Not sure what to think about this....

[HeadFairy]

I started work early this morning so left before our nanny came. Dh left once she'd arrived. He got half way down the road when he remembered he'd left a vital document at home so went back to get it. As he arrived he saw our nanny taking her dd (whom she brings to work with her) and wearing her coat and carrying her bag back to her car. Dh said she looked "sheepish" and said she was looking for her phone as she couldnt' find it. She apparently went back in to the house, left her dd and her bag and then went back out to her car to look for her phone. Dh says the front door was double locked and he's convinced she was going to drive back to her house (5 mins away by car) to look for her phone leaving our kids alone at home (they're 5.11 and 3.7).

I can't stop thinking about it. How on earth do I get to the bottom of what she was doing? If she was just popping out to her car to search her car why did she have her coat on, was carrying her dd and had her bag with her, and why was the front door double locked? If I ask her outright if she was going to leave my children alone in the house she will deny it.

Of course, nothing actually happened, does it matter that it appears the intent was there?

I don't want to drip feed so I will mention she's had form for this sort of thing in the past and I gave her a warning it must never happen again. Last time it wasn't malicious in the slightest, just poor judgment.

10 years ago it was mentioned by agencies as a good idea. There might have been a court ruling against a nanny awarding damages or something that sparked it?

It's certainly gained momentum since OFSTED made it compulsory for registration. It'd be interesting to see figures from Morton Michel on the uptake over the last couple of decades.

I know it's the DM but this was 2003 Girl gets damages after car crash - although I don't know whether that would be a car insurance issue? But it was probably big news in the industry that a parent went so far.

I have had nanny insurance for 24 years. I'd not heard of it until I moved to London to work and have had it ever since.

If you are a nanny you would be mad not to have it. It covers you up to £3 million pounds, as a nanny, I wouldn't earn that if I worked until I was 90!!

Like callaird, I have had nanny insurance for 20 years. Most nannies do now have even if they're not ofsted registered. IMO, all professional nannies will have it

Maybe hf nanny should get nanny insurance - lets hope she doesn't do anything stupid again

and no money can ever compensate if anything ever happened to a child :( - but money also gives choices / ie can buy the best care if something terrible did happen

As I said I know several nannies who don't have insurance and they are insane

Despite what happened previously I I think the OP would be raked right over the coals if she tried to fire the nanny on the basis of the latest story. I don't think the proof is strong enough. A very difficult situation to be in but I could well imagine at a tribunal it being concluded she and her DH had imagined it all if they went down that route. If sounds to me like they've employed her for more than two years; could be wrong though. I would have gotten rid after the shop incident but hindsight is a beautiful thing.

OP are you planning a few drop in unexpectedlies over the next few weeks?