Bad experience on childcare.co.uk

[theonlywayisbristol]

I put an ad on this site, and was contacted by a nanny whose profile had three long examples of previous jobs plus names of mums / schools she'd worked for. I googled them out of curiosity... and found exactly the same names and job examples, word for word, on another nanny's profile!!! she had literally copied and pasted the work experience of another nanny on the site. I can't believe childcare.co.uk doesn't pick this up before 'approving' the profile. Anyway I would say beware anyone who 'favourites' you. In fact it's put me off this site altogether

How do you know it's not her that has been copied? Some else may have copied her profile. The only way to find out is to ask for references and see if she gives you details of the family she has listed that she worked for.

Or could she have two profiles?

Did you meet the nanny in person and thus see written references and to check them verbally?

If you consider that a profile is false, then contact the site admin and let them know all details, such as which profiles are the same, so they can look into it.

Childcare listing sites are purely advertising venues, they do not check that adverts are truthful. They may try to prevent adverts breaking the law, though even those get through the system sometimes like parents advertising for a person of a certain age, gender, race, or childcarers advertising a service which requires registration, such as childminding.

Always check documentation when you physically meet someone, ID, qualifications, registration, etc.

But it's just an internet advertisement site- surely you don't believe every word on an internet dating site? It's your responsibility to check if what has been posted is true, not the site's! I found my awesome nanny through childcare.co.uk but also did get a lot of unsuitable applicants. You're going to be the employer, it's your responsibility to check their suitability, references, crb etc...

I had a childminder on another website copy my ad word for word, even laying claim to my own family! I protested by email to the CM in question (who ignored me) and to the site admin, who initially said to ignore her as it made her look like an idiot. I had to point out that nobody reading her ad would know she was not the person she claimed to be, and might well think that I was the idiot. Eventually her ad disappeared, but I never knew at whose instigation. My own theory is that this was somebody trying to lose me business rather than get business for themselves, as they would surely be shooting themselves in the foot as soon as someone met them and found they did not have the experience, facilities or resources they laid claim to. There are a lot of nutters and mischief makers on the internet. I don't think every site can police them to the point of not putting up their posts or ads, but I do think they should act swiftly when things are reported to them.

It's more that, because childcare.co.uk 'approve' your ad before listing it, you naturally assume they have done the same with any nanny they put up - otherwise why would you pay a sub. So yes minder jinx - lots of nutters!!! Buyer beware!!!