For a parent or caregiver, the safety and well being of their child is their number one concern. And yet there are debates over whether or not trying to keep your child safe and monitoring their surroundings, which may include a baby sitter or nanny, is an invasion of privacy.

Some advocates of a right to privacy actually state that monitoring your child’s care giver by using a hidden nanny cam is simply a way for them to excuse their own negligence and failure to properly screen potential nannies. And then you have the other side that feels it is a necessity to have this kind of surveillance system placed in your home.

When some of the nanny placement companies have been interviewed about their thoughts on using a hidden nanny cam, they feel that if you tell the nanny up front that they may be monitored it is enough of a deterrent. However, the flip side of that is if a nanny knows there is a camera monitoring them, the neglect or abuse may still happen but they may be more careful and make sure they are out of the cameras range.

You may need to be a little creative when it comes to placing a nanny cam. There are several types and several ways of setting them up. If your child is at an age where the majority of the time is spent in their room you want to try to hide the camera in something that will not look out of place. At the same time you need to be assured that it is not in something that the nanny may pick up or look at. There are some that look like dolls or stuffed animals. If you go with a stuffed animal you may want to get one of those "pet nets" that hang from the ceiling and conceal it among many other animals. Since it is hanging in a net, it is not likely that a nanny would get up on a chair and pick that particular toy up. So be creative.

Of course you need to be up to date about your states laws concerning the use of hidden nanny cameras. Many state that if you give someone permission to be in your home they have a right to expect some privacy. Then there are a few that could prove difficult to ever get recorded.

For instance, perhaps you think that the nanny you hired to take care of your child when you are not home is not being as diligent as you would like. You may think she leaves the child unattended in the bathtub and answers the phone or makes a call. But, if you are considering setting up a nanny camera in the bathroom, you may want to reconsider, as the use of a camera in the bathroom is unacceptable due to an expectation of privacy and may find yourself the subject of a lawsuit by the nanny. When you are purchasing any kind of surveillance equipment, be sure to ask about the laws governing your state.

It will probably be a long drawn out decision when it comes to the legality of nanny cams, etc. However, most people think that you as parents should have the right to decide how it goes as you are the one ultimately responsible for your child’s welfare.

Tags: hidden | camera | nanny | cams | cams | cam | cam

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