with her at the time and thought I should know."

It will also show on a DBS but I haven't seen that yet.

What else did the gossip say?

Wait for the dbs and decide but if she has a caution it’s for more than the occasional snort on a night out.

I'm a no too, I'm afraid. I'm sensible enough to know lots of us have messed about in our youth, even during teacher, doctor or police training years, but to be involved with drugs to the extent of having a record suggests more than a bit of experimenting. Our country isn't exactly hard line on personal use.

No. Temptation is hard to resist. She can find other work with less responsibility. Dont let your children pay for her mistakes.

just to risky unless this other person is just spreading lies-are they in the same line of work need a job?