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Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

Nannies with fake references

4 replies

Novstar · 24/11/2010 16:44

My experience about nannies with fake references...

I found a really lovely 23 year old Spanish language student willing to be a part time nanny for me on Gumtree. She claimed she worked for Cuban woman in London for 2 months and gave me a UK mobile phone number. I called up the reference, who was extremely positive, although both the line and the English were bad. I also asked for a ref from Spain but candidate didn't have one, just said she'd try to get one.

To cut a long story short, mainly through Facebook research (it is incredible what people put on FB), I worked out that this girl had never worked for this woman, in fact the woman didn't even have any kids. She was just a friend. The girl eventually admitted to making it all up because she "knew it would be really hard to get a nanny job in the UK without a UK reference" but claimed that everything else she told me was true.

She would probably have been fine as a nanny, but we didn't give her the job. She is probably now looking again in Gumtree, so say hi to her if she applies for your jobSmile

Funny thing is, I would have been quite happy if she had only given me Spanish references.

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Blondeshavemorefun · 24/11/2010 18:44

luckily you found out before employing her - if she lies about this, what else does/will she lie about

always check and double check refs etc

happychappy · 24/11/2010 20:19

On the other hand I am in Italy and can provide fantastic genuine UK and Italian (in English though) references but cant get a job. Basically because I'm here not there!

drinkyourmilk · 24/11/2010 20:57

I have impectable references and contactable referees - but many are abroad (uk expats) and i've found that many agencies will only contact my uk based referees. Madness!!

Novstar · 25/11/2010 09:39

I don't know why she thought she couldn't get a job if she didn't have a UK reference. Is that normal practice? My current nanny is from an EU country, and she only had a reference from there, but I go a friend to call the number up with a list of questions, and it worked out fine.

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