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Paid childcare

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

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Original poster

A Nanny with a CRB caution?! Ofsted registration?

46 replies

JennyNanny · 30/05/2012 23:19

Hi all, thanks for reading.
My name is Jen, (hello!), I am 21 years old and I have 6 years of solid childcare experience (youth worker, volunteer teacher in South Africa, child minder, baby sitter, party planner, tutor etc) and I am so very desperate to get a job as a live in Nanny for a lovely family. It's my dream really. I currently studying a distance learning Psychology Degree with the Open University and looking to do a Child Psychology Doctorate in a few years time.
I am soon to have a paediatric first aid certificate and a CACHE childcare qualification.
I love children. Love working with them, am fascinated in child development (thus the doctorate!), get a lot of inner joy from the prospect of making childcare my full time job.
(I hope i've sold myself enough to make up for the next bit...)

BUT...

When I was 13 years old, I stole some sweeties. And got caught. I couldn't have been more distraught at the time (I was a genuinely good kid, but my mum had just remarried and, well, etc etc) but they told me the warning they gave me would be removed in 3 years.

Lo' and behold, the law changed and i am forever branded with a warning for theft on my CRB.

NOW, the question I have to ask is; am I right in tearing my hair out because a) no nanny agency will touch me and b) no parents would touch me?

I understand that Ofsted would not be too concerned however would being Ofsted registered mean that agencies would not find out about the caution?

Let's face it, who wants a live in nanny with a history of theft?

Kind regards,
A very distraught wanna-be Nanny!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Incaminka · 30/05/2012 23:24

Depends on the employer. I once took on an employee with a conviction for salmon poaching. Reckoned it had no bearing on his contact w the public, (unless they were serving salmon!) He's great in the job. You'll find the right employer if you're straight up and they'll find you. :-)

Original poster

JennyNanny · 30/05/2012 23:35

Hi, Incaminka, thanks for the reply.
I would, of course, be honest to an Employer (my current boss has offered to write me a reference letter to dispel this issue, which may help) but I can't see an agency taking me on and it seems unlikely that families who want nannies would pick one with a record when so many are available.
I would never steal from anyone, I'm a genuinely honest person but thats a lot of faith and goodwill to put on an employee you are giving access to your house to. =(

OP posts:

wedoNOTdothat · 30/05/2012 23:44

I'm not an agency but I am a parent and I wouldn't be concerned about someone who had a warning for something they had done when they were 13 and was as honest as you are about it. Get lots of references together and try agencies before dismissing them. If they're not interested just advertise yourself, plenty of people employ nannies without using an agency.

As you say, there are lots of nannies available. But what most parents really care about is how you interact with the children and proven experience with glowing references.

hermionestranger · 30/05/2012 23:48

Dh got a caution when he was 15/16 but that isn't on his crb, which is recent (this month). It might be worth your whole checking again. Good luck, it seems silly that a minor incident at 13 could blight your working life.

maples · 31/05/2012 00:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

maples · 31/05/2012 00:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

JennyNanny · 31/05/2012 00:05

Hi maples, thanks for that. Made me smile =)

I have three definite references; one from a lady i have been child minding/baby sitting/ nannying with on a casual basis for almost 4 years. Another from my current boss who i have worked full time for for the last 18 months (this is an admin role though, but he's very supportive and keen to highlight my honesty and hard work in the job) and another from a woman who I do part-time nannying for and I also plan and do her children's parties (I am a crafty type so do jewellery making parties and pottery parties etc)

Do you think this would be adequate? They would all be very positive and comprehensive.

Thanks everyone for your kind words, Made me feel much better =)

OP posts:

maples · 31/05/2012 00:23

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

maples · 31/05/2012 00:24

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

JennyNanny · 31/05/2012 00:29

It was so long ago, I don't think I would be able to get a teachers reference from back then
I could certainly get a reference from a lecturer at the University where I work FT and took the first year of my degree.

OP posts:

mirry2 · 31/05/2012 00:30

This awful. I would have thought minor convictions (especially as a child) would be spent by now and not show up on a CRB check.

