Documents needed for my cleaner to babysit for my toddler?

[Moomin48]

I have a lovely cleaner who has been coming to us for a year each week. She is a nursery nurse for the rest of the week and my 20 month old loves seeing her briefly when she's in the house (we're usually on our way out) and talks about her for the rest of the week.

I'm researching getting a childminder but need time away from my toddler to do so (he is all consuming) so I thought I'd ask my cleaner if she was interested in doing a few hours a week of babysitting. She said yes and she's doing an hour next week after cleaning for us. She suggested taking him to the nearby park.

I've just stupidly realised that I only know her first name, nothing more!

Do you think it's too much to ask her to bring her DBS certificate, proof of ID/address? References??

I feel a bit stupid as I've asked her if she's interested without mentioning needing documentation, and don't want it to seem that I don't trust her (I do). But equally if something should happen while they were out, I would have handed him over to someone I knew nothing about.

So just wondering what documents others would ask for... Thank you!

(I posted this earlier today but seem to have deleted it so reposting.)

I'd ask for DBS, ID and address, I can't imagine she'd be surprised or offended by that. Not sure I'd ask for a reference as its a hassle for her to get one, it's only for an hour, and you do already know her.

OK great, thanks, that's really helpful

Can I ask how your going to research getting a child-minder? You normally contact your families information service for a list of registered child-minders in your area and call them or go on line one evening and email them using a site like childcare.co.uk you then arrange to go with your child to meet any that seem on your wavelength. It really doesn't take hours away from your little one so I don't understand why you would need a regular babysitter surely there is time to make a few phone calls in your day?

If the cleaner is nice and you want her to do a bit of nannying / babysitting, then that's fine. She may not have a DBS check, but you should definitely get proof of ID. If you start dictating her hours, days of work, hourly rate, etc she may become an employee, rather than self employed, so just be aware of that.

People that do regular nannying have DBS, insurance, qualifications, etc.

If the cleaner is a nursery nurse too HSMMaCM she will have a DBS check.

Was going to say similar to jannier, to look at childminders you are best taking DC as you need to see how they take to childminder/how childminder is with them.

You would normally just look up childminders in your area and phone them to arrange a time to visit, surely you can do that when DC is with you or when they nap/go to bed.

If you're going to bother with a babysitter, go and have a massage or something you can't do with DC.

Thanks all. His nap time is generally taken up with showering/cleaning/laundry and doesn't leave much time for anything else! I can't look on the computer with him awake as he's desperate to press all the keys and has a meltdown if I don't let him (he's in a tantrum phase). I have been looking on childcare.co.uk and reading the profiles and replying etc takes me a bit of concentration and I'm too tired in the evening so having an hour is all I need to read through them all, work out who sounds good and messaging etc.

I'll ask her for proof of ID I think, should be enough. Thanks all!

Oh duh. Sorry. Somehow missed she was a nursery nurse.