A friend's sister worked for me for a year as an au pair plus. Friend has just told me that Vandalina is now working in London as an au pair (and apparently has sole charge of a 3 year old). The family did not ring or e-mail me to ask for a reference, just took her on with the rather bland reference she took home with her when she left us. TBH, she was fine, though pretty dippy and a bit moody at times, but I find it very strange that someone would take on someone without checking out references. I've found previous employers much more frank on the phone than in a written reference - one, who had given a nanny a good reference said to me when I spoke to her "don't touch her with a bargepole, she is a nightmare" and another, when I rang up, said rather hostilely (is that a word?) "What do you want to know about her?"
My evil nanny whom I sacked is also working as a nanny again - again, no phone call from the employer, just took her on spec with the extremely bland reference I gave her - "X worked for me for 2 years. Her duties included x, y and z. She left by mutual agreement..."