Leaving baby with new cleaner? Post Reply

[Crazycat]

Hi - would like a sense check from some other mums... My baby is 6months - he sleeps from 12-2pm in his cot. My daughter needs picking up from pre school at 1:15. If I put my baby to sleep in buggy, he sleeps for 45 mins max so keen to try to minimise the number of school pick ups he has to join me for. My cleaner comes twice a week over lunch time. She's only been with us for 6 weeks. Would you leave your sleeping baby in the house with a new cleaner? The school pick up takes 15 - 20 mins max. I feel as if this should be fine but am a bit freaked out about doing it. She seems very nice and came through an agency but I obviously don't really know her at all. Thanks!

[falconmum]

Apologies..but I wouldn't unless you have CRB checked her. Do u feel comfortable leaving her alone? Do you have all her credentials?
Maybe its me being overly cautious....

[Goldhawk]

I wouldn't

[supermummy]

No, I wouldn't. Chances are it would be fine but as you say, you really don't know her. Do you know who she is? Where she lives? How do you know she is trustworthy ? What if he wakes up distressed? I don't mean to sound paranoid but you wouldn't ask a stranger on the street to mind your baby and you don't know this girl much better really...

[dansk1234dance]

I wouldn't either.

Can you train him to sleep better in the pram?

[NYE31]

I wouldn't, if you can't get your son to sleep for longer in the buggy, could you not share drop offs & pick ups so you do the drop offs & someone else picks up for you.

Our cleaner was always offering to babysit to earn extra cash but I have always used like minders as their girls are CRB checked, have 3 references & 1st aid.

[Crazycat]

Thanks for the posts. I think you are all right: my gut feeling is that it just isn't worth the risk. I am going to see if I can share some school pick-ups with other mums and my baby will just have to get better at sleeping in his buggy - better to be tired, than abducted....

[Beketaten]

No, it's really not fair on the cleaner. She is not paid (or maybe experienced or interested) to look after children.

[mamabel]

i would!! however I'm clearly in the minority.....

[Heavens to Betsy]

I would as well! In fact I used to leave my 2 yr old with my cleaner on a regular basis. I just did it on instinct, no crb checks just a gut feeling that this 23 yr old knew how to mind a toddler safely.

Never had any problems, and I left him for 2 -3 hours sometimes, and my cleaner was very happy to earn some extra cash of course. it was a win win situation as far as I can see, but I am not a risk averse sort of person, and this was a bout 12 years ago when things were different.

[Vives09]

Depends how long for for me - my kids are older now, but I would leave them for 10/15 minutes here and there to get something from the shops or get money to pay the cleaner.

I wouldn't do it when a cleaner first started though, but after 6 weeks you have a fairly good idea whether she's trustworthy or not if you talk to her and she turns up on time, does what they says etc. Check what references her agency took up (be aware - some don't bother!). Also, the cleaner would have to be happy to do it.

I think these things are worth more than an enhanced CRB to be honest because that just shows that she hasn't been caught doing something, not that she hasn't done anything.

[Crazycat]

Interesting to hear some other perspectives. I know the agency has a copy of her passport and proof of her address. The cleaner has said she has no problem with being left for 20 mins in the house with the baby. I always take the view that if he wakes up around the time I would be out, he can have a grumble for 15 mins anyway as he invariably puts himself back to sleep. So, even if he did wake up, I wouldn't really want her to go into him. Still think I should probably err on the side of caution and perhaps wait until the new year and then think again!

[zaza107]

I have, but we'd known our cleaner for over three years when my daughter was born, and only for a few minutes to run to the corner shop. Our cleaner voluntarily brought a copy of her passport when she came the first time, and has done loads of other almost unbelievably responsible things over the years, so I trust her. She adores our daughter, leaves her notes, gave her a baby gift, and is just very lovely. After only 6 weeks, no way, though...

[8han]

I would be okay with it too. Have you seen her with your child and how she is with them? You'd get a good feeling about it. If your cleaner is with an agency then she'd be DBS checked too?

Many of us use babysitting services/agencies where we don't know the person turning up at all.

[Minnie]

I would!

What's the difference in just getting an unknown Sitter out!?