Security cameras in the bathroom - step too far?

[IsThisSlightlyCrazy]

I’d really appreciate people’s thoughts on this.

I have two children with disabilities. I’m also a single parent. One of my kids is starting to have frequent hospital appointments and it’s getting to the point where I can no longer bring my other child with me.

Now I currently have a baby monitor in their bedroom and a security camera in the living room. For the first time ever, I’m considering using a baby sitter so that someone can stay with my child for a couple of hours. There may be occasions when they need to give my child a bath/shower and I wondered whether I should have a security camera in the bathroom. Or is that outright mad?

For context, both children are non verbal and the child that I need the babysitter for, has no way of communicating. So I couldn’t come home and ask him how his time was. I also have two toilets in the house so when the babysitter needs to use the toilet themselves, they will NOT be watched on the camera.

You can probably tell that I’m unsure about using a babysitter but I don’t have much choice. If it’s absolutely mad to have a security camera in the bathroom then of course, I won’t do it. Please let me know what you think

What about when they go to the loo? No, OP, just no

edit, you say you have 2 toilets, I’m assuming that you’d then let the babysitter know that there’s a camera?

Why would they need to shower the kids if you are only gone a couple of hours?

If you tell them about it / get their permisison, then go for it.

If it'll give you peace of mind when away from your child, I would think it was okay. As PP said, would this really be something they'd need to do if you're out of the house for just a hospital appointment

Sorry, maybe I wasn’t clear. It would be the exact same camera that I have in the living room. It’s not a hidden camera or anything like that and I’d of course make the babysitter aware of all the camera within the house (they can’t be missed anyway!) I would clearly explain that there isn’t a camera in the second bathroom and they could use that with full privacy.

Some of the hospital appointments are very early in the morning so there’d be times when the babysitter would probably arrive and my child is still asleep. If I did find a babysitter who worked well with one of my children, I was thinking to possibly use them for a few hours in the evening so I could get some respite. Just a thought though

Yes, this. Even if they need to come in the evening, just don’t bath your child that day. Cameras in the bathroom is an absolute no no and if I were a nanny/babysitter I wouldn’t take a job where this was the case.

Yes, I guess they could miss a bath that morning/evening couldn’t they

How old is the child? Can you not get carers? Babysitting doesn't sound qualified enough to be doing personal care like that to be honest

how strange i would never ask a babysitter to bath my kids, just don’t bath them that day. don’t know anyone that would ask that

I wouldn't agree to work for someone who was planning to watch me every minute I am in the house. You either hire someone with good references and trust them or you come up with an alternative arrangement.

Not sure what that will achieve - other than putting off all of the good, trustworthy people.

Surely if they were an abuser they'd just do it out of sight of the cameras anyway?

I wouldn't expect a babysitter to bath / shower a child unless they soiled themselves. And I wouldnt expect a babysitter to look after a child who was likely to soil themselves.
And I certainly wouldn't expect to leave my child in the care of someone I thought so little of, I felt the need to put extra cameras up

@IsThisSlightlyCrazy You can't have a camera in a bathroom especially 1 where children/adolescents will be naked.
You could leave yourself open to prosecution for making/possessing indecent images of children and or voyeurism

I have ring cameras in each room, op, as my daughter is also pre verbal at 5. I don't have one in the bathroom though as I just consider it out of bounds

I'd just say, don't worry about a bath

There's gonna be times where you can't see what's going on and just have to trust others- bathroom time is one x

Interesting what people are saying about bath times. I’ve seen on two childcare apps where you have the option to select what things you’d like the babysitter to do and bathing/bedtime routine has been listed.

Trusting a complete stranger that you’ve found from a Facebook group or a babysitting app, right off of the bat, isn’t something I see myself doing. Regardless of whether there were cameras in the house tbh! I won’t get a camera for the bathroom but I’ll definitely keep the ones in the living room and bedroom. Thanks!

Good point

It's not aimed at children who are non verbal though, that's what carers are for.

That’s not true at all. On childcare apps, you can state whether you’re looking for someone who’s SEN/experienced with children that have disabilities. The babysitter themselves will confirm what they’re able to do and what they’re happy with.

I’m not sure if you know how underfunded social care is in this country but besides that, parents of disabled children are allowed to use babysitters you know! It’s not a service tailored to non disabled children only…

I don’t think that you can have a camera in the bathroom, but I think that you’re suggesting it because you’re worried about using a babysitter.

I’m wondering whether your children attend any sort of childcare/school/clubs etc? If so I wonder whether an already trusted and trained adult from that setting might be a better bet as a babysitter?

Whilst I understand your concerns, having a camera in the bathroom wouldn’t stop someone with nefarious intentions from abusing your child - they’d just do it where there are no cameras.

What's the point of cameras to monitor the babysitter if the baby sitter knows where they are and they didn't cover the whole house?

You can't have a camera in the bathroom, but if you did wouldn't anything untoward just happen in another room?

@IsThisSlightlyCrazy of course they can but by your OP you aren't looking for just a babysitter if your wanting them to do baths and film them etc. You obviously aren't comfortable with the idea of a babysitter either