Original poster

JennyNanny · 31/05/2012 00:39

Hi mirry2,
That used to be the case but in 2009 the government decided that all convictions, cautions warning and any info kept on a police database would be kept until the person was 100 years old and all this info would come up on a CRB regardless of what it was, whether they were guilty or whether they were a minor.

I imagine I'm not the only one suffering under this law

OP posts:

mirry2 · 31/05/2012 00:47

There must be loads of people with shoplifting cautions when young. Do speeding offences also show up? I've had advanced CRB checks but i've never been in trouble with the law so no problem for me although I do have one speeding offence.
Jennynanny I would think the best thing to do would be tell any prospective employer at the interview stage. You could also phone a nanny agency anonymously to find out how would view your conviction.

Original poster

JennyNanny · 31/05/2012 00:51

From what ive read, i doI believe speeding offences do turn up.

I am thinking of calling a few agencies anonymously but am a little nervous, though less so now I've read these replies

OP posts:

fluffygal · 31/05/2012 00:53

I got a shoplifting caution when I was 15, was a temp one so removed when I was 19 but I always declare it just in case. I have had about 10 enhanced CRB's and it hasn't shown on any of them.

mirry2 · 31/05/2012 01:03

I'm really sorry you have to worry about this. Please do call some nanny agencies. I can't imagine you would be penalised for this. children do the stupidest things without realising the longterm consequences.

nannynicnic · 31/05/2012 09:18

I was in the same boat as yourself when i first started nannying... I have a caution for GBH which i received when i was 12 for a playground incident... I was also told this would be removed, and obviously laws changed. having said that, I am now registered with 4 nanny agencies. Yes, I do tell parents but 9/10 times they just pass over it. I have 4 solid references.

In some cases the police with look at removing the caution, so it may be worth sending them a letter. I am going to do so at the end of this year once i have another job and reference!

Frakiosaurus · 31/05/2012 10:16

If you were honest and the agency warned me I'd consider you. If you/they didn't tell me I probably wouldn't because unfortunately theft as an offence looks bad :(

It's a tough one and will depend on the family/agency.

Original poster

JennyNanny · 31/05/2012 11:27

nannynicnic - Thanks for telling me that, that gives me a little more hope. It's true that I could explain it and for most it wouldn't be an issue but I'm concerned it will prevent me from even getting to the point of being able to defend myself.

I am currently in the process of liasing with the police but I think it is unlikely that they will remove it just because life doesn't really work that way, does it? :)

And you're right, theft looks AWFUL, especially if you are applying to live in someones home.
Of course, i wouldn't dream of being a dishonest employee (references to prove it!) or being dishonest anywhere else!
Except in poker...

OP posts:

catepilarr · 31/05/2012 15:30

just wondering, if you were a family, when would you want to be told a prospective nanny has a record on her crb? from the very first email? second? wait for interview? i suppose it a matter of not putting a family off mentioning it too early before they get to learn something about you at all but not too late for them to think you are hiding the fact and only intend to bring it up when it shows necessary?

Frakiosaurus · 31/05/2012 16:11

Depends of its coming through an agency. If so then first contact. If not of expect it to come up by the 3rd email at the latest counting contact and CV as 2 emails.

colditz · 31/05/2012 16:13

There is no way I would discount a nanny because of something she did as a child.

Original poster

JennyNanny · 31/05/2012 16:19

Thats a good question - when would a family be told? There are a lot of nannies out there, it would be easier to narrow it down and just black list the ones that come up with this kind of thing.
I think that I would make a family very happy and be a really good, creative nanny - and it would be a shame to be ruled out before they could see that.

OP posts:

treefumaster · 31/05/2012 16:24

I'm shocked at the rule - minor offences by children should not be held against them for ever and ever. What would the Scandis say about us???

I agree with other posters - be up front and tell them what happened. I would not be worried about something like that.

Frakiosaurus · 31/05/2012 16:42

Wow bizarre autocorrects there....

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