How To Keep A (Legal) Eye On Your Babysitter
Putting your child in the hands of someone else is a nerve-racking experience. As a parent, your top priority is the safety and wellbeing of your children. You want to know that they’re being cared for properly when you’re busy at work or simply need to get out of the house from time-to-time, as we all do.
It is actually possible to relax during a well deserved night out without having to worry about what’s happening at home. It’s not a crime to be protective of your little child and a babysitting cam is a must-have item for mums, dads and carers.
Sadly, there have been many cases of the physical and mental abuse of children that have been revealed by hidden cameras. In this article, you will discover why your child should be monitored, how to decide if you need a home surveillance cam and what to do if you’ve witnessed untoward behaviour from your babysitter.
 From this graph, you can see that the interest in nanny cameras is increasing and continues to rise into 2016 months.
It’s better to be safe than sorry, so be the parent that sees everything and don’t take any risks….
Why should you monitor your child?
â…• of all kidnappings recorded by police involve a child victim…
Ever suspect that your babysitter is having friends over without your permission or watching TV the entire time instead of watching your children?
You may have heard the about ‘bad’ babysitters being caught. Although your child’s caregiver may seem like complete delight, unfortunately, you cannot trust everybody. If you’re looking for a quick way to discover if a nanny is right for your family, a hidden camera could be the best way to figure this out.
When could your child NOT be safe?
One thousand parents in the US were interviewed and 26% have caught their babysitters distracted by texting on the job.
There are a number of situations that could take place if your babysitter was to abuse their job role by doing the following without your permission:
- Drinking
- Inviting friends over
- Texting
- Social media
- Making personal phone calls
- Watching television
These activities could allow the caregiver’s attention to wander or decline, meaning that your child is not being shown full attention.
Child kidnappings could be four times higher as of 2015. You can never be too careful when it comes to your children. If you’re a busy parent and require outside help with caregiving, you want to know that your child is receiving the best possible care.
Leaving your baby at home is a tough decision to make, but you can eliminate any possible worries by installing surveillance in your home to ensure that things are running as they should while you’re away to keep tabs on your children at all times.
In 2015, 49,000 children in England needed protection from abuse…
Can you trust your babysitter?
No matter how long you use it for, the camera can either confirm the trust you have for your au-pair or it can support any doubts so that you can efficiently find a replacement babysitter. If any ambiguity whatsoever is creeping into your mind, you should act appropriately.
Behaviour to potentially be wary of:
- Has your child acted disturbingly since hiring the babysitter?
- Is the babysitter secretive about her daily routine?
- Has your child been in many accidents since the arrival of the babysitter?
- Is the babysitter ignoring your requests? Does your child appear withdrawn?
- Is the care-provider critical of your parenting?
- Has your babysitter ever lied to you?
It can be hard to know whether to fully trust somebody from a simple recommendation or resume – but now it is easier than ever to monitor your home activity with a simple hidden camera that will not likely be discovered. A caregiver can never replace the nurture received from yourself as a parent, but it’s good to know that your child has a positive connection with the person that they are spending a fair amount of time with.
By understanding the communication that goes on in your home, you are getting to know your babysitter and the way they work without having to conduct a string of interviews or having to be around for the first few weeks. Often, children are afraid to speak up through fear or uncomfortable feelings – it’s up to you as a parent to understand what’s going on in your home.
 Kateryna G Tue, March 10th – Smart Mom.
“Want to warn all the moms here. I had a very bad experience with a babysitter (who was actually a niece of a friend). She seemed very sweet but I have a camera in my house so I can watch what’s going on on my phone. She spent the entire time texting and left my son strapped in his high chair crying bloody murder. PUT CAMERAS IN YOUR HOUSE if you have a babysitter.”
How do babysitter cameras work?
A babysitting camera is a simple and easy way to keep an eye on your kids (and your home) when you’re not there. Covert spy cameras capture video recordings in a hidden manner and can be placed in common living areas such as the kitchen, front room and children’s bedrooms.
Once they are installed, you can view or listen to all activities on your personal mobile devices on your computer in real-time or as a recording. You can also record specific activity for later viewing. Although you may feel somewhat sneaky doing this, it’s simply ‘insurance’ – nothing more, nothing less.
Don’t worry, as this is no longer the 1990s and you don’t necessarily need to install a muffled camera into the eyes of a teddy bear. Technology is increasing its uses and high definition spy cameras hidden in everyday items are so discreet that nobody need ever know. Today’s technology can be used to your advantage and it doesn’t have to be a bad thing.
Should I tell my babysitter about the camera?
If you want to tell your babysitter about the home surveillance, you don’t want to appear creepy or untrustworthy of their services, so wording is crucial if you want to share your plans.
Deciding whether to tell your caregiver that you’re monitoring activity is a difficult decision to make, it’s possible that a nanny will object to the monitoring. On the other hand, the nanny cam could work as a deterrent for abuse and as an incentive for providing excellent care because the caregiver realises that you are monitoring activities.
Ethical and legal issues
You can install a camera in common areas of your home however it is illegal to install surveillance in private areas of your home including the bathroom or a live-in-nanny’s bedroom. There are particular laws around recording voice activity, you can read more about that.
What kind of nanny cam is best?
The kind of nanny cam you’d like depends on the room you wish to place it in. We hold a range of hidden cameras in common devices to avoid discovery. From air conditioners to table lamp cameras, you can select the most suitable device for your home. It is completely up to you if you’d like to purchase more than one.
The top 5 surveillance products for babysitters: The Air Freshener
Camera’s live feed can be viewed from your phone, iPad or laptop. Perfect for the living room or kitchen, can be placed anywhere and includes motion detection so that you don’t have to browse through hours of footage.
Produces a central birds eye view of your home, the wifi aspect allows you to view a live feed from your phone or computer no matter where you are.
Produces clear HD video and audio footage to watch back via the micro SD card, compatible with Mac and Windows.
Supplied with a remote control, the table lamp is fitted with a discreet camera that enables you to view recorded footage. Radio WiFi Spy Camera Fitted with WiFi, this camera allows you to view live, remote footage. This device also produces motion activated recordings of events for later viewings.
Fitted with WiFi, this camera allows you to view live, remote footage. This device also produces motion activated recordings of events for later viewings.
What should I do if I catch my babysitter acting badly?
The worst nightmare for any parent is to discover that the person they trusted with their children has turned out to be a questionable character.
If you have been using a babysitter camera and have noticed behaviours that you feel to be wrong, it is important that you take action immediately. Whatever you have discovered, whether this is mental or physical – you must terminate the nanny’s services straight away.
- Terminate employment of the babysitter
- Talk to your child and ensure that you know how they feel
- Gather all evidence and make copies to ensure that the nanny will not destroy the content
- If you have employed the nanny through an agency, contact and inform them
Remember, you don’t need to use the nanny cam forever. It could be useful for the first month or so of hiring somebody just to ensure that things are running smoothly.
How to choose the right babysitter
1.Consider the references
It may take a little bit of extra time, however it could benefit you in the long run if you’re wary of the babysitters you’ve hired in the past. Narrowing down the right candidates is a tough job, your chosen caregiver should provide exactly what you and your child needs.
Contact previous families that the babysitter has listed and review previous responsibilities that they’ve had. This way you can decide if she has the right experience for your job.
2.Prepare the right interview questions
Consider the questions that are most important to you and your family and think of unique requirements that you are looking for someone, this could include finding out about the candidates hobbies and cooking skills.
3.Do a child test
An important factor will be how well the caregiver interacts with your child/children. Once you have interviewed the person alone, it’s a good idea to see how well the child connects with them and how comfortable their interaction is.
There’s nothing wrong with wanting to know that your children are being safely cared for. Some misinterpret the use of a nanny cam by linking it with the fact that you do not trust your babysitter, however it’s
Hidden cameras aren’t just for nanny’s, they can be used for pet sitters, housekeepers and general surveillance within your home. We hold a selection of quality devices that can be used to monitor home activity – whether you want to hide in plain sight or make the cameras known, it’s natural for a parent to need reassurance that a childminder is doing a good job.
View our range of surveillance cameras, or get in touch if you require further information.